Do you offer your food to God?

[Gaura Priya]

:cupcake: :hotdog: umpkin: :candy2:

Well, do you?

I used to; I would plop the naivedya on a special plate, chant my guru's mantra and offered them to my Deities. But since I gave away my Gaura-Nitai murtis, I haven't really done so.

Sometimes I'll occasionally chant the Hare Krishna mantra before eating my food though and do a manasa-puja instead, but I've been lackadaisical even with that these days.

Now I just cook my food and eat it. I feel terrible sometimes for not eating Vishnu-prasada constantly, but I just hope God is forgiving!

 

[Sumit]

:cupcake: :hotdog: umpkin: :candy2:

Well, do you?

Rarely, it will take some time to make it a habit

 

[Vinayaka]

What do you mean? Taking a portion to the shrine, or just chanting a food blessing chant. One is easier.

 

[Madhuri]

I used to until a few years ago. I got out of the habit when I started losing my faith and now I would like to start again. I am initiated in the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya so I don't just chant over the food. If at home, I'll go through the whole ceremony.

 

[Gaura Priya]

What do you mean? Taking a portion to the shrine, or just chanting a food blessing chant. One is easier.

I was referring to taking it to one's altar or shrine and offering the food formally... or just blessing the food. Or more specifically, giving naivedya in the form of food so it becomes prasada.

But in essence, offering one's food to God formally or shortened. I am not sure if the Shaiva tradition shares the same emphasis on eating mainly sattvic foods that is always prasada!

 

[Gaura Priya]

I used to until a few years ago. I got out of the habit when I started losing my faith and now I would like to start again. I am initiated in the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya so I don't just chant over the food. If at home, I'll go through the whole ceremony.

That's really good! I'm so glad that you are!

One of my biggest struggles is that I live with my boyfriend, and certainly I'm not a great devotee. However he loves eating garlic and onions, and I've succumbed mainly in cooking it. No meat or eggs are allowed in the home, however.

I would feel ashamed in offering such food to Srila Guru Maharaj, especially when the aim is to only eat sattvic food.

Nevertheless, I suppose I can still offer my food to my picture of the Mahamantra, which is practically the only thing I have for now!

 

[Maya3]

No, I never do.

I usually offer a little fruit if I do a puja, but it's rare for me to do pujas nowadays.

Maya

 

[Windwalker]

I think there is something powerful in offering what one eats themselves to God first. It reminds us of the sacredness of our own life, and it put the mind in devotion of the greater Truth. It creates a sense of communion with the Divine, a relationship between ourselves and the divine, and the divine and ourselves. And in this awareness, our life is more blessed. The act puts us in mind of this, rather than just taking the world for granted, and food represents the material of our very sustenance.

 

[Jainarayan]

:cupcake: :hotdog: umpkin: :candy2:

Well, do you?
...
Sometimes I'll occasionally chant the Hare Krishna mantra before eating my food though ...

Now I just cook my food and eat it.

I'm not completely vegetarian, so if and when I remember that I'm having something vegetarian I will say either the Hare Krishna mantra and/or this prayer:

May the Lord accept this, our offering, and bless our food that it may bring us strength in our body, vigor in our mind, and selfless devotion in our hearts for His service. Bless all of those who have brought this nourishment to our table, through their labors and their lives. The joys and pains of all beings are present in the gift of this food. Let us receive it in love and gratitude; in mindfulness of our sisters and brothers among living beings of every kind, who are hungry or homeless, sick or injured, or suffering in any way.

I feel terrible sometimes for not eating Vishnu-prasada constantly, but I just hope God is forgiving!

I often feel guilty too, but that's that Roman Catholic guilt-trip upbringing drummed in by Sister Mary Sergeant Hartmann of the Sisters of the Full Metal Jacket Order. God does not need to eat; I think the injunction to offer naivedya and take prasad comes from Bhagavad Gita 3.13 and 9.27 (Prabhupada's version):

"The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin." 3.13

"O son of Kuntī, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me." 9.27

I don't think this means that if you forget to offer your potato chips to Krishna that you commit a sin. I think what it means is that if you think only of yourself and not of others, and eat only for pleasure (I guess potato chips do fall into that category ), it's not that it's a sin worthy of punishment, but you are being selfish.

 

[Gaura Priya]

I often feel guilty too, but that's that Roman Catholic guilt-trip upbringing drummed in by Sister Mary Sergeant Hartmann of the Sisters of the Full Metal Jacket Order. God does not need to eat; I think the injunction to offer naivedya and take prasad comes from Bhagavad Gita 3.13 and 9.27 (Prabhupada's version):

"The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin." 3.13

"O son of Kuntī, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me." 9.27

I don't think this means that if you forget to offer your potato chips to Krishna that you commit a sin. I think what it means is that if you think only of yourself and not of others, and eat only for pleasure (I guess potato chips do fall into that category ), it's not that it's a sin worthy of punishment, but you are being selfish.

What if I share the potato chips?

I'm kidding!

Certainly, of course, God does not need to eat, but He certainly partakes of our devotion! But yes, it is only due to selfishness that one would not offer something to God, thus being considered a 'sin'.

I do not think there is anything wrong with guilt if it forces the individual person to become more self-realised, and from 'selfish' to 'self-less;' and while offering one's food may be a simple ritual to outsiders, for many Hindus like you and I, utilise bhoga to receive the mercy of God, or prasada; it becomes a physical manifestation of selflessness.

 

[Viraja]

Wow, Gaurapriya, you are only in your 20's and seem to be taking to devotion quite seriously! Well, as much of devotion you seem to be practicing, that much good for you! I was introduced into devotion in 20's but I gave it up shortly after my marriage (when I was 22). Then it took me a long, long time to pay attention back to devotion.

These days I'm regular in my devotion, I don't offer my meal to god and partake of the prasada, though one is supposed to be doing it. I pray only at 3 PM and at that time, offer god a little milk or bananas or raisins. But my sister-in-law who lives in NJ, USA regularly offers her meal to the deities before consuming them - I asked her what she offers - as Sumit exclaims, it is a bit of a habit one must cultivate. Because one has to take bath, cook and then offer food to god in the morning all on time to do it everyday. My sister-in-law told me she offers cooked plain rice and a cup full of curd only. She does not offer the vegetable, etc. (I think this is because she makes them after she offers food to god). Although it will be a good habit to get used to cooking them without onions, garlic and offer everything to god and take the prasad... I want to do it, but my cooking takes place very conveniently at 11:00 AM or even later, that I have no mood to offer god the food at a much later time in the morning.

I chant "Naivedyam samarpayami, shodasopachaaram samarpayami" (I'm offering food to god, I'm offering 16-different forms of services to the lord, please accept) and offer the food to the deities on festival days.

 

[ratikala]

dear gaura priya ,

:cupcake: :hotdog: umpkin: :candy2:

Well, do you?

yes , twice a day ,

for me the deitys are so much a part of our life that I would feel lost without doing serva ,
it is not exactly that we think to offer a them a little of our food , it is that we think constantly that we are providing for them , we take the remainder .

but it is not easy to get settled into that routine , it does take time and the blessing of being arround others who share your beleif and devotion and will support you through devotional life .

one other benifit is that we eat exceptionaly well , there are many times when if it were only for myself I would skip a meal or live on something very basic , cooking for the deitys makes one think more of the quality and the purity of the food and giving them a varied diet .

Now I just cook my food and eat it. I feel terrible sometimes for not eating Vishnu-prasada constantly, but I just hope God is forgiving!

of course he is forgiving
it is a very big commitment , I think that many people take on the idea of keeping deitys at home and start to practice with great enthusiasm , but it is difficult to keep up especialy for the young who might have a heavy commitment to study or are simply trying to settle to family life , so please do not be too hard on your self .

full deity service is best done by a commited family where if needs be there are others to take turns or offer support to the one who is doing either the cooking or the serva .

personaly I feel the best thing for any one wishing to develop the habit of deity service is to start with a small service and increase slowly , prehaps start with fruit and a drink , then increase to one full meal once weekly on ones day off so that one can enjoy that service fully , it does not help to put oneself under pressure as one simply will will not be able to keep it up or do it with the right frame of mind .


for me it is more important to maintain a constant level of deity service if I have to cut down on anything I will cut down on lengthly prayers and puja , what is most important to me is the relationship between a devotee and the deity which they have chosen to serve , and laying the foundations of a practice that one will be able to keep up , as unfortunately I have seen many prople set too high a standard to start with and then when life makes it difficult for them to keep it up this causes an uncomfortable guilt .

serving god should be joyfull , he is happy with our love so a small offering given with love is more to him than a full meal given only out of duty

 

[ratikala]

One of my biggest struggles is that I live with my boyfriend, and certainly I'm not a great devotee. However he loves eating garlic and onions, and I've succumbed mainly in cooking it. No meat or eggs are allowed in the home, however.

I would feel ashamed in offering such food to Srila Guru Maharaj, especially when the aim is to only eat sattvic food.

this hapens in so many families , and it is the wife or girlfreind who ends up feeling guilty because she is trying to keep everyone happy but she is not happy herself ,
may I make a suggestion you could make even the simplest fruit salad and serve this with a fruit juice on a small plate as you said before kept only for offering , prepair this first before you begin to cook the foods that others prefer , you can offer it so simply with a short prayer , then whilst your offering is being partaken of you can cook for your personal requirements , but every day you will have prasad for desert

so every one is happy , ....later you can tempt your boyfreind to some more satvic dishes , Ha ... women have to be very clever to train the men into some more satvic eating habits

starting with cakes and sweets allways seems to help and gopal will surely enjoy these

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

All food that is eaten in my home is 1st offered to God with this prayer. Different sects use this prayer.

Om Annapurne sada purne sankarapranavallabha
jnanavairagyasiddharytham
bhiksam dehi namo-stu te

Mata ca parvati devi pita devo mahesvarah
bandhavah sivabhaktasca svadeso bhuvanatrayam

Om hrim srim krim paramesvari kalike svaha bhog -
naivedyam samarpayami

The underlined part can be changed to any mantra to any ishta

Family Prayer before eating.

Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samaadhinaha -Gita 4:24

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.

Also, very common among many different sects of Hinduism for prayer before eating.

The act of eating is equal to puja or yajna. Feeding your self is the same as offering food to God in a puja of feeding the fire in yajna.

To make this a habit took it took many trials and lots of failure. To build it into a family habit.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

:cupcake: :hotdog: umpkin: :candy2:

Well, do you?

I used to; I would plop the naivedya on a special plate, chant my guru's mantra and offered them to my Deities. But since I gave away my Gaura-Nitai murtis, I haven't really done so.

Sometimes I'll occasionally chant the Hare Krishna mantra before eating my food though and do a manasa-puja instead, but I've been lackadaisical even with that these days.

Now I just cook my food and eat it. I feel terrible sometimes for not eating Vishnu-prasada constantly, but I just hope God is forgiving!

Not really,

I sometime have a prayer before eating to thank AnnDevi.

I kinda think that if ParmAtma is Omnipresent, Omniscient, then what is the need to offer something to her.

offering thanks is good, but even that is not nessasary, only out of respect and love do i do it.

 

[Gaura Priya]

I think there is something powerful in offering what one eats themselves to God first. It reminds us of the sacredness of our own life, and it put the mind in devotion of the greater Truth. It creates a sense of communion with the Divine, a relationship between ourselves and the divine, and the divine and ourselves. And in this awareness, our life is more blessed. The act puts us in mind of this, rather than just taking the world for granted, and food represents the material of our very sustenance.

Of course! The idea of offering one's food to God in a ritual manner, accompanied by prayers and the understanding of the spiritualisation of the whole process stems very easily in Sanatana Dharma, although it takes a little more encouragement and practice from other world religions (albeit Buddhism and Sikhism to practice offering one's food in some respects).

It brings us an awareness of these elements of nature, utilising creative power and force and created by the energy of the Lord, have transformed itself into nourishing and comforting substances. These foodstuffs are then prepared with loving devotion, and further transformed into something delectable and taste-pleasing. The offering unto God has nothing to do with somehow literally feeding God, but of giving and offering one's devotion unto Him, and giving back what He created in gratitude and love.

Just like how a painting reflects the thought of the painter, and eir inspiration thereof, so does food prepared with Divine intention infuse sacred consciousness into the entire process. Prasadam therefore, is the art of eating sacredly and always remembering God.

As I was always told as a complete summary of the yama-niyama system, "Always remember Krishna, and never forget Hiim."

 

[Gaura Priya]

No, I never do.

I usually offer a little fruit if I do a puja, but it's rare for me to do pujas nowadays.

Maya

I hope you do more pujas in the future!

 

[Maya3]

I hope you do more pujas in the future!

I will, it depends on my mood. Right now I'm not in such a devotional mood, but it comes and goes. I like Shivaratri and Navaratri so I have a feeling that I'll get in the mood soon.

Maya

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

offering thanks is good, but even that is not necessary, only out of respect and love do i do it.

Good point !!! It is important for me to remember that all the discipline we engage in are just that... a discipline a type method or practice to bring us closer to our true Self.

 

[Gaura Priya]

These days I'm regular in my devotion, I don't offer my meal to god and partake of the prasada, though one is supposed to be doing it. I pray only at 3 PM and at that time, offer god a little milk or bananas or raisins. But my sister-in-law who lives in NJ, USA regularly offers her meal to the deities before consuming them - I asked her what she offers - as Sumit exclaims, it is a bit of a habit one must cultivate. Because one has to take bath, cook and then offer food to god in the morning all on time to do it everyday. My sister-in-law told me she offers cooked plain rice and a cup full of curd only. She does not offer the vegetable, etc. (I think this is because she makes them after she offers food to god). Although it will be a good habit to get used to cooking them without onions, garlic and offer everything to god and take the prasad... I want to do it, but my cooking takes place very conveniently at 11:00 AM or even later, that I have no mood to offer god the food at a much later time in the morning.

I chant "Naivedyam samarpayami, shodasopachaaram samarpayami" (I'm offering food to god, I'm offering 16-different forms of services to the lord, please accept) and offer the food to the deities on festival days.

You are doing well yourself! Even a little bit counts, does it not? Maybe you and I can hopefully be more devoted and do more offerings in the future!

I still struggle every day to be a good devotee, but I know that developing my humility, tolerance, and respect are the better qualities that I strive for!

Not cooking onions and garlic is easy for me, but my boyfriend who I live with likes garlic very much, so I cook them in order to satisfy him. Otherwise, there are always sweets (I haven't made a blueberry pie in a good while) that I could offer and make! Before, I lived with a family for some time with Vaishnava teenagers and mother who didn't bother with offerings, so their altar room (yes, the separate room for Deity worship) was neglected. I did puja there for a while, but due to association, I've fallen out of that standard!

I generally just do a very simple puja, offering lamp and incense mainly when it comes to food offerings. Doing everything else, like achamana, etc. just becomes too much, lol.

In the Math that I used to belong to, we were to always offer food to Guru first. The following are the mantras I generally use for naivedya, or bhoga, along with their interpretation:

Prayer to Srila B.S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

gurvvabhishta supurakam guru ganair ashisha-sambhu****am
chintyachintya-samasta-veda-nipunam shri-rupa-panthanugam
govindabhidham ujjvalam vara-tanum bhakty anvitam sundaram
vande vishva-gurun cha divya-bhagavat-premno hi bija pradam

I worship the holy lotus feet of he who perfectly fulfils the most cherished wish of his divine master; who is adorned resplendently with the blessings of his guru-varga; who is adapt in all Vedic conceptions, both conceivable and inconceivable; who is the faithful follower in the line of Sri Rupa; who is known as Srila Govinda Maharaj; whose beautiful divine figure revels in the mellows of divine love; who is the guru of the entire universe and the bestower of the seed of divine love for the Supreme Lord.


Prayer to Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj founder of SCS Math

devam divya-tanum suchanda vadanam-balarka-chelanchitam
sandrananda-puram sad-eka-varanam vairagya-vidyambudhim
shri-siddhanta-nidhim subhakti-lasitam sarasvatanam varam
vande tam shubhadam mad-eka-sharanam nyasishvaram shridharam

I fall at the feet of Srila Sridhar-Deva, who with charming expression sings his songs of sweet nectar. Dressed with fine garments like sun newly risen, he's the true saint the devotees have chosen. His detachment and knowledge are just like an ocean, the treasure-house of complete, perfect conclusion. Radiant in pastimes of loving devotion, the abode of pure ecstasy, bestower of good fortune; foremost true follower of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, foremost great general of the whole renounced order; my lord and my master, my only shelter, I worship his feet, Srila Sridhar-Deva.

Prayer to Sri Chaitanya (Sri Sri Prema-dhama-deva-stotram, verse 70)

prema hema-deva dehi-dasaresha-manyatam
kshamyatam mahaparadha-rashiresha-ganyatam
rupa-kinkareshu ramananda-dasa-sambharam
prema-dhama-devam eva naumi gaura-sundaram

O my Golden Lord! (suvarna-varna-hemanga) O ocean of prema! Kindly grant me the wealth of Your divine love! Please give me some slight attention to this fallen soul and pardon his unlimited offenses. There are so many servants of Sri Rupa who are so dear to You. My only aspiration is that You count me as one of those servitors. O Gaurasundar, You are the sole protector and embodiment of good fortune for me, a servant of Sri Ramananda. I offer my obeisances to you, O Gauranga Sundar, my most beautiful Golden Lord, the divine form of Krishna prema.


Pancha-tattva Mantra

shri-krishna-chaitanya prabhu nityananda
shri-advaita gadadhara shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda


Hare Krishna Mahamantra

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama,
Rama Rama Hare Hare!​