back-to-radha-krishna - Tumblr blog

back-to-radha-krishna · 8 years ago

Text

Prasadam-Prayer

Purport by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The tongue is the most important sense within the body. Therefore it is recommended that if we want to control our senses we should first control the tongue. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has emphasized this. He describes our present conditioned state as sarira avidya-jal: we are packed up in the network of this material body, and we are just like a fish caught within a net. And not only are we caught in this body; we are also changing this "net" life after life, through 8,400,000 species. In this way we stay caught in the network of ignorance. Then, jodendriya tahe kal: our imprisonment within this network of ignorance is being continued on account of our desire for sense enjoyment. And out of all the senses, Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, the tongue is the most dangerous.

If we cannot control the tongue, then the tongue will oblige us to take different types of bodies, one after another. If a person is very much fond of satisfying his tongue by eating flesh and blood, then material nature will give him the facility to regularly taste fresh flesh and blood: he will get the body of a tiger or some other voracious meat-eating animal. And if one does not discriminate in his eating--if he eats all kinds of nonsense, everything and anything--then material nature will give him a hog's body, in which he will have to accept stool as his food. So much suffering is caused by the uncontrolled tongue.

There are six kinds of rasas (tastes), and if one is agitated by any one of them, he becomes controlled by the urges of the tongue. Some persons are attracted to the eating of meat, fish, crabs, eggs and other things produced by semina and blood and eaten in the form of dead bodies. Others are attracted by eating vegetables, creepers, spinach or milk products, but all for the satisfaction of the tongue's demands. Such eating for sense gratification-including the use of extra quantities of spices like chili and tamarind-is to be given up by Krishna conscious persons. The use of pan, haritaki, betel nuts, various spices used in pan-making, tobacco, LSD, marijuana, opium, liquor, coffee and tea is indulged in to fulfill illicit demands.

If we can practice accepting only remnants of food offered to Krishna, it is possible to get free from maya's victimization. Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk products and water are proper foods to offer to the Lord, as Lord Krishna Himself prescribes. However, if one accepts prasada only because of its palatable taste and thus eats too much, he also falls prey to trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue.

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught us to avoid very palatable dishes even while eating prasada. 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. 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. In Chaitanya-caritamrita (Antya 6.227) it is stated:

jihvara lalase yei iti-uti dhaya / shishnodara-parayana krishna nahi paya

"That person who runs here and there seeking to gratify his palate and who is always attached to the desires of his stomach and genitals is unable to attain Krishna."

As stated before, the tongue, belly and genitals are all situated in a straight line, and they fall in the same category. Lord Chaitanya has said, bhala na khaibe ara bhala na paribe: "Do not dress luxuriously and do not eat delicious foodstuffs." (Cc. Antya 6.236)

Those who suffer from diseases of the stomach must be unable to control the urges of the belly, at least according to this analysis. When we desire to eat more than necessary we automatically create many inconveniences in life. However, if we observe fasting days like Ekadashi and Janmashtami, we can restrain the demands of the belly.

As far as the urges of the genitals are concerned, there are two-proper and improper, or legal and illicit sex. When a man is properly mature, he can marry according to the rules and regulations of the shastras and use his genitals for begetting nice children. That is legal and religious. Otherwise, he may adopt many artificial means to satisfy the demands of the genitals, and he may not use any restraint. When one indulges in illicit sex life, as defined by the shastras, either by thinking, planning, talking about or actually having sexual intercourse, or by satisfying the genitals by artificial means, he is caught in the clutches of maya. These instructions apply not only to householders but also to tyagis, or those who are in the renounced order of life. (Nectar of Instruction)

HONOURING THE LORD'S PRASADA

One should respect the prasada of the Lord by first offering one's obeisances to it, then singing its glories, then chanting the maha-mantra and uttering the prema-dvani to the spiritual master, acaryas, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Radha-Krsna and all the assembled Vaisnavas.

The Glorification of the Lord's Prasada

naivedyam jagadisasya anna-panadikam ca yat bhaksyabhaksya-vicaras ca nasti tad-bhaksane dvijah

brahmavan-nirvikaram hi yatha visnus tathaiva tat vikaram ye prakurvanti bhaksane tad dvijatayah

kustha-vyadhi-samayuktah putra-dara-vivarjitah nirayam yanti te vipras tasman navartate punah

"O brahmanas, in the eating of food such as rice and water, etc., which has been tasted by the Lord of the universe, Sri Krsna, there is no consideration of whether it is eatable or uneatable. Just as Lord Visnu is spiritual and is not subject to mundane transformation, so in the same way His prasada is spiritual and untransformable. Those brahmanas, who consider that in the eating of visnu-prasada there is some mundane transformation of its spiritual qualities and thus it can become contaminated by contact with someone's mouth or hands, become afflicted with leprosy, become bereft of their sons and wife, and go to hell, never again to return from that place." (Visnu Purana)

maha-prasade govinde nama-brahmani vaisnave svalpa-punya-vatam rajan visvaso naiva jayate (Mahabharata)

"O king, for those who have amassed very few pious activities, their faith in maha-prasada, in Sri Govinda, in the Holy Name and in the Vaisnava is never born."

Prasada-sevaya (from Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Gitavali)

1) bhai-re! sarira abidya-jal, jodendriya tahe kal, jibe phele bisaya-sagore ta'ra madhye jihva ati, lobhamoy sudurmati ta'ke jeta kathina somsare

2) krsna baro doyamoy, karibare jihva jay, swa-prasad-anna dilo bhai sei annamrta khao, radha-krsna-guna gao, preme dako caitanya-nitai

"O brothers! This material body is a place of ignorance, and the senses are a network of paths to death. The senses throw the soul into this ocean of material sense enjoyment and, of all the senses, the tongue is most voracious and uncontrol-lable; it is very difficult to conquer the tongue in this world. O brothers! Lord Krsna is very kind to us and has given us such nice prasada, just to control the tongue. Now let us take this prasada to our full satisfaction and glorify Their Lordships, Sri Sri Radha and Krsna and, in love, call for the help of Lord Caitanya and Prabhu Nityananda."

1) bhai-re! ek-dina santipure, prabhu advaitera ghare, dui prabhu bhojane bosilo sak kori' asvadana, prabhu bole bhakta-gana, ei sak krsna asvadilo

2) heno sak-asvadane, krsna-prema dise mane, sei preme koro asvadana jada-buddhi pari-hari', prasada bhojana kori', 'hari hari' bolo sarva-jan

"O brothers! One day at Santipura, in Sri Advaita's house, Lord Caitanya and Nityananda were seated at prasada. When Lord Caitanya tasted the green vegetables, He said, 'My devotees, this sak is so delicious! Lord Krsna has definitely tasted it. At the taste of such sak as this, love of Krsna arises in the heart. In such love of God you should take this prasada. Giving up all materialistic conceptions and taking the Lord's prasada, all of you just chant 'Hari! Hari!'"

1) bhai-re! sacir angane kabhu, madhavendra-puri prabhu, prasadanna koren bhojana khaite khaite ta'ra, ailo prema sudurbar bole, suno sannyasirf gana

2) moca-ghanta phula-bari, dali-dalna-caccari, saci-mata korilo randhana ta'ra suddha bhakti heri', bhojana korilo hari, sudha-sama e anna-byanjana

3) joge jogi pay jaha, bhoge aj ha'be taha 'hari boli' khao sabe bhai krsnera prasad-anna, tri-jagat kore dhanya, tripurari nace jaha pai'

"O brothers! Whenever Madhavendra Puri took prasada in the courtyard of Mother Saci, uncontrollable ecstatic symptoms of love of God overwhelmed him while he ate. O assembled sannyasis, just listen to this. Mother Saci cooked and prepared semi-solid preparations made with banana flowers, a special dahl preparation, baskets of fruits, small square cakes made of lentils and cooked-down milk and many other varieties of prasada. Seeing her pure devotion, Lord Krsna personally ate all these different vegetable preparations, which were just like nectar. All the results the mystic obtains in the execution of yoga will be obtained today in the taking of the prasada of the Lord. O brothers! Everyone simply eat the prasada of Lord Hari and chant His holy name. The entire universe glorifies and praises the prasada of Lord Krsna. Obtaining that prasada, Lord Siva dances in great joy."

1) bhai-re! sri-caitanya nityananda, srivasadi bhakta-brnda, gauridasa panditer ghare luci,cini khir, sar, mithai, payas,ara, pitha-pana asvadan kore

2) mahaprabhu bhakta-gane, parama-ananda-mane ajna dilo korite bhojana krsnera prasad-anna, bhojane ho-iya dhanya 'krsna' boli' dake sarva-jan

"O brothers! Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, along with all Their devotees headed by Srivasa Thakura, relish and taste different varieties of prasada at the home of Gauridasa Pandita. They are taking puris made with white flour and sugar, khir, solid cream collected over yogurt, sweetmeats, sweet rice and many kinds of cakes and condensed milk preparations. Mahaprabhu, Sri Krsna Caitanya, gave the order to all His devotees, in whose minds there was transcendental bliss, to eat the prasada of the Lord. Becoming very ecstatic by eating the prasada of the Lord, everyone chanted 'Krsna! Krsna!'"

1) bhai-re! ek-din nilacale, prasad-sevana-kale, mahaprabhu sri-krsna-caitanya bolilen bhakta-gane, khecaranna suddha-mane, seva kori' hao aj dhanya

2) khecaranna pitha-pana apurba prasad n(?)a, jagannatha dilo toma sabe akantha bhojana kori', bolo mukhe 'hari (?), abidya-durita nahi ra'be

3) jagannatha-prasadanna, birinci-sambhur m(?)a, khaile prema ho-ibe udoy emana durlabha dhana, paiyacho sarva-jana jaya jaya jagannatha jaya

"O brothers! One day in Jagannatha Puri, at the time of honouring the Lord's prasada, Lord Caitanya said to all the devotees, 'Honouring the khichuri of the Lord with a pure mind, may you become blessed on this day. Lord Jagannatha gave to all of you varieties of extraordinary and wonderful prasada, such as khichuri and many kinds of cakes and condensed milk preparations. Therefore, take all of this prasada till you are filled up to the neck and chant 'Hari! Hari!' In such a transcendental atmosphere ignorance and sin will not remain. This prasada of Lord Jagannatha is even worshipable for Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. Upon eating it, love of God will certainly arise within the heart. All of you have obtained such a rarely obtained treasure. All glories, all glories, all glories to Lord Jagannatha.'"

1) bhai-re! rama-krsna gocarane, jaiben dura bane, eta cinti' jasoda-rohini khir, sar, chana, nani, du'jane khaowano ani', batsalye ananda mane gani' bayasya rakhala-gane, khay rama-krsna-sane, nace gay ananda-antare krsner prasad khay, udara bhoriya jay, 'ara deo' 'ara deo' kare

"O brothers! One day Mother Yasoda and Mother Rohini were thinking: 'Today our two boys Balarama and Krsna will go to a forest to tend Their cows.' Thus contemplating in such ecstasy of parental affection, they prepared a wonderful feast for the two boys consisting of khir, solid cream collected over yogurt, curd and fresh yellow butter. All the cowherd boyfriends took lunch with Balarama and Krsna and danced and sang in ecstasy within their hearts. They all ate the remnants of Krsna's lunch and filled up their bellies saying, 'Give us more, give us more!'"

5 notes · View notes