PRASADAM COOKING STANDARDS AS PER SRILA PRABHUPADA

[Guest guest]

In our Krsna consciousness society, unless one is twice initiated-first by

chanting Hare Krsna and second by the Gayatri mantra-he is not allowed to

enter the kitchen or Deity room to execute duties. (SB 4.31.10 purport).

 

The gentleman who sold land to the gurukula in Vrndavana also cooked lunch

for Prabhupada and wanted to do so daily. Prabhupada took hardly any of the

food he cooked. He told me to tell the man that we could take only food

cooked by a disciple, but if he liked, he could bring the bhoga and we would

cook here. (TKG's Diary, May 13, 1977)

 

Unless one is initiated, he cannot cook. There is no question of the

outsiders cooking in the New Delhi temple.

[letter from Srila Prabhupada, 11 July 1976]

 

December 12 1976 Room Conversation Hyderabad

Hamsaduta: No, no, no. They were cutting up our vegetables which are going

to be cooked and served to the public.

Mahamsa: No.

Hamsaduta: Yes, right over there by the fire.

Prabhupada: No uninitiated person should cook. Brahmana cook.

Mahamsa: What about professional cooks?

Prabhupada: Real brahmana.

Mahamsa: Professional cooks?

Prabhupada: Profes...? They are brahmanas.

Mahamsa: Yes, but they... Even though they are brahmanas, they have this

habit of smoking, and if we try to find a professional cook who doesn't

smoke, it is very difficult.

Prabhupada: Hm. As far as possible, our men should cook, a professional man

who is in good habit, who has promised that they will not do this smoking.

We have to manage somehow. [.]

Prabhupada: Yes. What can be done? Ne mama che kana mama (?) "If there is no

uncle, one blind uncle is all right." So the matter is now clear. You do it

and develop it.

 

26 December 1976, Morning Walk Bombay

 

[.] Prabhupada: Ask the leaders! I was talking that in all our other

branches, our men manage the cooking and kitchen and as soon as they come

here, they become varalasai. (?) That is Ravana. Why do they not do here? We

have to keep some cook who is neither initiated, nor very clean, a smoker,

and we have to keep them. [break] In all other branches, the boys and girls,

they manage everything. [break]

Amogha-lila: ...follow the regulations more strictly?

Prabhupada: That I have to say again? That means Ravana. He's asking. I am

repeatedly saying that follow, and he's asking. That means he's Ravana. Why

you are inquiring like that. If you know this is the solution, why don't you

do it? That means Ravana. If you know this is the solution, why don't you do

it? [break]

 

Letter to: Kirtanananda, Bombay, 23 November, 1974

 

[.] Regarding the prasadam, I never approved Mr. Malkani cooking in the

temple. He is not initiated. Of course he is Hindu, but he went there to

start his business. But, he is not initiated to cook in the temple. Any paid

cook is not desirable. Who was cooking formally? He wanted to start his

business, not to be engaged by us. The independent cooking done in the

temple kitchen is not good.*

[.]

*The right thing is that only twice initiated brahmana disciples cook in the

temple.

 

Letter to: Gopala Krsna, New York, 11 July, 1976

[.] Unless one is initiated they cannot cook. They must be regular disciples

then they can do Deity worship. So there is no question of the outsiders

cooking in the New Delhi temple.

 

08 August 1977, Room Conversation Vrndavana

 

Tamala Krsna: It's not a big thing here to cook. Prabhupada just closed four

kitchens down.

Prabhupada: Patram puspam phalam toyam. No cooking. Tulasi and jala. You can

offer little fruits, nuts, milk. No need of cooking. Takes much time. I want

here no hired... But for the Deities and the devotees it is false.(?) Their

association is bad. Make some arrangement so that you can avoid hired cooks

unless it is absolutely necessary. The hired cook, they are most wretched

people.

 

The Hari-bhakti-vilasa underscores this point:

Food (especially grains) which is cooked by non-Vaisnavas or by sinful

people, or which has not been offered to Visnu, is the same as dog meat.