P.J.
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The significance of offering food to God?
In Hinduism, food plays an important role in rituals and worship, and the food offered to the gods is called prasada. The Sanskrit word "prasada" means "mercy," or the divine grace of God.
We can make the preparing of food, the offering of food to God, and the eating of the food offered, into a powerful devotional meditation. If, as a meditative discipline, we can offer our food to God with devotion before eating it, not only are we not implicated in the karma involved in acquiring the food, but we can actually make spiritual progress by eating the offered food. Our devotion, and God's grace, subtly transforms the food offered from material nutrition to spiritual mercy or prasada.
Bhagavas Gita, Chapter 9, Verse 26:
'patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah'
'If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.'
Ramanuja's Commentary
Whoever offers the Supreme Lord Krishna even the most easily obtainable articles such as a flower, a fruit, some water or even a leaf, He will accept if the are offered with bhakti or exclusive loving devotion. Lord Krishna's devotee love Him so ardently and enthusiastically that without dedicating all they have for His acceptance the devotee finds themselves unable to tolerate their very existence and subsequently so impassioned do they feel this love that their very act of offering in devotion even a leaf has great merit in the fulfillment of their enthusiasm to please the Supreme Lord. The compound word prayatmatmanah means a devoted, pure minded and pure hearted being. Pure in mind, pure in heart consists of an attitude and mentality of dedicating everything they offer to the Supreme Lord exclusively with only motives of pure devotion and love which is the topmost ambition and goal of the spiritually enlightened. Thus such humble offerings as water or even a simple leaf are given with love by such persons.
Yuga Dharmam:
In earlier yugas there was the manifestation of Avataras and men could easily have direct worship of God. A handful of "poha" from Kuchela and a leave of Tulsi from Rukmani.were received in person in Dwabara Yuga.
(The story of Lord Krishna has it that when Krishna was weighed in gold, not even all the ornaments of Satyabhama could outweigh him. But a single tulsi leaf placed by Rukmani on the pan tilted the scale).
Lord Rama was worshipped by Sabari with fruits.
But These were in earlier yugas. In Kali Yuga in Bhakti Yoga, Pooja Vinadhanam prescripts Arghya, Archana, Naivedya etc.
Kannapa Nayanar took water in his mouth and raw flesh in hand to feed the God thinking that the God was in hunger and thirsty.
Mudha Bakti is one in which one thinks the god in the house should not be kept without naivedanam.
Mudha Bakti is one in which one thinks the god in the house requires warm cloths during winter.
Mudha Bakti is the most important qualification for bhakti Yoga.
Vaishnaya Tradition:
There is a custom in Vaishnaya households. For daily menu for the food, the husband tells his wife, "What food are you going to make to the God in the house?" 'பெருமாளுக்கு இன்று என்ன தளிகை (செய்யபோகிறாய்)?'.
That way one is thinking God has given mouth to sing God's fame. Eye is for to see His beauty in Archavatara swarupam. Ear is for to hear His some of His infinite attributes. Also taking food as his Prasada to live and thus to enjoy His prabhava throughout this life. Nothing separates us from God.
Food Prayer
Brahmarpanam Mantra
From Bhagavad Gita 4.24 and 15.14
Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samaadhinaha
[This is 24th verse from the 4th chapter of Bhagavad Geetha] The act of offering is Brahman. The offering itself is Brahman. The offering is done by Brahman in the sacred fire which is Brahman. He alone attains Brahman who, in all actions, is fully absorbed in Brahman. (As we chant this prayer we are offering the different types of food to Brahman).
Aham Vaishvaanaro Bhutva
Praaninaam Dehamaashritha
Praanaapaana Samaa Yuktaha
Pachaamyannam Chatur Vidam
[This is 14th verse from the 15th chapter of Bhagavad Geetha] This sloka is a sort of acknowledgement and assurance to us from Brahman. "I am Vaishnavara, existing as fire God in the bodies of living beings. Being associated with ingoing (prana) and outgoing (apaana) life breaths, I will digest all the four different types of food (that which we bite and chew; that which we masticate with the tongue; those which we gulp; that which we swallow) and purify them."
Thus by offering food to God and consuming as prasada after, confirm the food belongs to Him, Food is Him, He who gives food to us and we thank Him for all these actions!!
Prasada: Divine Food Offering to God
Bhagavad-Gita: Chapter 9, Verse 26
http://hinduonline.co/Scriptures/DharmaSastra/YugaDharma.html
The history of Kannappa Nayanar - Periyapuranam in English poetry
Bhakti
Practical Sanskrit: eat to live, not live to eat - ???????????? ?????? ????
PRAYER FOR FOOD- BRAHMARPANAM
yahoo answers
In Hinduism, food plays an important role in rituals and worship, and the food offered to the gods is called prasada. The Sanskrit word "prasada" means "mercy," or the divine grace of God.
We can make the preparing of food, the offering of food to God, and the eating of the food offered, into a powerful devotional meditation. If, as a meditative discipline, we can offer our food to God with devotion before eating it, not only are we not implicated in the karma involved in acquiring the food, but we can actually make spiritual progress by eating the offered food. Our devotion, and God's grace, subtly transforms the food offered from material nutrition to spiritual mercy or prasada.
Bhagavas Gita, Chapter 9, Verse 26:
'patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah'
'If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.'
Ramanuja's Commentary
Whoever offers the Supreme Lord Krishna even the most easily obtainable articles such as a flower, a fruit, some water or even a leaf, He will accept if the are offered with bhakti or exclusive loving devotion. Lord Krishna's devotee love Him so ardently and enthusiastically that without dedicating all they have for His acceptance the devotee finds themselves unable to tolerate their very existence and subsequently so impassioned do they feel this love that their very act of offering in devotion even a leaf has great merit in the fulfillment of their enthusiasm to please the Supreme Lord. The compound word prayatmatmanah means a devoted, pure minded and pure hearted being. Pure in mind, pure in heart consists of an attitude and mentality of dedicating everything they offer to the Supreme Lord exclusively with only motives of pure devotion and love which is the topmost ambition and goal of the spiritually enlightened. Thus such humble offerings as water or even a simple leaf are given with love by such persons.
Yuga Dharmam:
In earlier yugas there was the manifestation of Avataras and men could easily have direct worship of God. A handful of "poha" from Kuchela and a leave of Tulsi from Rukmani.were received in person in Dwabara Yuga.
(The story of Lord Krishna has it that when Krishna was weighed in gold, not even all the ornaments of Satyabhama could outweigh him. But a single tulsi leaf placed by Rukmani on the pan tilted the scale).
Lord Rama was worshipped by Sabari with fruits.
But These were in earlier yugas. In Kali Yuga in Bhakti Yoga, Pooja Vinadhanam prescripts Arghya, Archana, Naivedya etc.
Kannapa Nayanar took water in his mouth and raw flesh in hand to feed the God thinking that the God was in hunger and thirsty.
Mudha Bakti is one in which one thinks the god in the house should not be kept without naivedanam.
Mudha Bakti is one in which one thinks the god in the house requires warm cloths during winter.
Mudha Bakti is the most important qualification for bhakti Yoga.
Vaishnaya Tradition:
There is a custom in Vaishnaya households. For daily menu for the food, the husband tells his wife, "What food are you going to make to the God in the house?" 'பெருமாளுக்கு இன்று என்ன தளிகை (செய்யபோகிறாய்)?'.
That way one is thinking God has given mouth to sing God's fame. Eye is for to see His beauty in Archavatara swarupam. Ear is for to hear His some of His infinite attributes. Also taking food as his Prasada to live and thus to enjoy His prabhava throughout this life. Nothing separates us from God.
Food Prayer
Brahmarpanam Mantra
From Bhagavad Gita 4.24 and 15.14
Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samaadhinaha
[This is 24th verse from the 4th chapter of Bhagavad Geetha] The act of offering is Brahman. The offering itself is Brahman. The offering is done by Brahman in the sacred fire which is Brahman. He alone attains Brahman who, in all actions, is fully absorbed in Brahman. (As we chant this prayer we are offering the different types of food to Brahman).
Aham Vaishvaanaro Bhutva
Praaninaam Dehamaashritha
Praanaapaana Samaa Yuktaha
Pachaamyannam Chatur Vidam
[This is 14th verse from the 15th chapter of Bhagavad Geetha] This sloka is a sort of acknowledgement and assurance to us from Brahman. "I am Vaishnavara, existing as fire God in the bodies of living beings. Being associated with ingoing (prana) and outgoing (apaana) life breaths, I will digest all the four different types of food (that which we bite and chew; that which we masticate with the tongue; those which we gulp; that which we swallow) and purify them."
Thus by offering food to God and consuming as prasada after, confirm the food belongs to Him, Food is Him, He who gives food to us and we thank Him for all these actions!!
Prasada: Divine Food Offering to God
Bhagavad-Gita: Chapter 9, Verse 26
http://hinduonline.co/Scriptures/DharmaSastra/YugaDharma.html
The history of Kannappa Nayanar - Periyapuranam in English poetry
Bhakti
Practical Sanskrit: eat to live, not live to eat - ???????????? ?????? ????
PRAYER FOR FOOD- BRAHMARPANAM
yahoo answers
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