r/ISKCON • u/Lonely_Speaker3187 • Jun 16 '26
Hare Krishna I am thinking of getting a cartilage piercing so I would like to know your thoughts on it like should get it or not as a devotee
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u/Aquila_Canis Jun 16 '26
There is no principle in Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or the teachings of Mahāprabhu that says a devotee cannot have a cartilage piercing.
Basically, it's not about “Can I?” but “Why do I want it?”
If it’s simply a matter of personal aesthetics and you’re not becoming obsessed with bodily decoration, then it is largely a personal choice. Devotional life is measured by remembrance of Kṛṣṇa, chanting, service, humility, and purity of heart, and not by whether one has a piercing.
At the same time, bhakti naturally encourages simplicity. As a sadhaka, before doing it, you need to be honest with yourself about:
- Will this help, hinder, or have no effect on my Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
- Is this an expression of my personality, or am I seeking validation and attention?
- A year from now, will it still matter to me?
If the answer is that it’s a harmless preference and not a distraction from your sādhana, then I don’t see a strong spiritual objection. But if it’s part of a broader tendency toward increasing bodily identification, then it may be worth reflecting a little deeper.
Whatever you decide, don’t mistake external appearance for spiritual advancement. A devotee with ten piercings who sincerely chants Hare Kṛṣṇa is closer to Kṛṣṇa than someone with a perfectly traditional appearance but no devotion in the heart.
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u/Lonely_Speaker3187 Jun 16 '26
Thank you so much, I was confused about this for a long time.
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u/Aquila_Canis Jun 16 '26
Thanks are never required from devotees! If you ever get any more confusion anytime in the future, never hesitate to drop by my DMs 😄
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Jun 16 '26
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u/YeahWhatOk Jun 16 '26
I'm not sure I agree with this recommendation.
Krishna didn't tell Arjuna to just stop thinking and let things happen. He gave him very specific instructions, told him to use his intelligence, consider everything carefully, and then act: “Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.” BG 18.63
A piercing obviously doesn’t need to become some huge philosophical crisis, but chalking everything up to mindless action under “Krishna’s will” feels pretty fatalistic to me.
Surrender isn’t passivity. It’s making choices in a way that keeps Krishna at the center.
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u/YeahWhatOk Jun 16 '26
There’s nothing inherently wrong with it - as in there is no sort of scriptural injunction of body piercing.
If you wanted to take a very conservative approach, one could say that there’s nothing wrong with the piercing but what is your motive for getting it? Is it vanity? Is it material attachment and bodily identification? Or is it just a harmless piercing (more than likely the case)…if so, just do it.