The Greatness of Sri Krishna Prasad
Food when offered lovingly to Krishna becomes Krishna Prasadam. This Prasad/Prasadam has healing properties. It heals mental, spiritual, and physical ailments because the healing touch of Krishna purifies everything that it touches.
In my parent’s house, I used to eat only food that is offered as prasad to Lord Vishnu/Krishna. In fact, in my house, we hardly used to eat outside as my parents are staunch Vaishnavites. Every meal, fruit or sweet was offered first to our home deities and then consumed. I didn’t understand the greatness of this practice for a very long time, though I ate Krishna Prasad all throughout the decades. I never thought about why they did what they did.
After I moved to the U.S., I didn’t make Prasad every day. I used to offer Bhog on special occasions or whenever I made any special delicacies. But after some time I restarted this practice of offering Bhog to God on a regular basis and then consuming the Prasadam. The food started tasting GOOD. It is way better than if I just prepare and eat it just like that. My family started noticing the difference in taste. The offering immediately makes my mind tranquil.
I kept offering the same Prasad to my maid when she did afternoon duty. Surprisingly after ten days, she told me that she stopped eating non-vegetarian food and started eating vegetarian food even at home. She told me that her mind became averse to eating meat and meat-based products. I had never discussed any kind of diet with her, yet she came forward and told me about her change of mind.
Look at the transformation. No lectures, nothing. Just eat Krishna Prasad and make your mind as pure as possible. This Satvik Bhav is the preliminary requirement to dive deeper into any spiritual practice.
आहार शुद्धौ सत्त्व शुद्धिः | सत्त्व शुद्धौ ध्रुवा स्मृतिः ||
स्मृति लम्भे सर्व ग्रन्थीनां विप्र मोक्षः ||
“By the purity of food, follows the purification of the inner nature, on the purity of the inner nature the memory becomes firm and on the strengthening of memory follows the loosening of all ties, and the wise get liberation thereby.”
— Chandogya Upanishad 7.26.2
In Premopasana (Upasana of Loving worship of Sri Radha Krishna), we offer our Yugal Sarkar all that we can and we take care of the deities like how we would our very own child. In reality, who can deny the fact that God alone gave us this food, the very life, and everything that we have? But there is a great joy that brims within us whenever we offer anything to Krishna. It is not a ritual anymore. It is a spiritual practice that brings immediate bliss to my mind.
This is not a matter of superstition or blind belief. One must experiment with eating Satvik Krishna Prasad every day to experience great bliss. But don’t expect great results in one day.
स तु दीर्घ काल नैरन्तर्य सत्कार सेवितो दृढभूमिः’
“Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break and with deep devotion.“
Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.14
As householders, though we cannot do elaborate Seva, even this simple act of offering delicacies and our meals can greatly purify the mind and bring it to the transcendental spiritual state.
Lord Krishna’s worship is so simple. All you need is a pure mind and a pure heart. Krishna gives us everything that is good for us without asking.
