Karma-free Food (Prasadam)

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Karma-free

Food (Prasadam)

Pure vegetarianism

combines the physical nourishment of a healthy vegetarian diet with the

spiritual nourishment that comes from acknowledging our dependency on

God and the blessings of Mother Earth.

Rooted in Hindu tradition, the spiritual dimension of pure vegetarianism

has meaning for people of all faiths. Simply put, before we eat our food,

we offer it to God in thanksgiving. The food is then pure, karma-free,

and spiritually nourishing. Hindus call this food prasada, or the mercy

of God.

Pure vegetarianism springs from the belief that

the kind of food we eat affects our spiritual consciousness

and subsequent behaviors. According

to the Bhagavad-Gita, the scripture of Indian spirituality, foods

in the mode of goodnessâ€"vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, legumes, sugar,

and pure milk productsâ€"can be sanctified, or offered in sacrifice.

Conversely, meat, fish, and eggs, as well as a few vegetarian

items[1], classified in the modes of passion and ignorance, should

not be offered

to God. If the food we eat is prepared by people devoid of spiritual

consciousness (e.g., unhappy employees working in a dirty food

factory), we are sure

to absorb unwelcome mental energies. For this reason, pure vegetarians

avoid such foods in favor of foods prepared with fresh, natural

ingredients.

Purifying Your Meal The following principles are essential to the preparation of pure vegetarian

food:

Clean hands and work area â€" This

is the most important principle: nothing impure should

be offered to God.

A humble and devotional attitude â€" Refrain

from tasting the food while preparing it. Reflect on the

food as a blessing from the

Lord; respect that blessing, and be happy.

The offering â€" You have prepared

the food not only for your own enjoyment, but for the pleasure

of God; you are now ready to

make your offering.

Prayers and mantras - The simplest form of

offering is to pray, “My

dear Lord, please accept this humble offering of food.†You

can supplement this with more traditional prayers like the

Maha Mantra (Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare

Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.) During the meal, reflect on the spiritual quality

of the prasadam . . . remember that it is the Lord’s blessing

that frees one from the effects of bad karma. Above all, enjoy!

[1] Garlic

and onions, for example, are not generally offered because, despite

their medicinal benefits, they are polluting to the mind and

create objectionable odors. The purpose of food is to give strength

to the body and purify the mind.