The first Hare Krishna regulative principle is Daya (which means “mercy”), which implores the followers of Krishna to live in peace and harmony with their surroundings and their fellow creatures. An obvious result of this principal is that members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness do not eat meat, fish, or eggs. Their diets are strictly vegetarian, but that does not mean that they are boring and lacking in nutritions, or that Hare Krishna followers walk around feeling hungry all the time! Foods prepared in alignment with the principle of Daya are eye-catching, tasty, and nutritious.

The Hare Krishna menu is built around foods that are non-violent, nutritious, flavorful, and inexpensive. The basic ingredients of their dishes include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and milk products. These basic ingredients cooked into dishes with traditional Indian spices (remember what Columbus was hoping to find by sailing west to get to the east?) provide a diet that is nutritious, filling, and anything but monotonous and boring. It is a diet that respects the earth and all sentient beings on the earth, similar to the diet that has sustained many people for thousands of generations. Hare Krishna cooking is performed primarily as a gift to Lord Krishna, and secondarily to feed the people. Hare Krishna devotees believe that if everyone on earth ate with the principle of Daya in mind, the world would be a much more peaceful and prosperous place for people and all living creatures.