The Importance of Good Vocation

Apart from the appropriateness of quality and contents of the food one eats, it is equally important to ensure that the money used to purchase the food is also honestly earned. The sages have said that the means adopted to gain an objective should be as good as the objective itself. It is only food purchased with money earned by honest means that breeds the nobles sentiments in heart and mind. No happiness can come from food bought with money earned by torturing others. Such food will not be beneficial, rather, it will prove to be harmful and tending to perpetration of misdeeeds. Thus along with our food, our vocation should I also be good. Money earned by righteous means stays with us, keeps us on the right track and brings happiness. Wealth gained by violence and fraud is transitory, tends to be misused and causes grief. Wealth tends to be squandered as rapdily as it is accumulated. Dacoits, smugglers and those engaged in profession involving violence throw away their money on intoxicating materials, wine and women. On eating food brought from such ill-gotten money, the progeny of these people also learn such misdeeds. If we venture to look at our surroundings, we shall find that the families earning money by evil means never prosper. Their family members are addicted to intoxicants, suffer from ailments and are always quarelling among themselves. They never enjoy peace of mind and contentment.

Even a prostitute earns a lot from her profession, but how many would like to dine at her place. The ingredients used in her food would much the same as in the food cooked in a religious place, but the latter is, called "prasad' because it comes out of money donated whh faith and devotion, not money extracted by greed and lust or other unjust motivations.

Thus alongwith 'Satvik' diet, our professional dealings should also good and pure. Food procured with money earned by killing or abetting the killings of living beings, can never bestow health, happiness and peace mind.

Hence, money earned from following professions is not considered pious:-

1. Killing or arranging to kill birds and animals for food.
2. Encouraging fighting between animals, cocks and bulls etc. for fun and recreation.
3. Fabrication of articles of leather, silk fats, oils and feathers in which any living being is killed.
4. Trapping birds and earning from their sales.
5. Trading in liquor and other intoxicating materials or abetting trade.
He who kills himself or causes animals to be killed for food is as much sinner as the one who eats such food.

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