ekadasi ingredients

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna

I came across this list on Ekadasi guidelines from a website

http://www.goloka.com/docs/calendar/ekadasi.html and am quite surprised as most

of the ingredients which are not allowed on Ekadasi are used in our temple e.g.

cumin seeds, tomatoes, spinach.

Is this list correct, any one can check through and verify?

your servant

shashika

 

 

Ekadasi and Caturmasya Guidelines The essence is to eat simply, once or twice,

so that one can spend as much time as possible in spiritual activities.

 

Foods That Can be Taken All Days of the Year, Including Ekadasi and Caturmasya:

All Fruits (Fresh and Dried) All Nuts and Oils Made from Nuts Potatoes Pumpkin

Cucumber Radish Squash (But No Loki) Green Papaya Lemon Jackfruit Avocado

Olives Coconut Buckwheat All Sugars All Milk Products Exceptions: Pure Milk

& Yogurt During Caturmasya Sweets with Starches on Ekadasi Spices That May Be

Used on Ekadasi:

Turmeric Black Pepper Ginger Salt (taken from new or clean package)

Foods Restricted During Ekadasi:

TomatoesEggplantsCauliflowerBroccoliBellpepper

PeasChickpeasAll Types of Beans – including products made from

beans(Papadams, Tofu, Tempeh, Grain Beverages, etc.)

Indian Vegetables: Karela (Bitter Lemon)LokiParmalToroiKunliDrumsticksOkra (Lady

Fingers)Banana Flower.

All Leafy Vegetables:SpinachSaladsCabbagesLeafy Herbs– Like Parsley, Curry

Leaves, Neem Leaves, etc.

Grains:MilletBarleyFarinaDaliaPastaRiceCornAll Types of DahlAll Types of Flour

Made from Grains and Beans– Like Rice Flour, Chickpea Flour, Urad Dahl

Flour, etc.

Starches from CornGrains and Products Made from and Mixed with these

Starches– Like Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Certain Soft Drinks, Custard,

Certain Yogurts, Puddings, Cream Cheese, Sweets, Candies and Tapioca.

Oils made from Grains: Corn Oil Mustard Oil Sesame Oil etc. And Products Fried

in These Oils: – Like Nuts, Potato Chips, and Certain Snack Foods.

Honey Spices NOT Used on Ekadasi:

Sesame Seeds Cumin Seeds Hing Fenugreek Mustard Seeds Tamarind Fennel Celery

Poppy Seeds Kalonji Seeds Ajwain Seeds Cardamom Nutmeg Cloves

Never Eat:

Onions Garlic Meat Fish Eggs Carrots ...or products thereof. For brahmacaris:

Shaving Head and Cutting Nails is done on Full Moon Days.

 

Breaking an Ekadasi Fast

If you have observed a complete fast (without even water), you do not need to

break it with grains. You can break it with caranamrita or fruit.

If you have observed Ekadasi by eating fruit and vegetables etc., then it should

be broken the following day by taking grains at the time specified in the

Vaisnava Calendar.

Mahadvadasi is observed like Ekadasi.

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[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

My friend has a book "Glories of Ekadasi" and I think

there is a similar thing written as you found it on

that website. I'm little suprised with "never eat

carrot", I've never heard about it. When I asked

devotees about these things, they've said that

Prabhupada said that it's enough just to fast from

grains and beans. I will check with that book and

compare lists.

ys Nina

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

I'll break down and ask the obvious question -- what is the

scriptural basis for all of this? Everything I have ever read about

Ekaadashi says that devotees should do a *complete* fast. The

restriction of simply avoiding grains and beans seems to be a

compromise adopted by Lord Chaitanya. I have never heard anything

about not eating carrots. If carrots are forbidden, then why not

potatoes?

[Guest guest]

On Fri, 4 Jan 2002, Shashika Chowdhary wrote:

> Is this list correct, any one can check through and verify?

This list looks like something a Gaudiya Matha guru might ask his

followers to try to practice. Such detailed rules are somewhat relative;

the instructions of one's bonafide guru should determine one's own standards.

Srila Prabhupada didn't stress them very much, since he emphasized focusing

all of one's attention on engaging others in chanting Hare Krsna, at any

cost. The essence of Ekadashi is to chant about Govinda; better yet is to

inspire others to hear about Krsna and do likewise. Bhagavata, 10.2.37 &

purport seems to encapsulate Srila Prabhupada's mood. Hare Krsna!

 

MDd

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

> Prabhupada said that it's enough just to fast from

> grains and beans. I will check with that book and

> compare lists.

> ys Nina

 

I am also concerned about the list not mentioning fruits. Should we abstain

from fruits that have seeds even when the seeds can be removed?

 

your servant

shashika

[Guest guest]

> I'll break down and ask the obvious question -- what is the

> scriptural basis for all of this? Everything I have ever read about

> Ekaadashi says that devotees should do a *complete* fast. The

> restriction of simply avoiding grains and beans seems to be a

> compromise adopted by Lord Chaitanya. I have never heard anything

> about not eating carrots. If carrots are forbidden, then why not

> potatoes?

>

 

This is true. However, matajis with children [where the children can also

keep Ekadasi] cannot go on a complete fast. What about matajis who are

pregnant?

[Guest guest]

This is an excerpt from H.H. Bhakti Caru Swami's

introductory class for Vaisnava etiquette seminar.

"Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Sanatana Gosvami

to write "Vaisnava Smrti" (Hari Bhakti Vilasa) in CC.

Madhya lila 24.324- 344..."

(Now Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving Sanatana

Goswami instructions about what he should write about)

" 'You should describe the ritualistic duties of every

day, and you should describe the fortnightly duties -

especially observing Ekadasi fast, which comes every

fortnight.'

Now here also it's an important thing to

consider, like we generally think that just by not

taking grains we are observing Ekadasi. But actually

when we talk about observing Ekadasi, it actually

means fasting. And fasting means not taking anything.

Fasting does not necessarily mean just fasting from

grains. In the beginning of course, devotees may just

abstain from grains on Ekadasi day. But as one makes

advancement, one should try to fast completely. Also

as it has been described that one may also stay awake

for 24 hours. Stay up during the day and the night.

When I give class on observing Ekadasi, devotees

often raise the point that Prabhupada never really

instructed us to observe Ekadasi in this way. But

actually in the Nectar of Devotion Prabhupada says

that devotees may stay awake the whole night singing

the glories of the Lord fasting. So Prabhupada

actually did instruct us to stay up all night as well.

It's actually not a very difficult thing."

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

> Bhagavata, 10.2.37 &

>purport seems to encapsulate Srila Prabhupada's mood. Hare Krsna!

>

> MDd

>

Bhagavata, 10.2.37

TEXT 37

 

srnvan grnan samsmarayams ca cintayan

namani rupani ca mangalani te

kriyasu yas tvac-caranaravindayor

avista-ceta na bhavaya kalpate

 

srnvan--constantly hearing about the Lord (sravanam kirtanam visnoh);

grnan--chanting or reciting (the holy name of the Lord and His activities);

samsmarayan--remembering (constantly thinking of the Lord's lotus feet and

His form); ca--and; cintayan--contemplating (the transcendental activities

of the Lord); namani--His transcendental names; rupani--His transcendental

forms; ca--also; mangalani--which are all transcendental and therefore

auspicious; te--of Your Lordship; kriyasu--in being engaged in the

devotional service; yah--he who; tvat-carana-aravindayoh--at Your lotus

feet; avista-cetah--the devotee who is completely absorbed (in such

activities); na--not; bhavaya--for the material platform; kalpate--is fit.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Even while engaged in various activities, devotees whose minds are

completely absorbed at Your lotus feet, and who constantly hear, chant,

contemplate and cause others to remember Your transcendental names and

forms, are always on the transcendental platform, and thus they can

understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

PURPORT

 

How bhakti-yoga can be practiced is explained in this verse. Srila Rupa

Gosvami has said that anyone who has dedicated his life to the service of

the Lord (iha yasya harer dasye) by his activities, his mind and his words

(karmana manasa gira) may stay in any condition of life (nikhilasv apy

avasthasu) and yet is no longer actually conditioned but is liberated

(jivan-muktah sa ucyate). Even though such a devotee is in a material body,

he has nothing to do with this body, for he is transcendentally situated.

Narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati: because a devotee is engaged in

transcendental activities, he is not afraid of being materially embodied.

(SB. 6.17.28) Illustrating this liberated position, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

prayed, mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi: "All I

want is Your causeless devotional service in My life, birth after birth."

(Siksastaka 4) Even if a devotee, by the supreme will of the Lord, takes

birth in this material world, he continues his devotional service. When King

Bharata made a mistake and in his next life became a deer, his devotional

service did not stop, although some slight chastisement was given to him

because of his negligence. Narada Muni says that even if one falls from the

platform of devotional service, he is not lost, whereas nondevotees are lost

entirely because they are not engaged in service. Bhagavad-gita (9.14)

therefore recommends that one always engage at least in chanting the Hare

Krsna maha-mantra:

 

satatam kirtayanto mam

yatantas ca drdha-vratah

namasyantas ca mam bhaktya

nitya-yukta upasate

 

"Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination,

bowing down before Me, the great souls perpetually worship Me with

devotion."

One should not give up the process of devotional service, which is

performed in nine different ways (sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam

pada-sevanam, etc.). The most important process is hearing (sravanam) from

the guru, sadhu and sastra--the spiritual master, the saintly acaryas and

the Vedic literature. Sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya, cittete kariya aikya. We

should not hear the commentaries and explanations of nondevotees, for this

is strictly forbidden by Srila Sanatana Gosvami, who quotes from the padma

purana:

 

avaisnava-mukhodgimam

putam hari-kathamrtam

sravanam naiva kartavyam

sarpocchistam yatha payah

 

We should strictly follow this injunction and never try to hear from

Mayavadis, impersonalists, voidists, politicians or so-called scholars.

Strictly avoiding such inauspicious association, we should simply hear from

pure devotees. Srila Rupa Gosvami therefore recommends, sri-guru-padasrayah:

one must seek shelter at the lotus feet of a pure devotee who can be one's

guru. Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises that a guru is one who strictly follows

the instructions of Bhagavad-gita: yare dekha, tare kaha, `krsna'--upadesa

(Cc. Madhya 7.128). A juggler, a magician or one who speaks nonsense as an

academic career is not a guru. Rather, a guru is one who presents

Bhagavad-gita, Krsna's instructions, as it is. Sravana is very important;

one must hear from the Vaisnava sadhu, guru and sastra.

The word kriyasu, meaning "by manual labor" or "by work," is important

in this verse. One should engage in practical service to the Lord. In our

Krsna consciousness movement, all our activities are concentrated upon

distributing Krsna literature. This is very important. One may approach any

person and induce him to read Krsna literature so that in the future he also

may become a devotee. Such activities are recommended in this verse. Kriyasu

yas tvac-caranaravindayoh. Such activities will always remind the devotees

of the Lord's lotus feet. By fully concentrating on distributing books for

Krsna, one is fully absorbed in Krsna. This is samadhi.

 

 

 

_______

 

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[Guest guest]

achintya, "Shashika Chowdhary" <chowdhary1@v...> wrote:

>

> This is true. However, matajis with children [where the children

can also

> keep Ekadasi] cannot go on a complete fast. What about matajis

who are

> pregnant?

 

Scriptures should be taken with a dose of common sense, of course. I

would not recommend that young children or pregnant women undergo

complete fasting, for medical reasons as well as the fact that I

doubt this was the intention of the scriptures.

 

yours,

 

- K

[Guest guest]

On Mon, 7 Jan 2002, krishnasusarla wrote:

> achintya, "Shashika Chowdhary" <chowdhary1@v...> wrote:

> > This is true. However, matajis with children [where the children

> > can also keep Ekadasi] cannot go on a complete fast. What about

> > matajis who are pregnant?

> Scriptures should be taken with a dose of common sense, of course. I

> would not recommend that young children or pregnant women undergo

> complete fasting, for medical reasons as well as the fact that I

> doubt this was the intention of the scriptures.

Srila Prabhupada also said young children don't have to fast.

In general, perturbation surrounding this list of prohibited foods

almost seems a moot issue, since it's recognized that Srila Prabhupada

didn't enforce such high standards, notwithstanding the spirit of Ekadasi.

As far as I know, no one claimed this was his instruction anyway, though

I recognize there may be some disciples of other gurus on this list too.

Incidentally, while the authority of Haribhaktivilasa may not be

questioned, it does seem as if Srila Prabhupada suggests that it may

even have been interpolated, or otherwise compromised, in his purport to Sri

Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 1.35, where he writes:

 

"The details of the Hari-bhakti-vilasa-grantha are given by Sri

Kaviraja Gosvami in the Madhya-lila (24.329-345). The descriptions given

in those verses by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami are actually a description

of those portions compiled by Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. According to Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the regulative principles of devotional

service compiled by Gopala Bhatta Gosvami do not strictly follow our

Vaisnava principles. Actually, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami collected only a

summary of the elaborate descriptions of Vaisnava regulative principles

from the Hari-bhakti-vilasa. It is Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

Gosvami's opinion, however, that to follow the Hari-bhakti-vilasa strictly

is to actually follow the Vaisnava rituals in perfect order. He claims

that the smarta-samaja, which is strictly followed by caste brahmanas, has

influenced portions that Gopala Bhatta Gosvami collected from the original

Hari-bhakti-vilasa. It is therefore very difficult to find out Vaisnava

directions from the book of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. It is better to consult

the commentary made by Sanatana Gosvami himself for the Hari-bhakti-vilasa

under the name of Dig-darsini-tika. Some say that the same commentary was

compiled by Gopinatha-puja Adhikari, who was engaged in the service of Sri

Radha-ramanaji and who happened to be one of the disciples of Gopala Bhatta

Gosvami."

 

Of course, for all I know, the list in question is indeed from

the Dig-darsini-tika. However, even then, I would suggest that Srila

Prabhupada's own example and policies are noteworthy--at least--for all

vaisnavas, given the preeminent position of his Divine grace in the modern

world of Vaisnavism.

Just to keep things in the kind of simple but essential perspective

for which Srila Prabhupada was appreciated, it's always nice to remember

this verse, which he often cited:

 

smartavyam satatam visnur vismartavyam na jatucit |

sarva-vidhi-nisedhah syur etayor eva kinkarah ||

 

"Lord Vishnu should always be remembered; one should never forget

Him. All of the injunctions and prohibitions are to be considered merely

subservient to these two principles."

 

MDd