The Saint-Scientist Vallalar has a precise answer for what you came here for, which is why spiritual people avoid meat. It is a question that often arises when a spiritual path begins to deepen, moving from abstract ideas to lived practice. This answer goes beyond ethics or health to the very mechanics of spiritual transformation; below, you will learn how diet prepares the physical body to receive a divine light, and the three specific stages of this transformation that Vallalar documented. While many traditions recommend a plant-based diet for reasons of non-violence, Vallalar presented it as a non-negotiable requirement of spiritual physiology. To understand his reasoning, we need to look at the man who lived it.
The Life and Teachings of Vallalar
Ramalinga Swamigal, known as Vallalar, was a 19th-century Tamil mystic whose collected writings, the Thiru Arutpa, remain one of the most extraordinary spiritual records ever produced. His life was filled with remarkable feats β though he dismissed anything supernatural, insisting that everything he did was a science. He established a center for feeding the poor that has operated without interruption for over 150 years, serving food to all, regardless of caste or creed. On January 30, 1874, accounts from those present record that he locked himself in a room in Mettukuppam and was never seen again β his body never found. This event is documented by government records and by British Collector John Henry Garstin.
Beyond Ethics: The Body as a Conductor for Grace-Light
For most spiritual traditions, the reasons for avoiding meat fall into two categories: ethics and purity. The ethical argument centers on ahimsa, or non-harming, stating that one cannot progress spiritually while causing suffering to other beings. The purity argument suggests that meat carries dense, negative energies that cloud the mind and spirit.
Vallalar agreed with both of these points but went much further. For him, the question was not one of preference or even moral high ground. It was a matter of spiritual physics. He taught that the human body is not merely a vehicle for the soul but an instrument designed to receive and embody a divine substance he called Arut Perum Jyothi, the Vast Grace-Light.
In his view, every choiceβfrom what we eat to what we thinkβeither enhances the bodyβs conductivity to this light or obstructs it. The entire spiritual path, as he laid it out, is a systematic process of refining this human instrument until it is capable of holding the full charge of the Grace-Light without being destroyed.
Why Spiritual People Avoid Meat: Vallalarβs Physiology of Light
Vallalarβs teaching on plant-based living is not a dietary guideline β it is spiritual physiology. In his work Nithya Karma Vidhi (Rules for Daily Practice), he specified which plant foods were most conducive to spiritual progress, making them the absolute foundation of the path. His reasoning was direct and based on the subtle anatomy of the human form.
He explained that flesh eating closes the subtle channels, or nadis, through which Arut Perum Jyothi enters and circulates within the body. The consumption of meat, he taught, makes the physical structure too dense. This density acts as an insulator, blocking the Grace-Light from penetrating the cells and initiating the alchemical process of bodily transformation. The fear and pain of the animal at the time of its death become part of the food, creating a physiological barrier that light cannot easily pass through.
A plant-based diet, therefore, is the essential first step in preparing the physical body to become the deathless body. It purifies the nadis and reduces the bodyβs density, making it a receptive vessel rather than a resistant container.
The Three Stages of the Deathless Body
The purpose of this meticulous physical preparation is a three-stage transformation of the body itself. Vallalar documented this process in his poetry, presenting a clear map of human potential.
First is the Suddha Deham, or Pure Body. This is the initial result of a life based on compassion and a plant-based diet. The body becomes free of disease, impurity, and the normal decay associated with aging. Vallalar taught that none of these techniques can take root without Jeeva Karunyam β active compassion that prevents suffering in other living beings. This stage is achievable by any sincere practitioner who follows the path.
Next is the Pranava Deham, or Primal Body. As the practitioner deepens their devotion and purifies their nature, the body becomes increasingly subtle and luminous. It grows less dependent on physical food and begins to radiate a soft, visible light. The central practice for this refinement is the constant recitation of the Mahamantra: AruαΉ Perum JΕti β AruαΉ Perum JΕti β TaαΉi Perum KaruαΉai β AruαΉ Perum JΕti. This translates to βThe Vast Grace-Light. The Vast Grace-Light. The Incomparable Great Compassion. The Vast Grace-Light.β
The final stage is the Gnana Deham, or Wisdom Body. Here, the physical form, having been perfectly purified and prepared, merges completely with the Vast Grace-Light, dissolving into pure consciousness. Based on the Thiru Arutpa and witness accounts of his final day, this is the state Vallalar is said to have demonstrated. While other traditions speak of concepts like the Merkaba or a final dissolution, as in the Tibetan Rainbow Body, Vallalarβs account of the Gnana Deham is a precise, documented physiological end-point of his specific path.
One Step Toward a Body of Light
Examine your next meal. Vallalar taught that diet is the first step in preparing the body for light. Replace one animal-based item on your plate today with a plant-based option he specified in his Nithya Karma Vidhi β simple foods like rice, lentils, bananas, or stem vegetables like drumstick (Moringa). This is not just a dietary change; it is a shift in the bodyβs receptivity. As you eat, consider that you are preparing the very cells of your body to receive a higher grace.
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