OFFERING FOOD TO KRISHNA

OFFERINGS TO KRISHNA: We must offer to Krishna only the vegetarian items like purely cooked food, fruits, Tulsi leaves, water, milk, etc! One of the devotee friend asked me : "When all are available in this world belong to Krishna, why do you tell me to offer Him only the selected things?". I told him: "Because, Krishna wants those items only as He said in Gita Ch-9, Text-26".

He again asked: "Won’t he accept if I offer Him whatever I want from His creations?". I told a story to him: "Once Rajaram, related as uncle, along with his wife, came to the houses of two brothers, Ram & Lakshman! First they went to Ram’s rich house! They offered rich foods of so many varieties! Then they went to Lakshman’s poor hut! Lakshman’s wife asked them which item they like most!"

After getting their reply, she cooked food & offered them! After finishing the feast in both the brothers’ houses, they returned their home! Wife asked Rajaram: "Tell me whose treat was the best today, Ram or Lakshman?" He replied: "Lakshman!". She asked: "I found Ram’s food was very rich! Isn’t it?". Rajaram replied: "Yes, it was rich, but he offered food to us as he wanted, to show his richness!"

But, Lakshman’s wife asked what we like & prepared accordingly with care & with the items that they had with them! Though it was not rich in quantity, it was very delicious as they were the items I like the most!" Similarly, we should offer Krishna what He wants, not what we want! This is the respect that we have to give to the guests! Krishna is a permanent guest in your family!

Already, we saw why we should offer Boga to Krishna! O.K, What will happen if you offer food to Him? Answer is, you will get everything! Krishna will give evrything till Lakshmi stops it! Let us see a story! Krishna & Sudhama are childhood friends! Sudhama is very poor! Krishna became a king & hence he had to live in the palace! Sudhama lived in a hut! One day, when Sudhama became bankrupt !

He had zero to live! His wife advised him to meet his friend Krishna & seek help! Sudhama hesitated as Krishna had become a king! He never expected anything from Krishna! He had nothing to take for offering to Krishna! His wife offered some pressed rice for Krishna! He kept it inside a knot on his dhoti & went to meet Krishna! On seeing him, Krishna felt happy, walked forward & embraced him!

Both of them discussed all their pastimes! Krishna asked him: "What did you bring for me?". Sudhama shied to show the pressed rice! But, Krishna himself took the pressed rice from the knot of dhoti & ate it! When he took the first dose, the hut of Sudhama became a palace! When Krishna took the second dose, Sudhama’s house were filled with jewels & wealth!

When Krishna tried to take third dode, Lakshmi came forwand & prevented Krishna from taking it! She told Krishna: "Krishna, by taking two doses, you gave wealth to Sudhama! If you take the third dose, you will give yourself to Sudhama! After that, what I will do, without you?"

This is the Grace shown by Krishna to one who offers even a simple offering! So, don’t think ‘Offering’ unnecessary!

We saw that KRISHNA GIVES HIMSELF to us if we offer even a small offering with love & dedication! If it is so, should we expect returns from Krishna? Answer is "No". Of course, initial Bakthas pray for some thing from Krishna! many girls & boys pray for groom/ bride! many pray for money! Many pray for cure of diseases! Many pray for success & fame!

It is the advice by Acharyas not to expect anything from Krishna, in return for the saadhanas we perform, because when we start offering to Krishna, He starts specially watching us! He knows all our past Karmas! He finds out why we get these difficulties, or why our success delayed! He fastens our karma & wipes them off at the earliest! Then He starts offering what ever we need for a peaceful & spritual life!

All this will happen though we don’t ask Krishna! All you have to do is starting to Love Krishna & dedicate everything to Him! To do so, you should forget "I", "Me", "Mine". Instead, you should consider "Of Krishna", "For Krishna", "With Krishna" & "From Krishna". Then Krishna will start watching you specially! O.K, Do you know, How Krishna eats whatever we offer to Him?

We should prepare the food carefully & dedicatedly for Krishna! How to prepare that? When we offer food to Krishna, many think that there is no changes in it even after some time! They argue, Krishna never came & took the food & the quantity of food has not changed & hence there is no chance Krishna would have taken them! What happens when you offer food?

Actually Krishna is waiting for your food if the regular time has come! He likes to eat from his devotee! If you delay, he feels: "why my devotee is late today?". Anyway, when you offer food to Krishna, He eats it beagerly & blesses you! How? I have already said that Krishna can eat through all his organs! He eats your food through His eyes, without coming in person but just by seeing it!

When He sees it, he feels as if he has eaten your food! That is why, there is no change in the quantity! Krishna allows the remnants for you to eat! Thus, As Krishna eats yr food through His eyes, there will be no physical presence & no change in the quantity, but He feels satisfied! This is the secrets behind how Krishna eats! So, hereafter offer food to Krishna happily!

Offering food Krishna is not just a ritual! There are so many divine factors behind it! It is a scientific way of expressing our Love on Krishna! H.H.Bhakthi Vikas Swami Maharaj says: "Food prepared for & offered to Krishna WITH LOVE & DEVOTION becomes completely spritualised! Such food is called PRASAD, which means "The Mercy Of Lord Krishna".

Sri Chaitanya Maha Prabhu says: "Everyone has tasted these food before. However, now, that they have been prepared for Krishna. They have been offered to Krishna with devotion! These foods have acquired extraordinary tastes & uncommon fragrances! Just taste them & see the difference in the experience! Apart from the taste, even the fragrance pleases the mind & makes one forget any other fragrance!"

"Therefore, it should be understood that the spritual nectar of KRISHNA’s LIPS MUST HAVE TOUCHED THIS ORDINARY FOODS & IMPARTED TO THEM ALL THEIR TRANSCENDENTAL QUALITIES!" (How beautiful to hear? "Krishna’s lips touched theese ordinary foods!" So, we eat the food that was touched by Krishna’s lips, Of course by just seeing through eyes & making His eyes as lips! )".

OFFERING FOOD TO KRISHNA: H.H.Bhakthi Vikas Swami Maharaj says: "Eating only the food offered to Krishna is the perfection of vegetarianism! Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that unless one eats the food offered to Krishna, he will suffer the reactions of karma! He also says that if one offers him with love & devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, he will accept it! What it shows?"

H.H.Bhakthi Vikas Swami Maharaj Continues: " This shows that we can offer to Krishna only foods that are prepared from milk products, vegetables, fruits, nuts & grains! Meat, fish & egg are not offerable! And a few vegetarian items are also forbidden! Eg: garlic, onion, as they are in the mode of darkness! Coffee & tea should not be offered to Krishna! In preparing food, cleanliness is the most important!"

H.H.Bhakthi Vikas Swami Maharaj Continues: "Keep yr kitchen clean! Wash hands thoroughly before entering kitchen! Don’t taste the food while preparing as it is for the pleasure of Krishna, not yours! Buy a set of 4-5 small cups kept on a plate exclusively for Krishna’s use (You should never use them!). Keep a small part of all items you prepared, in each vessel! Place the set before Krishna’s alter or picture!"

After placing the plate with vessels with the food inside before Krishna, everyone should first chant the Pranam Manthra for Srila Prabhupad:

Nama Om Vishnu padaya Krishna Presthaya Bhuthale
Srimate Bhakthivedantha Swamin Ithi Namine
Namaste Saraswati Deve Gauravani pracharine

Nirvisesha Sunyavaathi paschathya desa tharine.

If you had taken initiation from a guru, you must chant his pranam manthra that was taught for you, before chanting the above manthra!

Next, offer prayers to Sri Chaitanya who simplified & established Nama Sangirthan movement about 500 years ago!

Namo maha vadhanyaya Krishna Prema Prathaya the
Krishnaya Krishna Chaitanya Namne Gaura thwise Namah
Finally, offer prayers to Krishna by chanting:
Namo Brahmanya Devaya Go-Brahmana Hithaya cha

Jagad Hidhaya Krishnaya Govindhaya Namo Namah.

You must chant all the above slokas in sequence THREE TIMES standing before the food! Then, Pray to Krishna: "My Dear Lord Krishna, Please accept this food!". Keep the food before Krishna’s picture/ alter for about 10 minutes! Then, take the PRASHAD (Food became Prashad after Krishna touched it!) & mix every item with their respective preparations that we have kept in kitchen. Mix them & serve to all the family members! Wash the Krishna’s utensils & keep them in a hygenic condition!

While reciting the slokas at the time of offering food, you may use an incense stick, or, a dhoop, or a ghee lamp to take the Arathi! When you distribute the prashad to your family members, place the dishes mixed with the offered food on their plate or leaf! Then all of you MUST thank Krishna through guru for offering prashad to you! Tell this sloka first aaaaa& then start eating!

Maha Prashade Govinde Nama Brahmanya Vaishnave
Svalpa Punya Vadham rajan Visvasa naiva Jayathe
Sarira Abithya Jal, Jodentriya Tahe kal
Jive Phele Vishaya Sagore Tara madhye Jihwa Ati, Lobhomoy Sudurmathi
Ta ke Jetha katina Samsare
Krishna baro Dhoyamoy, Koribare jihwajay,
Swaprashad anna dilo bhai,
Sei Anna Amirtha pao

Radha Kriahna Guna Gao Preme dako chaitanya Nitai

After reciting these slokas, start eating! REMEMBER, KRISHNA PRASHAD IS FREE FROM KARMA & CLEARS OUR PAST KARMA TOO! Hare Krishna!

MEANING OF PRASHADA SEVA MANTHRA: "Persons who are not highly elevated in pious activities can neither believe in the remnants of food (Prashad) of Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor, in Govinda, the Holy name of God, nor in the vaishnavas. Oh, Brothers, this material body is a network of ignorance & the senses are one’s deadly enemies, for they throw the soul into this ocean of material sense enjoyment.

Among those senses, the tongue is the most voracious & uncontrollable; it is very difficult to conquer the tongue in the world; Brothers, Lord Krishna is very merciful & He has given this remnants of His own food just to control tongue! Please accept the nectarian Krishna Prashad & sing the glories of their Lordships Sri Sri Radharani & Krishna & in love, call out ‘Chaitanya Nitai’!"

Hare Krishna!