Prasad

[Guest guest]

Although I have never been trained in the proper

ritual of prasad or puja, and I am a solitary

practioner, I was hoping someone could give me the way to do

both of these. I do have my own ritual I do, but I

feel the need to properly perform these. Thanks so

much, love each other, mirabai

[Guest guest]

Thank you Mirabai for your post. It is an

interesting question, which made me think about Puja rituals.

I personally don’t do any ritualistic puja. For me,

Puja is Love. Puja is Devotion. Puja is being One with

the Loved One.<br> <br>My mother taught me certain

rituals, but sad to say, I rarely practice them. While

trying to see what is Puja, I found a website "How to do

Puja"

(<a href=http://www.hindunet.org/puja/how_why/puja_what_is%20_it.htm

target=new>http://www.hindunet.org/puja/how_why/puja_what_is%20_it.htm</a>). I

hope this will help you.<br><br>Offerings are

offered to the deities. This is usually cooked in a clean

place, in clean utensils. Pure ghee is used cook the

food. Any food ingredient, which causes the body to get

heated up, (red lentils, onions, garlic, non-vegetarian

food) is not used. This food is served in clean bowls

to the Gods. In temples, the doors are usually

closed so the Gods can eat in peace and when they have

finished, water is offered to wash their hands and mouths.

The food which was offered to gods is then taken as

prasad. What I have seen and heard, Kali Puja (where the

Goddess Kali is worshipped) is the only worship where

non-vegetarian food is offered to the Goddess and that too – it

is kept limited to fish. This process of offering

fish to the Goddess maybe something specific to West

Bengal, I am really not sure about that.

[Guest guest]

babu is correct about the food restrictions which

is usually specific for the deity. For example, the

deities of Gaura and Nitai are vaishnav devotees and

therefore perform ekadasi fast of no beans and grains on

11th day after new and full moons.<br><br>Also as u

are cooking for God u MUST NOT taste the food, God

tastes it first. (Tough for many cooks

today!)<br><br>>:*)