Note : Few points in this text can be

omitted as they might not be apt in

present age . This is not my opinion.
WHAT SASTRAS PERMIT/PROHIBIT IN THE MATTER
OF FOOD

- VEDANTA DESIKA's ADVICE

Excerpts from Section 4 of Chapter 15 of "Hinduism

Rediscovered"
Dealing with Trigunas and Dietary regimen.

Right from Vedic literature down to the Itihasas and Puranas, we

find scattered references to vegetables and other edibles that can be
consumed and those that are better avoided in order to ensure
augmentation of Satva and preclusion of Rajo and Tamo.

It was however, left to Swami Sri VEDANTA DESIKA who did

deep research in this field (as also in all other fields he touched ) to
incorporate in his work entitled "Ahara Niyamam', a catalog for
ready reference on what can be consumed, what should not be
ingested and what can be taken with certain restrictions and even
what go without any restrictions also!. We attempt below to have a
glimpse of the various items as gleaned from 'Ahara Niyamam' and
Srimad Ramayanam in particular. It should be understood that the
prohibition is meant only to enable us to regulate consumption in a
conscious, cautious way.

Lord Krishna clearly prohibits food that are too sour, hot, salty, too
much bile-producing etc. (BG 17/9)
And again, he advises that they who consume food that are time
expired, those that have lost taste, those that emanate stale odor,
altered taste, mixed with spittle and those not fit to be offered to
the Lord should not be eaten. Sri RAMANUJACHARYA's SRI
BASHYAM `Sarvanna Anumatyati Karanam'Sutras 446 to 448
declare - that in times of danger to life one can consume any food
and such intake will not go against Pramanas and Smritis.

BUT, SUTRA 449, HOWEVER, CLEARLY AND

CATEGORICALLY FORBIDS CONSUMPTION OF LIQUOR
EVEN IN THE FACE OF DANGER TO LIFE.7

The case of one Sage USHASTI is alluded to. Due to famine he

and his wife were migrating to a far off place. On the way, the
Sage was so exhausted due to starvation that he almost swooned
and apprehended his end was near at hand. A mahout who passed
by on an elephant offered him some horsegram which the sage
readily accepted (though ordinarily prohibited). But when the
mahout offered water to drink, the sage declined saying that he
took the horsegram only for saving himself from starvation-death
and taking water thereafter was not proper since at that point of
time, the danger to life had disappeared.

A. Items prohibited on hygienic and prophylactic grounds (like

our not using tooth brushes used by others)

1. Spittle and food contaminated with spittle

2. Food contaminated by flies, worms, hair, fingernails etc.
3. Food contaminated by excreta
4. Food contaminated by cloth, thread, sneeze etc.
5. Food that has been `smelt' by anybody
 6. Food `that has been tasted' by humans, rodent, crow, hen, cat,
dog etc.
7. Food that has been partially `bitten' by others
8. Morsel of food partially remaining after eating a portion of it.
9. Vegetables cooked without first being washed
10. Fruits, vegetables etc. cut with finger nails
11. Food prepared by persons who are not clean
12. Food cooked in other people's homes (Parannam)
13. Food that has been found fault with
14. Foods that have been prohibited specifically
15. Food cooked along with prohibited items
16. Foods known to be harmful to vital air and the
functioning of sense organs

B.ITEMS PROHIBITED ON `SOCIAL' GROUNDS

( LIKE THE `TABLE MANNERS' WE FOLLOW THESE DAYS
DURING FORMAL GATHERINGS.) AS DRESS
REGULATIONS ARE IMPOSED ON US DURING FORMAL
DINNERS, CERTAIN NORMS AND DISCIPLINES ARE
PRESCRIBED BY OUR TRADITIONS. SOME OF THE
RESTRICTIONS ARE:
1. One should not take for self food intended for all
2. Food meant for others (especially a sick person)
3. Food kept apportioned for self and guests
4. Food remaining after feeding a woman in menstruation*
5. Food prepared specifically for a woman who has just
delivered*
6. Food that has not been offered to `Bhagavan' in the first place
(during Aradhana)*
7. Food before offering to guests (Atiti Satkara)
8. Food offered to lesser deities (Devatantara)
9. Food set apart for offering to such deities as per Sastric
injunctions
10. Products (grains, pulses etc.) not offered to God after
the harvest
 11. Food offered by Sanyasis directly
12. Food taken out from the vessel of Sannyasis
13. Food offered without love and affection
14. Vegetables, fruits etc. cultivated in dirty places *
15. Those that are known to affect concentration and
meditation
16. Those that have been specifically advised against by
Acharyas and such others
17. Mixed food distributed by hand
18. Ghee should not be served after one commences eating
19. Foods cooked more than once (Punar Pakam)
20. Cooked food served with iron ladles or bare hands
21. Salt served directly by hand
22. Food should not be eaten using left hand
23. Food should not be eaten holding the plate by hand
24. Food should not be placed on a seat
25. Food should not be eaten keeping them on the lap (22
to 25 are precisely what we do during buffet)
26. Should not eat edibles sitting on the bed
27. Food should not be eaten without a lamp burning
28. Moonlight / Fire are no substitutes for a burning lamp
29. Lime used for making chunnam out of seashells
30. Bubbles and foam arising from liquids (as while
drinking coke, pepsi, coffee etc)
31. No food can be taken without taking bath and washing
hands, and completing ablutions (Parishechanam)
32. Should not leave without completing the final
Parishechanam
33. Should not eat out of a broken plate or other vessels
that are not clean

Note: Items marked * are referred to in Srimad Ramayana

(Balakanda) also.
C.SWAMI SRI DESIKAN HAS DRAWN UP AN ELABORATE
LIST OF VEGETABLES / PRODUCTS THAT SHOULD NOT
BE EATEN. WE GIVE BELOW THE TAMIL AND POPULAR
AND / OR BOTANICAL NAMES OF THESE FOR GENERAL
GUIDANCE"

But, please do not be put off by this list. He has given another list
of exceptions and relaxations under which even some of the
prohibited items could be consumed as also yet another list of
items that can be consumed freely without restrictions. (Vide
Sections (D) and (E).
TAMIL NAME POPULAR
AND/ OR BOTANICAL NAME
1. Athi Varieties -
Ficus Racemosa
2. Perarku Bauhinia Racemosa
3. Irali Ficus Virens
4. Vellai Kathari White egg
plant | white brinjals
5. Aal Banyan -
6. Arasu Peepal Ficus
Religiosa
7. Ayil Chittagong wood
Chickrasia Tabularis
8. Aarai Masculia
Quadrifoli a
9. Naruvili Cordia Obliqua/M
onoria
10. Pungu Dalbergia
11. Thigaipoondu A plant that
causes confusion in mind
12. Kurinji A shrub Maruthonr i
Terminaw a
13. Tanri Bellenica
14. Kusumbai Carthamus Tinctoriu m
15. Velai Cleone
Pentaphytt a
16. Sivappu/Nattu Murungai Drumstick -
Hyperanth era Muringa
17. Sukam Sukampal
18. Tamarai Kizhangu Lotus bulb
Nelumbo Nucifera
19. Ulli Garlic
20. Siriya Avarai Beans
21. Thummatti Callous Leaved
Bryonia
22. Therar Kai Clearing nut
Strychnoo Patatatura
23. Panai Palmyra palm
24. Nayuruvi Achyranth us Aspera
25. Kadambu Eugenica Racemosa
26. Naikkudai Mushroom
27. Suraikkai A variety of
gourd
28. Peerkku Ridge gourd
29. Sanar Keerai Hemp
30. Siru Keerai Amaranth us
Gangeticu s
31. Sivanda Agathi Cormilla
Grandi Flora
32. Purasu Balia Frundosa
33. Pasala Portulaca
Obracora
34. Vilvakkai Crataeva
Religiosa
35. Madulankai Unripe
Pomogranate
36. Varagu Paspalum
Frumentac eum
37. Mullangi Radish Raphenus
Sativus
38. Vengayam Onion Allium Cepa
39. Punnakku Oil cake
40. Pannai keerai ! celosia s.p. !
Exact equivalents not
traceable |Yeast.
Dried brew|
41. Noyyir keerai
42. Seenkadan
43. Oovaikkai
44. Rammananthal
45. Khadi

D. THE FOLLOWING CAN BE TAKEN AS EXCEPTIONS

TO GENERAL PROHIBITIONS :-

1. The remnants of food partaken by father, preceptor and eldest

brother.
2. The remnants of soma juice tasted through the soma vessel
during Somayaga.
3. The remnants of food eaten by wife / husband even if hair,
worm, thread etc are found in such remnants, they can be
thrown away and the remnants eaten.
4. In times of danger to life, even prohibited items can be
consumed.
5. During fasting days one can take water, roots, ghee, milk,
sacrificial remnants, medicines - these will not spoil the fast.
6. If it becomes necessary to eat totally prohibited items in
order to save life, a bit of ghee or honey could be mixed with
them and taken.
7. Even those foods that had become rotten can be taken after
mixing with ghee. Even other impurities like hair if noticed
therein can be removed and thrown away.
 8. Of items that have turned sour, the following can be taken -
curds, butter, fruits that became sour due to contact with
water, roots, flowers and pickles made out of these (vide
Manu Smriti and Srimad Ramayana).

E. THOSE THAT CAN BE TAKEN FREELY WITHOUT

ANY RESTRICTIONS:

1. Sugarcane juice
2. Curds
3. Milk ( /but subject to restrictions listed at H)
4. Ghee
5. Sangam
6. Pepper
7. Honey
8. Cardamom
9. Ice
10. Betelnut (subject to restrictions listed at J)
11. Anything fried in fire
12. Fruits that have ripened on their own
13. Boiled rice
14. Vadam
15. Appam | even if they are old provided they have not lost
their taste
16. Seedai |
17. Chappathi |
18. Milk products
19. Thenkuzhal
20. Murukku
21. Medicines prescribed by doctors
22. Jaggery and flour combined edibles even if old
23. Wheat flour combined edibles
 24. Side dishes, butter milk, ghee, milk, curds mixed with
cooked rice
25. Cooked rice put in a vessel with clean water
26. Edibles prepared with curds, milk etc.
27. Juice of flowers, raw vegetables, fruits, Tender Coconut
Water.

F. ITEMS TO BE AVOIDED WITH REFERENCE TO

TASTE:

1. Food overheated so much as to make it inedible

2. Too much bitter
3. Too much salty
4. Too much hot (like chillies)
5. Too much sour
6. Those that are too hot (temperature)
7. Those that are repulsive
8. All liquids from which the cream has been the essence and
has been removed (except buttermilk)
9. Old food that had become rotten
10. Food that smells like mud

G. ITEMS TO BE AVOIDED WITH REFERENCE TO TIME

OF CONSUMPTION
1. Food cooked on Ekadasi and other days of fasting should not
be consumed
2. Wood apple and puffed rice should not be taken during day
time
3. Food mixed with sesame should not be taken at night (also
referred in Srimad Ramayana)
4. Food prepared in gingelly oil at night
5. Food prepared with curds at night
 6. No food can be taken at sunrise, sunset and midnight (also
referred to in Srimad Ramayana
7. Husband and wife should not eat together at the same time

H. CONDITIONS REGARDING INTAKE OF MILK.

1. Milk of animals like mare , donkey etc. which have single
hoof (Vide also Srimad Ramayana)
2. Milk of cow that has given birth to twin calves
3. Camel's milk
4. Milk with which salt has got mixed up
5. Breast milk of women (this is also referred to in Srimad
Ramayana)
6. Cow that is pregnant and cow just ready for sexual
intercourse (referred in Srimad Ramayana )
7. The milk of a cow whose calf had just died
8. Milk drawn from a cow by showing to it a calf of another
cow
9. Milk that had become sour or bad (also in Srimad
Ramaynana )
10. Milk of cows bearing names of deities other than those
of Sriman Narayana
11. Milk of ewe (Vide also Srimad Ramayana)
12. Milk purchased from a Brahmin
13. Milk kept in bronze vessel
14. Milk overheated to the point of getting charred
15. Milk and curd taken of milk of cow that has just
delivered for at least 10 days after delivery
16. Milk of other animals of the bovine family except the
buffalo

I. RESTRICTIONS REGARDING USE OF WATER

1. Except Ganges water, no stored up water standing over a day
should be used.
2. Water remaining in a vessel after using part of it for washing
feet
 3. Muddy water
4. Tender coconut water, if heated
5. Water stagnant in a small pool
6. Water running across a road
7. Water given in hotels and water sheds ( Tanneer pandals)
8. Any water purity of which is in doubt
9. Water down from washerman's ghats
10. Water contaminated with spittle
11. Water held in a conch
12. Rain water before it falls to the ground
13. One should not drink water by cupping both the palms
(Vide Srimad Ramayana)

J. BETEL ITEMS TO BE AVOIDED

1. One should not munch betelnut before putting betel leaves in
the mouth
2. The stem, the middle line and the tip of the leaves should be
removed before taking betel thambool
3. One should not munch both betel leaves and betel nut
together
4. Widows, Brahmacharis and Sannyasis should not use betel
leaves
5. One should not take betel leaf on which lime had been kept
6. During Ekadasi and other days of fasting betel chewing
should be scrupulously avoided
7. While chewing betel one should not drink water at the same
time.

SECTION 5: CONCLUSION

As already mentioned these prohibitions and restrictions are only

for general guidance. If you desire to regulate / eliminate the
Gunas you may choose to follow the instructions and if you do not
follow only YOU are the loser to that extent. The doctor can only
help in diagnosing the disease and prescribing appropriate
medicines. If the patient desires an expeditious and effective cure,
the patient will have to scrupulously follow the instructions, the
patient is free either to follow or flout the instructions with
attendant consequences.

AND, NOW IT IS IN YOUR HANDS TO CHOOSE EITHER

COURSE ON THE ROAD TO YOUR SPRITUAL
REGENERATION OR DEGENERATION.

A NOTE ON THE NOTES FOR THIS CHAPTER

[ The purport of this Chapter is to present the contents of the whole
of Ch.17 and Slokas 1 to 40 of Ch.18 of BG dealing with the
impact of Trigunas on the human psyche. Besides being numerous,
they are not drawn as quotations for contextual references. Also,
for the one who is not conversant with Sanskrit, 'en masse'
presentation of transliterated texts would be of no avail while for
the one who knows Sanskrit will know the original text itself
rendering such reproduction superfluous. Hence, transliterated
texts of the BG Slokas are not included in this ' Notes'. However,
Chapter and Verse numbers have been indicated wherever
necessary.]

NOTES

1. US. Department of Agriculture's selection of ' Food- Guide-

Pyramid' based on research by Judy Dodd, President, American
dietetic Association and Barbara Shannon, President of the Society
for Nutrition Education
2. Smriti saying quoted in VRN,p.138
"Udarasya
ardham annasya
 Triteeyam
udagasya tu
Vayoh
sancharanartam tu
Chaturtham
avaseshayeth"
3. Anon "Mitam
buktva, satam gatva
Mitam suptva, mitam
vachah
Vamabage sayanasya
Bishagbihi kim
prayojanam"
4.Anon 'Hita Bukh,
Mitha Bukh, Ruchi Bukh,sakha
Bukh'
5. Anon" Atyambupanat
adisangamascha
Diva cha supter nisi
jagarascha
Nirodanat mutra
purishayoscha
Shadbir nidanai
prabavanti rogah"
6. Anon "Atva jara manushyanam
Anatva vajinam jara
Amaitunam jara streenam
Vastranam atapam jara"
7.Sri Ramanujacharya's Sri Bashyam, Ch.3,Pada 4, Adhikarana
115, Sutras 446-448 and 449

"Sarvanna anumats cha pranatyage tad darsanath.

 CHOICE OF FOOD
Source: http://krishnascience.com/Vaisnava%20Library/Deity
%20worship/Other/Choice%20of%20food.htm

According to the Chandogya Upanisad, when there is purity of

food, the mind becomes pure; when the mind becomes pure, it
remembers the Lord and by remembrance of the Lord, liberation is
attained:

ahara suddhau sattva suddhih

sattva suddhau dhruva smrtih
smrti lambhe sarva granthinam vipra moksah
(quoted in BG Ch3. V.11 purport)

This verse mentioned "ahara suddhi" or purification of food as a

crucial element in spiritual progress. For this reason also the smrti
sastras proclaim that greatest of purifiers is pure food. The
scriptures have therefore carefully delineated proper and improper
food for the person who desires perfection in life.

Foods chosen by quality:

Different foods, due to their composition, affect the body in

different ways when they are eaten by the human being. Foods
may create sattvic, rajasic or tamasic influences of the body and
mind. Since the quality of sattika opens the door for spiritual
realization, sattvika foods are recommended for one pursuing
spiritual realization.

Forbidden Food:
Since meat, wine, onions and garlic are by their inherent nature in
the mods of raja and tama guna, the Vaisnava is forbidden to eat
them, rr even touch them. Other untouchable itesmare as follows:

intoxicants
milk mixed with salt
milk from animals other than the cow
milk from a cow without calf
milk from a cow during the ten day period after bearing a calf
milk from a cow that has been mated.
milk mixed with buttermilk
milk in a copper vessel
red spinach
kalambi sak
burned rice
white eggplant
radish
coconut water in a bell metal vessel
honey and yoghurt in a copper vessel
ucchista (someses remanants) mixed with ghee
sesame, cornmeal, and yoghurt at night
barley during the day burned preparations
ones own half-eaten fruit or sweets (saved and to be eaten later)

A food product, even though it is in the mode of goodness, may,

due to the influence of time and weather, become stale or rotten.
Such food is transformed to the mode of ignorance and is
unhealthy for the body. Thus these transformed foods are also
forbidden for offering to the Lord and for comsumption.

A food product, though in the mode of goodness and yet fresh,

may, due to contant with some impure object, become
contaminated. In that state the food cannot be offered or eaten.
For some types of contamination there are remedial measures of
purification. After the food is purified again, it may be offered and
eaten. Some types of contamination have no remedial purification
method and must therefore be totally rejected. For instance, if a
dog or rat eats part of a fruit, that is not fit for human consumption.

A food product, though classed in the mode of goodness, fresh,

and uncomtanimated, may be of inferior quality, having bad taste,
texture or color. The same food product of superior taste and
quality is preferable is possible.

A food product may be in the mode of goodness, may be fresh,

uncontaminated and of superior quality, but if it is prepared by a
person who is impure and sinful, that food should not be taken.
Prepared or cooked foods, particularly grains, take on the qualities
of the person who has prepared them. If one eats such foods one
will take on those sinful qualities as well. Thus a
Furthermore, a food product though in the mode of goodness,
fresh, uncontaminated, of superior quality, and prepared by a
sinless person, is filled with sin if it is not first offered to the Lord.

yajna sistasinah santo

mucyante sarva kilbisaih
bhunjate te tv agham papa
ye pacanty atma karanat

The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins
becasue they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others,
who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.
BG Ch.3, V.13

When suitable foods are offered to the Lord they surpass sattva
guna and become transcendental to material nature. Such food is
called prasadam, the mercy of the Lord. Therefore the Vaisnava
takes only those cooked foods which are prepared by another
Vaisnava, who has thorough knowledge of what is acceptable for
offering and consumption and what is not, who is sinless in
conduct, and who offers everything to the Lord before serving it.

The considerations of quality, impurity etc do not apply however to

food which has been offered by bona fide devotees to the Lord
without offense (who offer it to the Lord considering the proper
standards mentioned above). That food or bhoga is called
mahaprasadam and is absolute like the Lord:

One should eat the mahaprasada 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.
CC Madhya v.2.p.324

In the Brhad Visnu Purana it is stated that one who considers

mahaprasada to be equal to ordinary rice and dahl certainly
commits a great offense. Ordinary edibles are touchable and
untouchable, but there are no such dualistic considerations where
prasada is concerned. Prasada is transcendental and there are no
transformations or contaminations, just as there are no
contaminations or transformations in the body of Lord Visnu
Himself.
CC Madhya V.1, p.293

Source of Food:

The brahmana is forbidden to take food from a sudra, since the

sudra by his inherent character is a person addicted to sinful
activity. Since all of a man's sins reside in his cooked grains, if one
eats the grains cooked by a sudra, one must suffer for all his sins.
Thererfore to avoid undue difficulties, this food is avoided.

Exceptions are made however. One can take food from sudra after
giving suitable payment. After paying one can take rice cooked in
sugar and milk, items cooked in ghee or oil (not boiled items); cow
milk, sweet cakes and oil cakes. One can take honey, water, fruits,
and roots from a sudra if they are offered without ones asking.
One can accept food from a sudra who works someone elses land
and takes half the crop. One may take food from a sudra if one is
well acquainted with the his family and habits. One can also
accept food from a sudra who tends cows or is the family barber.

The word "sudra" must refer to a person of sudra quality, rather

than of sudra anscestory, for one must always take food grains
cooked by a Vaisnava , who offers the grains to the Lord,
regardless of his caste. The Skanda Purana says that there are four
pure things: ekadasi vrata, the heart of a devotee, Ganga water, and
the grains cooked by Vaisnava.

As you will pay for the dinner, for the foods, you can offer them to
Krsna within your mind, then eat them as Krsna prasadam. Any
foods stuff when it is paid for it becomes purified...The source of
receipt of the things 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 Krsna and take it. Meat is not considered
an eatable...It is not to be done ordinarily--w We should prepare
our own foodstuff and offer-- as much as possible of course.
letter from Srila Prabhupada
Brahmananda, Oct. 6, 1968

COOKING

Cooking should be understood to be a devotional activity, for the

product must be offered to the Supreme Lord with devotion. The
rules which apply to deity worship, cleanliness and devotion, also
apply to cooking.
Cleanliness:

Ones body should be clean. One who cooks must have performed
his morning nitya kriyas of sauca, brushing teeth, bathing, dressing
properly and applying tilaka. The hands should be always clean,
never touching impure objects or the holes of the body.

Utensils and ingredients must be clean. Just artilces for deity

worship must be cleaned before performing deity worship, before
cooking one must be sure that his utensils and kitcehn are pure.
One must know what is considered pure and impure, and how
contamination spreads. One must also know how to rectify
impurity if that is possible ie the proper method of purifying
different articles. The ingredients are for offering to the Lord, and
therefore one should not enjoy them first, by smelling or tasting or
looking upon with lust. As well non devotees or those not familiar
with the rules of cleanliness and worship, should not be allowed to
cook, nor should any animals be allowed entrance in the kitchen.
Nor can the unoffered preparations and ingredients be mixed with,
touched to or placed in proximity to items already offered.

The place should be clean. The kitchen should be thoroughly

washed before starting and garbage should not be allowed to
accumulate in the kitchen. Shoes should not be worn into the
kitchen.

The mind should be purified by strict sadhana and constant

chanting of the Holy Name. While engaged in cooking one should
not discuss mundane matters, but as in deity worship maintain
silence on these matters. Instead one should meditate on pleasing
the Supreme Lord by ones activity, and constantly chant the Holy
Name.
As far as possible non-initiated devotees may not enter the kitchen
or deity area. They can help from outside.
letter from Srila Prabhupada
April 4, 1971

Unless one is initiated he cannot cook. One must be regular

disciple then he can do deity worship. There is no question of the
outsiders cooking in the New Delhi temple.
letter from Srila Prabhupada
Gopal Krsna das, July 11, 1976

In the kitchen you should always se that nothing is wasted.

letter from Srila Prabhupada
Upendra das, Nov.10, 1975

Food which has been offered should never be put back into the
refrigerator or kitchen. Refrigerator should always be very clean
and pure. If there is any food extra, that should be kept separately,
not within the kitchen. No one should wear shoes within the
kitchen. Smelling and tasting of foods being prepared for the Lord
should never be done. Talking within the kitchen should be only
what is necessary for preparing the prasadam or about the Lord.
Dirty dishes should not be brought back into the kitchen. Hands
should always be washed when preparing prasadam. Nothing
should be eaten before offering to the Lord.
letter from Srila Prabhupada
June 6, 1968, Montreal

BHOJANA (taking meals):

Dress:

One should take his meals in a clean state, with peaceful mind.
One may wear prasada garlands of the Lord and sandalwood paste.
The grhastha may wear rings on his fingers.
One should wear two pices of cloth.
Ones cloth should not be damp.
One should not have ones head covered.
One should not be wearing shoes.
Sikha should be tied.
Five parts of the body should be damp (washed with water): two
hands, two feet, and the mouth.

Place:

One should eat in a place which is clean and spacious.

one should not eat in a vehicle.
One should sit on an asana, but the asana should not be broken.
One should sit with legs crossed, not spread out.
One should not receive foods directly in the hands and place it in
the mouth, nor place food directly on the floor, but should take his
meal from a plate.
One should not eat off a broken plate.
One Should not keep the plate on the lap.

Direction:

One should sit facing east, or north, according to the Visnu Purana.
By eating facing east, ones duration of life increases; by eating
while facing south one gains fame; by eating facing west one gains
wealth; and by facing north all of ones desires are fulfilled (Kurma
Purana).
Or one may face in the direction of the sun.
One should not face northeast, northwest, southeast or southwest.

Time:

One should not eat at the sandhyas: sunrise, noon and sunset.
One should not et until food form the previous meal has digested.
One should not eat before having performed sandhya vandana
(chanting gayatri at the sadnhya) or daily morning puja.
One should not eat for four praharas before an eclipse of the sun or
three praharas before an eclipse of the moon.

Sitting Arrangement;

Those of similar rank should sit in the same row.

According to the rules, the moment one person ina row finishes n-
his meal and rises to go, the meal has ended, and the rest of the
people in the row are forbidden to continue eating. All of the
remaining food is considered ucchista (leftovers) and untouchable.
Therefore, out of respect, all persons in the row should wait for the
senior ranking person in the row to finish before rising to go.
When the senior person rises, then all others in the same row
should also rise and leave. the senior person may sit separately, so
that he is not affected by anyone else rising and leaving.

Respects:

Mahaprasad is nondifferent from Krsna. Therefore instead of

eating mahaprasada one should honor it. It is said here, karila
vandana he offered prayers. When taking mahaprasada one should
not consider the food ordinary preparations. One should consider
mahaprasad a favor of Krsna.
CC Antya v.4. p.10

Before beginning the meal, one should glance over the prasadam
and pay ones respects to it remembering that it is he mercy of the
Lord.
One should always seek the permission of the Lord to act or eat or
speak and by the blessing of the lord everything done by devotee
is beyond the principle of the four defects typical of the
conditioned soul.
SB2.4.11

One should recite;

sarira avidya jal jodendriya tahe kal

jihve phele visaya sagare

tar madhya jihva ati lobha maya sudurmati

take jete kathina samsare

krsna boro doya moya koribare jihva jaya

sva prasadanna dilo bhai

sei annamrta pao radha krsna guna gao

prema dako sri caitanya nitai

One may also recite jayadhvani prayers.

According to Hari Bhakti Vilasa one should chant the gayatri

mantra , then chant ones mula mantra seven times over the
prasadam.

Prana Ahutis:

According to the Vedic tradition, there is a prescribed way to begin

the meal, which is taught to all twice born persons when they
accept the sacred thread in the upanayanam ceremony. At that time
the brahmacari vows to chant the gayatri mantra at the sandhyas
daily for the rest of his life and offer his food to the pranas or life
airs before beginning his meal. this system is still followed by
brahmanas in many parts of India. The procedure is given in the
practical manual.

Rules for Eating:

People seated should not touch each other while eating.
One should eat in silence, not discussing material affairs.
One should usel the five fingers of the right hand only to touch and
place food in the mouth.
one should not make noises while eating or drinking foods or
liquids.
One should tear large items with the fingers of the right hand and
then place the small pieces in the mouth. One should not tear a
large item by taking it in the mouth and tearing it with the teeth.
After finishing the meal, one should take the plate (if disposable)
in the right hand and discard it.

Rules for Drinking water:

One should avoid drinking water out of ones hands.
One should not sip water directly from a water source.

If one has a clean right hand (before a meal) the right hand should
be used to hold the cup. One should pour the water into the mouth
so that the cup does not touch the lips.

During a meal the right hand touches the mouth. Therefore at that
time one should take the cup in the left hand and pour water into
the mouth without touching the lips.
If the cup cannot pour properly, then one should use the right hand
and drink using the lips.

While drinking water during a meal, no water should fall upon the
food, otherwise the food becomes ucchista (leftovers).

The water cup should be kept to the right hand side of ones plate,
otherwise ones food and water both becomes impure.

Amount of Food:
One should not overeat, because that is the cause of sikcness, and
decrease in lifespan. It stops ones spiritual advancement, generates
sin, and becomes the subject of criticism for all people.

In Kali yuga the duration of life is shortened not so much

because of insufficient food but because of irregular habits. By
keeping regular habits and eating simple food, any man can
maintain his health. Overeating, oversense gratifiction,
overdependence on another's mercy, and artificial standards of
living sap the very vitality of human energy. Therefore the
duration of life is shortened.
SB1.1.10

Sometimes it is found that an initiated person, in the name of

prasada, eats very luxurious foodstuffs. Due to his past sinful life
he becomes attracted by cupid and eats food voraciously. It is
clearly visible that when a neophyte in Krsna consciousness eats
too much he falls down.
4.26.13

One should fill half the stomach with food one quarter with
water and one quarter with air.

Order of Foods:

Hari Bhkati Vilasa mentions that one should start by eating a little
sweet food, then take salty and sour items, and then pungent adn
bitter items. Liquid foods should be taken at the beginning and
end of the meal and solid foods should be takne in the middle.
This system is still followed in South India.
In Bengal the custom is to take bitter foods first and end with
sweet. Different styles of cooking require that the foods be eaten
in different order.
Serving the Meal:

The grhastha should serve in the following order:

Guests, especially spiritually qualified persons such as sannyasis,

should be treated as like the Lord himself, and should be offered
the finest food first.
One should then feed married daughters, pregnant women, elders,
children and sick persons.
One should also feed tied up cows and horses before taking ones
meal.
The householder and his wife should eat last.

An initiated Vaisnava should serve and initiated Vaisnava. The

server should pure in mind, body, habits and dress, who can
perform his duties quickly, quietly, and efficiently. Loud noises
and talking should be avoided.

Neither the server nor the serving utensils should ever touch the
plates or hands of the people who are eating, for this will
contaminate the server and the serving utensil. If this happens, the
server should wash his hands and the utensil before serving further.
The prasadam should be dropped on the plate in a free area (not on
the salt etc.)

Except for sweets or water, or dry items, spoons should be used to

serve food.
The server should us only his right hand to offer prasadam.
The serving vessels should not touch the feet.
The server should not touch anything impure (his mouth, feet, hair,
lower body) nor should he yawn, sneeze or spit.
Servings may be small, and when the guest finishes an item, the
server should be alert to offer more of it. The server should br
generous in giving the guest as much of an item as the guest
desires. The guest should never be left with an empty plate except
at the end of the meal.
The server or host may describe the wonderful qualities of an item
as he offers it, to encourage the guest to eatmore.
All persons in a group should be offered the same items.

The food should be hot if possible.

Washing:

By eating one become contaminated. Before performing any

activity one must purify himself.
After rising from ones meal, one should wash ones hands without
delay.
One should then wash mouth at least three times.

After the meal:

One should not take rest imemdiately after a meal.

One should not perform strenuous labour directly after a meal.
One should maintain a tranquil mind, as during the meal, by
remembering the Lord, chanting his name and discussing the
Lord's pastimes with ones aassociates.

Digestion Mantras:

One should rub the belly and chant the following verses,
remembering the Supreme Lord who digests ones food so that the
body becomes nourished and so that one can perform devotional
service.
 agastir agnir vadavanalas ca
bhuktam mayannam jarayan tv asesam
sukha ca me tat parinama sambhavam
yac chantvarogam mama castu dehe

visnuh samastendriya deha dehi

pradhana bhuto bhagavan yathaikhah
satyena tenannam asesam etad
arogya dam me parinamam etu

May Agasti the fire of digestion and the digestive salts digest the
food I have eaten. May digestion, happiness and healthy body be
mine.

Since Visnu presides over all the senses, the body and the soul,
may he assist me so that my food will digest and so that I will
remain without any sickness.

Regarding Leftovers (uncontaminated):

Regarding prasadam, leftovers should always be taken if they have

not spoiled or if they have not been touched by diseased persons.
We should never waste Krsna prasadam. Best thing is to cook
only what is required and then give each person only what he
wants. In this way nothing is wasted and everyone is satisfied.
BHOJANAM - TAKING
MEALS:

When eating one should not be dressed in a

single garment or have the head covered.
Before eating one must wash hands and feet
and perform åcamanam.
Clean the spot in front with a little water and
on this place a banana leaf which has been
washed well.
A water vessel is placed to the right.
Food should never be taken facing West.
The wife or some other person serves the food
with the curries first and afterwards the rice.
Salute the food saying;
asmåkam nityam astvetat — may we always have food.
Sprinkle the food saying;
oµ bhûr bhuvas suva¿ |
Mentally offer the food to your tutelary deity
[if eating in the house of another].
oµ antaryåmine nama¿ | — Salutations to the Indweller.
Take water in the right palm and allowing the
water to trickle through the fingers, circle
the platter twice in a clockwise direction. The
water should not fall on any vessel. The
mantra repeated is;
oµ bhûr bhuvas suva¿ | satyaµ tvartena parisiñcåmi.
I encircle Thou who art the Truth with the Cosmic Law.
at night say;
oµ bhûr bhuvas suva¿ | ®tam två satyena parisiñcåmi.
I encircle Thou who art the Cosmic Law with the Truth.
Take a little water in the right hand and sip it
from the Brahma-tîrtham;
am®to'pastara±am-asi. — Thou art the bed of ambrosia.
Prå±åhuti;
Holding the leaf on the edge with the first
three fingers of the left hand take a small
quantity of rice with the thumb, middle and
ring finger of the right hand and place it in the
mouth with the recitation of each mantra.
While placing it in the mouth it should not
touch
the teeth and it should be swallowed whole.
oµ prå±åya svåhå | oµ apå±åya svåhå | oµ vyånåya svåhå |
udånåya svåhå |
oµ samånåya svåhå || oµ brahma±e svåhå | çrî govindåya
nama¿ ||
The server then pours water over your left
hand which was holding the leaf, now proceed
to eat.
During the meal you may converse with
those sitting on either side of you, but you
should
avoid listening to the conversation of women in
their period or of Sudras.

When sitting in a line-of-diners (pankti) it is

considered very ill-mannered to rise before
anyone else. If one is obliged to rise then the
diners on each side are to be connected with
a stream of water or a bunch of darbha grass.
From the water vessel one should only
drink once, if one wishes to drink again from
the
same vessel then a small quantity of water
should be spilt on the floor before drinking.
After swallowing each mouthfull of food the
name of Govinda should be repeated.
After eating to satisfaction one takes
another hand full of water and does
uttarapoßa±am
without sipping all the water.
oµ am®tåpidhånam asi. — Thou art the
covering of ambrosia.
The remainder is poured on the left side of
the leaf;
raurave apu±ya nilaye padmårbuda nivåsinåm
|
arthinåm udakaµ dattaµ akßayyam upati߆hatu
||
This water is offered to them who long for
salvation while confined in the Raurava hell,
the
abode of sinners, for many millions of years.
May this offering please them.
After performing uttara-poßanam the leaf
should not be touched. Wash your hands and
rinse
the mouth and then do åcamanam.
Sit down and touch your chest while saying
prå±ånåµ granthir asi rudro må
viçåntaka¿ tenånena åpyåyasva |
O Ego that is in my heart, you are inseparable
from my life-breath. May your
presiding deity Rudra being a destroyer of
misery enter into my body, may the food
taken by me nourish my body.
Pour a little water onto your right big toe
saying;
angu߆ha måtra¿ purußo 'ºgu߆haµ ca
samåçrita¿ |
îçå¿ sarvasya jagata¿ prabhu¿ prî±åti
viçvabhuk ||
The Supreme Self the size of the thumb dwells
within the space of the heart.
He is the Ruler of the Universe, He is the
Controller, may He be pleased by this food.
Offers a libation to the Sun with the Viß±u
Gåyatri;
oµ nåråya±åya vidmahe våsudevåya dhîmahi |
tan no viß±u¿ pracodayåt ||