Only Krishna Prasadam

First and foremost, one should eat only prasädam i.e. food that has been offered to Lord Kåñëa with devotion.

Part of surrendering to Kåñëa is being careful not to eat anything that has not been offered to Him. That should be our determination. [The Laws of Nature]

Our life in Kåñëa consciousness means to be always the servant of Kåñëa. As the servant eats remnants of food left by the master, we, servants of Kåñëa, eat remnants of food left by Kåñëa. That food is called prasädam, or the Lord’s mercy. [TQE]

One should eat only food cooked by devotees.

The word apavitra anna refers to food that is unacceptable for a Vaiñëava. In other words, a Vaiñëava cannot accept any food offered by an avaiñëava in the name of mahä-prasädam. This should be a principle for all Vaiñëavas.

A vaiñëava must be very strict in this respect and should not at all cooperate with an avaiñëava. If an avaiñëava offers food in the name of mahä-prasädam, it should not be accepted. Such food cannot be prasädam because an avaiñëava cannot offer anything to the Lord.

Even if an avaiñëava cooks food without fault, he cannot offer it to Lord Viñëu, and it cannot be accepted as mahä-prasädam.

Kåñëa can accept anything offered by His devotee with devotion. An avaiñëava may be a vegetarian and a very clean cook, but because he cannot offer Viñëu the food he cooks, it cannot be accepted as mahä-prasädam. It is better that a Vaiñëava abandon such food as untouchable.

[Excerpts from Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 9.53 Purport]

Çréla Prabhupäda strictly forbids taking food prepared in restaurants or hotels or in airplanes. One should not accept even water from a non-devotee unless there is a dire necessity.

One should carefully avoid eating food offered by nondevotees. Indeed, a devotee should be very strict in not accepting food from a nondevotee, especially food prepared in restaurants or hotels or on airplanes. [Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 12.195]

We are prohibited to take prasädam anywhere and everywhere. Because if there is no Deity worship, if we take food from their house, then we partake the sin, resultant action of their sinful activities. We should be careful. Unless it is prasädam, if we accept invitation from anywhere and everywhere, that means we are accepting the sinful activities, resultant action of the sin, person. [Sannyasa Initiation Lecture, Calcutta, January 26, 1973]

So far accepting water, no, practically from one who is not initiated we should not accept any eatables or drinkables. This should not be discussed, but you should remember it. But if there is dire necessity, there is not question of prohibition. [Letter to: Bhavananda, Honolulu, May 9, 1972]

Prayers for Offering Bhoga

nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale

çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine

I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, who is very dear to Lord Kåñëa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe

nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe

Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvaté Gosvämé. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.

namo maha-vadanyaya krishna-prema-pradaya te

krishnaya krishna-chaitanya-namne gaura-tvishe namaha

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya, who is more magnanimous than any other incarnation, even Krishna Himself, because He is bestowing freely what no one else has ever given pure love of Kåñëa.

namo-brahmanya-devaya go brahmana hitaya cha

jagad-hitaya krishnaya govindaya namo namaha

I offer my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth, Krishna, who is the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas as well as the living entities in general. I offer my repeated obeisances to Govinda [Krishna], who is the pleasure reservoir for all the senses.

Offering Bhoga

Offer with Respect and Devotion

In Jagannatha Puri, the Lord eats 56 times. the Lord can eat as many times as you can offer. But only thing is whatever is offered must be with respect and devotion.

Krishna can eat as many times as you give Him to eat, because He is unlimited. He can eat unlimitedly, provided we can supply foodstuff unlimitedly. But that is not possible for us. Therefore, we limit the supply. But anyway, if you can increase the offerings it is very nice. But one thing is that whatever you make routine work to offer Him food stuff, that should be continued. Do not change it. So if you can continue to offer foodstuff like fruits and milk in the evening, you can introduce that system. There is no harm. [Letter to: Syama Dasi, Seattle, October 21, 1968]

Offering Procedure

The food to be offered should be covered when taken from the kitchen to the diety room.

It is advisable that food being offered to the Deity be covered when taken from the kitchen to the Deity room. In that way, others may not see it. Those who are not accustomed to following the advanced regulative devotional principles may desire to eat the food, and that is an offense. Therefore no one should be given a chance to even see it. However, when it is brought before the Deity, it must be uncovered. [CC Madhya 4.124 Purport]

At every offering of bhoga to the Deities there must be one Tulasi leaf on the plate.

Ringing of bell is required even for offering prasadam.

The custom is to offer through the spiritual master.

The custom is to offer the foodstuff first to the Spiritual Master; we cannot do anything directly. The Spiritual Master accepts the offering on behalf of his disciple, and offers the same to Krishna. After Krishna's eating, the Spiritual Master eats it, and then the devotees take it as Mahaprasada. This is the system. [Letter to:Jadurani, Los Angeles, February 15, 1968]

Whatever is offered to the Deity actually it goes through the Spiritual Master. The Spiritual Master offers to Lord Caitanya, and Lord Caitanya offers it to Krishna. Then Radha Krishna eats, or Jagannatha eats, then Caitanya Mahaprabhu eats, then the Spiritual Master eats, and it becomes Mahä-Prasädam. So when you offer something, you think like that and chant the Gayatri mantra, and then everything is complete. At last, ring the bell, take out the plate and wipe the place where the plate was kept. [Letter to: Arundhati, New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969]

For offering prasadam simply prayers to the Spiritual Master is sufficient.

For offering prasadam simply prayers to the Spiritual Master is sufficient. The process is that everything is offered to the Spiritual Master, and the Spiritual Master is supposed to offer the same foodstuff to the Lord. When a thing is offered to the Spiritual Master, he immediately offers to the Lord. That is the system, and as we come by parampara system, it is our duty to go through the right channel — namely, first the Spiritual Master, then Lord Caitanya, and then Krishna. So when we chant prayers, we do this, Bande ham Sri Guru . . . and gradually to the Goswamis, then to Lord Caitanya, and then to Radha Krishna. That is the praying system. But offering the prasadam to present everything before the Spiritual Master whose picture is also in the altar, means that the Spiritual Master will take care of offering the foodstuff to the Lord. Therefore simply by chanting the prayer to the Spiritual Master, everything will be complete. [Letter to: Harer Nama, Allston, Mass, May 28, 1968]

After 15-20 minutes, remove the offering and clean the place.

Once prasadam (water, or foodstuffs) is offered to the Lord, His Plate should remain on the altar for about 15-20 minutes (while the portion in the pots may be taken by the devotees). Water need only remain there for a few minutes. Once the prasadam is removed from the altar, and touched by us, it should not again be placed on the altar. Whatever we offer should be as fresh and pure as is possible. [Letter to: Karunamayi, Los Angeles, February 25, 1968]

Cooking Bhoga

Consciousness while Cooking

We have to understand that Kåñëa is the only enjoyer. The consciousness of this is developed in a Kåñëa Conscious temple, where the central point of all activities is Kåñëa. All cooking is carried on for Kåñëa, not for one’s own purposes. Ultimately we shall eat the prasädam, but when we cook we should think that we are cooking for Kåñëa and not for ourselves. [The Matchless Gift]

When you cook, if you think, “Oh, this nice thing is being cooked. I shall eat it very nicely,” then it is not Kåñëa. But while cooking, if you think, “Let me do it very nicely so that Kåñëa will taste it,” it is Kåñëa consciousness. [Lecture: SB: 1.5.13, New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969]

Ingredients for Cooking Bhoga

The purpose of food is to increase the duration of life, purify the mind and aid bodily strength. This is its only purpose. In the past, great authorities selected those foods that best aid health and increase life’s duration, such as milk products, sugar, rice, wheat, fruits and vegetables. These foods are very dear to those in the mode of goodness. Some other foods, such as baked corn and molasses, while not very palatable in themselves, can be made pleasant when mixed with milk or other foods. They are then in the mode of goodness. All these foods are pure by nature. They are quite distinct from untouchable things like meat and liquor. [BG: 17.8 – 10 Purport]

Kåñëa is offered foodstuff in goodness. The foodstuffs in the modes of goodness are wheat, rice, pulse (beans, peas), sugar, honey, butter and all milk preparations, vegetables, flowers, fruits, grains. So these foods can be offered in any shape, but prepared in various ways by the intelligence of the devotees. The ingredients are always the same as above, whether you fry them, boil them, bake them, powder them, or whatever way they are combined or cooked, the idea is that they must come from this group of foodstuffs. So you can make your own recipe if you like, so long as the ingredients are within this group. This foods group is stated by Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita, and we follow accordingly. [Letter to: Kris, Los Angeles, Novembr 13, 1968]

Forbidden Foods

One who loves Kåñëa will give Him whatever He wants, and he avoids offering anything, which is undesirable or unasked for. Thus, meat, fish and eggs should not be offered to Kåñëa. If He desired such things as offerings, He would have said so. Instead He clearly requests that a leaf, fruit, flowers and water be given to Him, and He says of this offering, “I will accept it.” Therefore, we should understand that He will not accept meat, fish and eggs. Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk and water are the proper foods for human beings and are prescribed by Lord Kåñëa Himself. Whatever else we eat cannot be offered to Him, since He will not accept it. Thus we cannot be acting on the level of loving devotion if we offer such foods. [BG: 9.26 Purport]

Ice cream purchased from the market may not be offered. Because such ice cream contains sometimes undesirable things, which we should not offer. We must offer to Krishna only first class prepared foodstuff, especially made at home. We shall try to avoid as far as possible goods purchased from the market and offer to Krishna. [Letter to: Syama Dasi, Seattle, October 21, 1968] Cocoa and chocolate are not to be taken as they are intoxicants. [Letter to: Surasrestha, Los Angeles, June 14, 1972]

Because mushrooms grow in a filthy place, they are not usually offered to Krishna. [Letter to: Himavati, Delhi, November 17, 1971] Mushrooms are generally not offered, but there is no prohibition, there is no harm in them. [Letter to: Harer Nama, Los Angeles, December 01, 1968] It is not very good to use yeast in preparing prasadam. It is better to prepare bread in the process as you have seen done in the temple. [Letter to: Vibhavati, LA, July 15, 1969]

Brown rice generally is doubly boiled; therefore it cannot be used for Krishna prasadam. Unpolished rice, which looks like brown can be used. Generally in American the brown rice is doubly boiled therefore unfit. We do not mind polished or unpolished but doubly boiled mustn't be used. Doubly boiled rice is considered impure. Sun baked rice is all right. [Letter to: Mahapurusa, Calcutta, October 17, 1967] Use brown or unrefined sugar if you can find it. [Letter to: Pradyumna, Calcutta, October 17, 1967] Yogurt can be prepared in the temple, it is not very difficult. Boil the milk at night, put a little yogurt in it, and next morning you will find it full of yogurt. [Letter to: Harer Nama, LA, February 11, 1970] Vinegar is not good; it is tamasic, in the darkness, nasty food. So I think we shall not accept this pickles. [Letter to: Kirtanananda, Hawaii, March 24, 1969]

Serving Prasadam

Ideally prasädam should be served by devotees.

Ensure that preparations meant to be served hot are actually hot (it is not recommended to reheat after having become cold) and that all preparations to be served are either present or will arrive for serving at the proper time.

The server or the serving utensils should not touch the plates or hands of those who are eating, for this will contaminate the server and serving utensil. If this happens accidentally, wash your hands and the contaminated vessel before continuing to serve the prasädam.

• Do not touch anything impure (your mouth, feet, hair or lower part of the body) while serving prasädam.
• Do not yawn, sneeze or spit.
• Be careful that the serving vessels do not touch anyone's feet.
• Do not drag the serving vessels along the floor. Do not make clanging noises with pot handles or utensils.
• While serving, be cautious that you do not mix salty preparations with sweet preparations.
• Use only your right hand to serve prasädam.

One should be generous in giving the devotees as much of an item as they desire. One should not be miserly and hold anything back for themselves.

Everyone in a group should be offered the same items. When a group of devotees take prasädam together, no one should be offered anything that is not offered to everyone else. The devotee who is serving prasädam should not make any distinction while serving. If possible, those with special diet should eat separately.

It is very good that now all the devotees can take Prasadam together. All the devotees must keep together, that will be an extra strength. [Letter to: Umapati, Los Angeles, April 26, 1970]

We should never waste Krishna prasadam. Best thing is to cook only what is required and then give each person what he wants. That is the Vedic system; that the people sit in rows behind their plates and servers pass down the rows and put a very small portion of each foodstuff on each plate, unless there is some objection by a person then nothing is given. Then if anyone wants more, the servers pass up and down the rows continually and give more if anyone requests. In this way nothing is wasted and everyone is satisfied. [Letter to: Kirtiraja, Vrindavan, November 27, 1971]

After everyone has finished honoring prasädam, clean the place immediately.

One thing is that you should keep everything very clean. That is the first business. Every room should be as clean as a mirror. The prasadam room should be immediately cleaned after taking prasadam, otherwise you are inviting rats. Be careful. [Letter to: Mukunda, Bombay, October 20, 1973]

For dishes, best thing is everyone who is eating Prasadam should wash his plate. Otherwise, one man has to do so many dishes. So even the guests should also wash their dishes, that is the system in the Temple; not leave one man to do it. [Letter to: Aniruddha, San Francisco, April 9, 1968]

Mood of Honoring Prasadam

(1) Do not eat Prasädam, Honor Prasädam

Do not eat mahä-prasädam, honor mahä-prasädam. It is called prasäda-sevä, not prasäda enjoyment. Sevä means giving service. [Lecture: SB: 6.1.18, Denver, July 1, 1975]

Prasäda is as good as Kåñëa; therefore prasäda should be respected as good as Kåñëa. As soon as one gets prasädam, immediately he touches on the head because it is Kåñëa, absolute. [Lecture: SB 6.1.18, Denver, July 1, 1975]

(2) Chant appropriate prayers before honoring prasädam

It is the practice of Vaiñëavas, while taking prasädam, to chant the holy name of Lord Hari at intervals and also sing various songs, such as çaréra avidyä-jäla.

The following prayers should be chanted before honoring prasädam.

mahä-prasäde govinde näma-brahmaëi vaiñëave

sv-alpa-puëyavatäà räjan viçväso naiva jäyate

Persons who are not very highly elevated in pious activities cannot believe in the remnants of food [prasädam] of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor in Govinda, the holy name of the Lord, nor in the Vaiñëavas.

çaréra avidyä-jäl, jadendriya tähe käl jéve phele viñaya-sägare

tä'ra madhye jihvä ati-, lobhamay sudurmati, tä'ke jetä kaöhina saàsäre

kåñëa baòa dayämay, karibäre jihvä jay, sva-prasädänna dila bhäi

sei annämåta päo, rädhä-kåñëa-guëa gäo, preme òäko caitanya-nitäi

O Lord, this material body is a lump of ignorance, and the senses are a network of paths to death. Somehow, we have fallen into this ocean of material sense enjoyment, and of all the senses the tongue is most voracious and uncontrollable; it is very difficult to conquer the tongue in this world. But You, dear Kåñëa, are very kind to us and have given us such nice prasädam, just to control the tongue. Now we take this prasädam to our full satisfaction and glorify Their Lordships Çré Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa, and in love call for the help of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityänanda.

(3) Remember: prasädam is not ordinary; it is transcendental.

Prasädam must be honored with a consciousness that it is Kåñëa's mercy and is non-different from Him. Never consider ordinary food on an equal level with mahä-prasädam.

One should never consider prasädam to be like ordinary hotel cooking. Nor should one touch any kind of food not offered to the Deity. Every Vaiñëava strictly follows this principle and does not accept any food that is not prasädam. One should take prasädam with great faith and should chant the holy name of the Lord and worship the Deity in the temple, always remembering that the Deity, mahä-prasädam and the holy name do not belong to the mundane platform. [Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 11.209 Purport]

Prasäda means favor.

One should consider mahä-prasädam a favor of Kåñëa. In this material world we are all very much attached to tasting various types of food. Therefore, Kåñëa eats many nice varieties of food and offers the food back to the devotees, so that not only are one’s demands for various tastes satisfied, but by eating prasädam one makes advancement in spiritual life. Therefore, we should never consider ordinary food on an equal level with mahä-prasädam. [Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 11.20]

The Uniqueness of Prasädam:

Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “These ingredients, such as sugar, camphor, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, butter, spices and licorice, are all material. Everyone has tasted these material substances before.” “However,” the Lord continued, “in these ingredients there are extraordinary tastes and uncommon fragrances. Just taste them and see the difference in the experience. Apart from the taste, even the fragrance pleases the mind and makes one forget any other sweetness besides its own. Therefore, it is to be understood that the spiritual nectar of Kåñëa’s lips has touched these ordinary ingredients and transferred to them all their spiritual qualities. A fragrance and taste that are uncommon and greatly enchanting and that make one forget all other experiences are attributes of Kåñëa’s lips. This prasädam has been made available only as a result of many pious activities. Now taste it with great faith and devotion.” [CC Antya 108 – 114 Translation]

Few Important Points:

Do not make disturbing noises while honoring prasädam.

Do not find fault with the taste of the prasädam.

Honor prasädam with great faith and devotion.

Use only the right hand to honor prasädam. The left hand should be used only for lifting the water cup (and only if one can pour the water into the mouth without touching the cup to the lips.)

Do not talk unnecessarily while honoring prasädam.

It is recommended to hear from scriptures while you honor prasädam.

Regulations in Eating Prasadam

yuktähära-vihärasya yukta-ceñöasya karmasu

yukta-svapnävabodhasya yogo bhavati duùkha-hä

He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system. [BG 6.17] yuktähära means, as much as you require, you must eat.

yuktähära means to avoid both voracious eating and undernourishment.

One who starves himself cannot properly perform yoga. Nor can the person who eats more than required. The eating process should be moderate, just enough to keep body and soul together; it should not be for the enjoyment of the tongue. When palatable dishes come before us, we are accustomed to take not just one of the preparations but two, three and four – and upwards. Our tongue is never satisfied. But it is not unusual in India to see a yogé take only a small spoonful of rice a day and nothing more. [The Perfection of Yoga]

Eating should be Regulated

We should not eat more than is required for maintaining body and soul together.

We should not eat for enjoyment of the tongue or for satisfying the demands of the tongue.

Voracious eating is the cause of diabetes, and undernourishment is the cause of tuberculosis. This is the medical science. So we should not take under, neither more. [Lecture: SB: 1.8,37, Los Angeles, April 29, 1973]

The Ayurvedic system of eating is to decide how much you can comfortably eat, then take half of that amount, filling the remaining half: one quarter with water and leaving one quarter for air. This simple, regulated diet along with strict cleanliness will keep one healthy, strong and free from disease. [Letter to: Koumadaki, Australia, March 27, 1972]

Eating Program should be Simple

Our eating program should be nutritious and simple, not luxurious.

Overeating, over-sense gratification, over-dependence on another’s mercy, and artificial standards of living sap the very vitality of human energy. Therefore the duration of life is shortened.

Çréla Prabhupäda writes in a Letter to Gargamuni (London, November 20, 1969):

The eating program should be nutritious and simple, not luxurious. That means capatis, dahl, vegetables, some butter, some fruits and milk. This is necessary for keeping good health. But we should not indulge in sweetballs or halevah or like that daily. Too much first-class eating may stimulate our sex desires, especially sweet preparations. Anyway, eat Krishna Prasadam, but be careful that we may not indulge in luxury. For Krishna we can offer the most beautiful preparations, but for us Prasadam should be very simple.

Do not Restrict Artificially

We should minimize food; but not at the risk of health. Because we have to work for Krishna, we must maintain our health nicely. If one's body requires more food for maintaining it, he should not imitate someone who requires less food.

Eating, sleeping, mating, all these are material demands; the more we minimize, then that is good, but not at the risk of health. Because we have to work for Krishna, so we must maintain our health nicely. But we should not eat more than is required for maintaining body and soul together. That is the principle. It does not mean, however, that if one's body requires more food for maintaining it, that he should imitate someone who requires less food. The real point is that eating is for maintaining the body, not for luxury or for satisfying the demands of the tongue. …But, anyway, if anyone has the tendency to eat more, then let him eat more prasadam, than any nonsense, but eating more is not encouraged. But it is not that if I want more food that, artificially, I shall eat less. [Letter: Montreal, August 23, 1968]

Attitude for taking Prasädam

The devotee’s attitude is that he will eat only when Kåñëa gives him prasäda. [Nectar of Instruction: Text 1: Purport]

Çréla Prabhupäda writes in the Purport to Text 1 of Nectar of Instruction:

(1) One should take prasäda at scheduled times and (2) should not eat in restaurants or sweetmeat shops simply to satisfy the whims of the tongue or belly. (3) If one accepts prasäda only because of its palatable taste and thus eats too much, he also falls prey to trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu taught us to avoid very palatable dishes even while eating prasäda. (4) If we offer palatable dishes to the Deity with the intention of eating such nice food, we are involved in trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue. (5) If we accept the invitation of a rich man with the idea of receiving palatable food, we are also trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue.

Regarding the attitude for taking prasada, if you think it is something palatable, so let me take more and more, then that is sense gratification. But, still it is prasadam so it will act. Prasad is transcendental, but one should not take too much. [Letter to: Vedavyasa, Detroit, August 4, 1975]

Significance of Prasadam

Prasädam is transcendental

Prasädam is transcendental, and there are no transformations or contaminations, just as there are no contaminations or transformations in the body of Lord Viñëu Himself. [CC Madhya 3.99 Purport]

In the Båhad-viñëu Puräëa it is stated that one who considers mahä-prasädam to be equal to ordinary rice and dhal certainly commits a great offense. Ordinary edibles are touchable and untouchable, but there are no such dualistic considerations where prasädam is concerned.

In this material world we are all very much attached to tasting various types of food. Therefore, Kåñëa eats many nice varieties of food and offers the food back to the devotees, so that not only are one’s demands for various tastes satisfied, but by eating prasädam one makes advancement in spiritual life. Therefore, we should never consider ordinary food on an equal level with mahä-prasädam. [CC Antya 11.20]

Prasädam: The Diet for Material Disease

Çréla Prabhupäda proclaims:

Our chanting is medicine and our Prasadam is the diet for curing material disease. [Letter to: Dayananda, Seattle, October 17, 1968]

A diseased person needs both proper medicine and a proper diet, and therefore the Kåñëa consciousness movement supplies materially stricken people with the medicine of the chanting of the holy name, or the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra, and the diet of prasädam. [CC Ädi 10.51 Purport]

When there is an epidemic disease, an antiseptic vaccine protects a person from the attack of such an epidemic. Similarly, food offered to Lord Viñëu and then taken by us makes us sufficiently resistant to material affection, and one who is accustomed to this practice is called a devotee of the Lord. Therefore, a person in Kåñëa consciousness, who eats only food offered to Kåñëa, can counteract all reactions of past material infections, which are impediments to the progress of self-realization. On the other hand, one who does not do so continues to increase the volume of sinful action, and this prepares the next body to resemble hogs and dogs, to suffer the resultant reactions of all sins. The material world is full of contaminations, and one who is immunized by accepting prasädam of the Lord (food offered to Viñëu) is saved from the attack, whereas one who does not do so becomes subjected to contamination. [BG 3.14 Purport]

Potency of Prasädam

Anyone who has received a small particle of the prasädam, mercy of the Lord, he can understand the Lord. [Lecture: BG: 2.3, Hyderabad, Novemeber 18, 1972]

If we want a happy and tranquil political situation, we must select leaders who eat kåñëa-prasädam. [CC Antya 1.92 Purport]

When the people take to eating only prasädam offered to the Deity, all the demons will be turned into Vaiñëavas. [CC Madhya 4.93]

When remnants of prasädam food are offered to forefathers by descendants, the forefathers are released from ghostly or other kinds of miserable life. [BG: 1.41 Purport]

Beyond Vegetarianism

In the material world, either a man is vegetarian or non-vegetarian, they're eating simply sin, and they will have to suffer the consequence. [Letter to: Nandarani, Seattle, October 17, 1968]

In Bhagavad-gétä, Kåñëa explains:

yajïa-çiñöäçinaù santo mucyante sarva-kilbiñaiù

bhuïjate te tv aghaà päpä ye pacanty ätma-käraëät

The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.

It is wrong to think that simply by becoming a vegetarian one can avoid transgressing the laws of nature. Vegetables also have life, and while it is nature's law that one living being is meant to feed on another, for human beings the point is to recognize the Supreme Lord. Thus one should not be proud of being a strict vegetarian. [ISO Text 1 Purport]

Animals do not have developed consciousness by which to recognize the Lord, but a human being is sufficiently intelligent to take lessons from the Vedic literature and thereby know how the laws of nature are working and derive profit out of such knowledge. If a man neglects the instructions of the Vedic literature, his life becomes very risky. [ISO Text 1 Purport]

A human being is therefore required to recognize the authority of the Supreme Lord and become His devotee. He must offer everything for the Lord's service and partake only of the remnants of food offered to the Lord. This will enable him to discharge his duty properly. [ISO Text 1 Purport]

In the Bhagavad-gétä (9.26) the Lord directly states that He accepts vegetarian food from the hands of a pure devotee. Therefore a human being should not only become a strict vegetarian but should also become a devotee of the Lord, offer the Lord all his food and then partake of such prasädam, or the mercy of God. Only those who act in this way can properly discharge the duties of human life. Those who do not offer their food to the Lord eat nothing but sin and subject themselves to various types of distress, which are the results of sin. [ISO Text 1 Purport]

FAQ on Prasadam

In Bhagavad-gétä, Kåñëa says yäta-yämaà or food cooked three hours before being eaten is tämasa-priyam – dear to the one in the mode of ignorance. Is it applicable for prasädam?

Çréla Prabhupäda explains: Any food prepared by the injunctions of the scripture and offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be taken even if prepared long, long ago, because such food is transcendental. [BG: 17.10 Purport]

The consideration of spoiling foodstuff after 3 hours, that is ordinary or it is so for persons who are not advanced in accepting Kåñëa Prasäda as transcendental, just like Ragunatha Goswami: he was collecting rejected rice from the cooking of Lord Jagannatha and he was eating only that. So this is a higher stage, so for the time being you should know that Kåñëa Prasäda is never contaminated by any material source. [Letter to: Caturbhuja, Mayapur, February 28, 1972]

Therefore to make food antiseptic, eatable and palatable for all persons, one should offer food to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. [BG: 17.10 Purport]

Ideally one should eat food that is (a) cooked by devotees (b) offered to the Lord by devotees (c) served by devotees. But, sometimes in the course of our duties, we may be compelled to eat food cooked by non-devotees (in restaurant or in the house of relatives or while travelling).

If we take food from the houses of others, such as karmés, we shall have to share the qualities of those from whom we take alms. Therefore Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu took prasädam in the houses of Vaiñëavas. This is the general process. The members of the Kåñëa consciousness movement are advised not to take food from anywhere but a Vaiñëava’s or brähmaëa’s house where Deity worship is performed. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said, viñayéra anna khäile duñöa haya mana: [Cc. Antya 6.278] if a devotee takes alms or food from the house of a karmé who is simply interested in money, his mind will become unclean. [CC Antya 3.101 Purport]

Çréla Prabhupäda resolves this issue as follows:

Sometimes preachers in the Kåñëa consciousness movement have to accept food in a home where the householder is an avaiñëava; however, if this food is offered to the Deity, it can be taken. Ordinary food cooked by an avaiñëava should not be accepted by a Vaiñëava. [Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 9.53 Purport]

Çréla Prabhupäda explains the principle of dravyamülyena çuddhati: foodstuff when paid form, becomes purified in the following letter.

The first thing is that in the meeting of Dr. Spock, you should eat there. But you simply eat vegetarian dishes, like fruits, nuts, boiled potato, biscuit, milk, etc., and remembering Krishna. As you will pay for the dinner, for the fooding, you can offer them to Krishna within your mind, then eat them as Krishna Prasadam. Any foodstuff when it is paid for, it becomes purified. There is a verse in Vedic literature, Drabyamulyena Suddhati. The source of receipt of the thing, may be not very good, but if one pays for it, it becomes purified. So, vegetable diet when it is paid for, you can offer it in your mind to Krishna and take it. [Letter to: Brahmananda, Seattle, 6 October, 1968]

Can we eat food offered to the demigods? The answer is NO.

Actually a Vaiñëava is not allowed to take any food offered to the demigods. A Vaiñëava is always fixed in accepting prasäda offered to Lord Viñëu. [SB 6.18.49 Purport]

We observe the system followed in Jagannatha Puri. First the foodstuff is offered to Lord Jagannatha and then His prasäd is offered to the different demigods; then we may take such remainders as prasadam. This is the correct procedure. [Letter to: Upendra, Bombay, November 21, 1970]

So far attending pujas at the houses of the Hindus there we can go and hold our kirtana but we should not take prasädam there. We can accept raw materials and take them to our temple but we should not accept any prasädam prepared by them. However, if they insist then we can take fruits and milk and offer them to Krishna. [Letter to: Surasrestha, Los Angeles, June 14, 1972]

So our Kåñëa consciousness movement is that you take only kåñëa-prasädam, that's all. You save yourself. [Lecture: SB 2.3.19 Los Angeles, June 14, 1972]

If prasäda is offered to karmis and they leave it behind, can devotees honor the left overs?

Çréla Prabhupäda advises:

You may not be so advanced that you will take the karmi remnants as prasäda  The karmis should not be given so much that there is waste. You can give them a little, and then if they like you can give them more. This system should be introduced everywhere. I have seen myself that so much prasada is being left. This is not good. [Letter to: Vedavyasa, Detroit, August 04, 1975]

Remnants of food may be eaten only when they are part of a meal that was first offered to the Supreme Lord or first eaten by saintly persons, especially the spiritual master. Otherwise the remnants of food are considered to be in the mode of darkness, and they increase infection or disease. Such foodstuffs, although very palatable to persons in the mode of darkness, are neither liked nor even touched by those in the mode of goodness. [BG 17.8–10 Purport]

The remnants of food left by a pure Vaiñëava are called mahä-mahä-prasädam. This is completely spiritual and is identified with Lord Viñëu. Such remnants are not ordinary. The spiritual master is to be considered on the stage of paramahaàsa and beyond the jurisdiction of the varëäçrama institution. The remnants of food left by the spiritual master and similar paramahaàsas, or pure Vaiñëavas, are purifying. When an ordinary person touches such prasädam, his mind is purified, and his mind is raised to the status of a pure brähmaëa. [Madhya 3.96]

Etiquettes in Honoring Prasadam

(1) Do not accept prasäda before the Deity.

One should not accept prasäda before the Deity. [NOD 8]

If Prasädam is to be honored in the Temple room, the curtains may be drawn before the Deities while the devotees are taking Prasadam. The best arrangement is to honor Prasadam in a separate room for the purpose, if possible. [Letter to: Yamuna, Los Angeles, January 16, 1970]

(2) Do not touch even mahä-prasädam offered to Viñëu on Ekädaçé

In the Bhakti-sandarbha, by Çréla Jéva Gosvämé, there is a quotation from the Skanda Puräëa admonishing that a person who eats grains on Ekädaçé becomes a murderer of his mother, father, brother and spiritual master, and even if he is elevated to a Vaikuëöha planet, he falls down.

On Ekädaçé, everything is cooked for Viñëu, including regular grains and dhal, but it is enjoined that a Vaiñëava should not even take Viñëu-prasädam on Ekädaçé. It is said that a Vaiñëava does not accept anything eatable that is not offered to Lord Viñëu, but on Ekädaçé a Vaiñëava should not touch even mahä-prasädam offered to Viñëu, although such prasädam may be kept for being eaten the next day. It is strictly forbidden for one to accept any kind of grain on Ekädaçé, even if it is offered to Lord Viñëu. [CC Ädi 15.9 Purport]

(3) Do not waste Kåñëa Prasädam

Leftovers should always be taken if they have not spoiled or if they have not been touched by diseased persons. [Letter to: Kirtiraja, Vrindaban, November 27, 1971]

Do not take too much foodstuffs; take so that no remnants are left. Immediately after, the dishes should be washed, or paper dishes thrown away. But do not throw away prasadam. Better to take a little less than to have leftover for saving. That is not good. [Letter to: Jadurani, Calcutta, May 19, 1971]

(4) Do not Spoil Food Grain

If anyone takes more than he requires then he is to be understood a thief. Nobody should accumulate for future consumption of family, society, or nation, more money or more grains or more vegetables or more eatables, one should have only as much as he requires. If there is greater production, that should be distributed to persons who need them. Because food grains, especially, they are meant for all living entities, they should not be spoiled. Next point, therefore, one who spoils food grains unnecessarily, he is criminal. [Letter to: Rayarama, Seatlle, October 17, 1968]

Çréla Prabhupäda recollects: In our childhood, actually what I am doing, it was all taught in our childhood by our parents, my family. We were taught, "There is a grain of rice on the ground, and if it is touched by your feet, you should pick up the grain and touch on your head." This was our training. The idea behind – that the grain of rice is not man-made. It is sent by God. "O God, give us our daily bread." So here is the bread. It is God's mercy. [Room Conversation, Melbourne, June 28, 1974]

(5) Honor Immediately

Prasädam is transcendental, and there are no transformations or contaminations, just as there are no contaminations or transformations in the body of Lord Viñëu Himself.

The following references are given in Çré Caitanya-caritämåta:

çuñkaà paryuñitaà väpi nétaà vä düra-deçataù

präpti-mätreëa bhoktavyaà nätra käla-vicäraëä

One should eat the mahä-prasädam of the Lord immediately upon receiving it, even though it is dried up, stale or brought from a distant country. One should consider neither time nor place. [Quoted in CC Madhya 6.225]

na deça-niyamas tatra na käla-niyamas tathä

präptam annaà drutaà çiñöair bhoktavyaà harir abravét

The prasädam of Lord Kåñëa is to be eaten by gentlemen as soon as it is received; there should be no hesitation. There are no regulative principles concerning time and place. This is the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. [Quoted in CC Madhya 6.226]

In the Båhad-viñëu Puräëa it is stated that one who considers mahä-prasädam to be equal to ordinary rice and dhal certainly commits a great offense. Ordinary edibles are touchable and untouchable, but there are no such dualistic considerations where prasädam is concerned.