Guest guest Posted November 23, 2003 Report Share Posted November 23, 2003 Narada Purana, Uttara-bhaga 67.41, states: naivedyam bhaksayec capi sa muktim labhate dhruvam "One who happens to eat the remnants of food offered to the Lord, definitely attains liberation." Here are further quotes from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana: In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana 2.36.27-41 Durvasa Muni is heavily chastising Indra. What has happened is that Durvasa had received a garland from the Deity and was walking down the street with that garland around his neck. Then he met Indra who was riding on his elephant. Durvasa gave Indra his garland, but Indra, instead of decorating himself respectfully with that garland, placed it on the head of his elephant carrier. The animal grabbed the garland with his trunk and threw it on the ground. This of course enraged Durvasa Muni, who took the opportunity to give a long speech condemning Indra in which he lists the glories of remnants in general and prasadam in particular. He also points out that he should have been respected, because he, wearing the garland, had now become sanctified. The passage goes as follows: 27 durvasa uvaca are sriya pramattas tvam katham mam avamanyase mad-datta-puspam garvena tyaktavan hasti-mastake "Maddened by your opulence and because of pride you have placed the garland which I gave you on the head of your elephant!" 28 visnor niveditam puspam naivedyam va phalam jalam prapti-matrena bhoktavyam tyagena brahma-ha janah "One should respectfully accept items offered to Lord Visnu, such as flowers, food, fruits or water, at that very moment when one receives them. A person who refuses such sanctified articles is guilty of killing a brahmana." 29 bhrasta-srir bhrasta-buddhis ca bhrasta-jnano bhaven narah yas tyajed visnu-naivedyam bhagyenopasthitam subham "If he rejects the remnants of items offered to Lord Visnu, which are being presented to him by some good fortune, such a person looses his wealth and beauty, his intelligence and knowledge." 30 prapti-matrena yo bhunkte bhaktya visnu-niveditam pumsam satam samuddhrtya jivan-muktah svayam bhavet "One who immediately and with devotion accepts the sanctified remnants of items offered to Lord Visnu, becomes liberated in the self-same body (as the only one out of hundreds of excellent persons)." 31 visnu-naivedya-bhoji yo nityam tu pranamed dharim pujayet stauti va bhaktya sa visnu sadrso bhavet Here Durvasa also explains that one becomes "just like Visnu", if one respects prasadam properly and offers obeisances and prayers with devotion. 32 tat-sparsa-vayuna sadyas tirthaughas ca visuddhyati tat-pada-rajasa mudha sadyah puta vasundhara "The breeze that touched the body of such a saintly person (like me), at once purifies tons of holy places. O fool! The dust of his feet purifies the planet earth." 33 pumscaly-annam avirannam sudra-sraddhannam eva ca yad dharer anivedyam ca vrtha mamsam abhaksakam 34 siva-linga-pradattannam yad annam sudra-yajinam cikitsaka-dvijanam ca devalannam tathaiva ca 35 kanyavikrayinam-annam yad annam yoni-jivinam anusnannam paryusitam sarva-bhaksyavasesitam 36 sudra-pati-dvijannam ca vrsavaha-dvijannakam adiksita-dvijannam ca yad annam savadahinam 37 agamya-gaminam caiva dvijanam annam eva ca mitra-druham krtaghnanam annam visvasaghatinam 38 mithya-saksya-pradanam ca brahmananam tathaiva ca etat sarvam visuddhyeta visnu-naivedya-bhaksanat In these six verses Durvasa Muni is elaborately listing all sorts of food prepared by low class people and therefore unofferable. He recommends that one eats Visnu-prasadam to counteract the inauspicious effects of eating such sinful food. 39 sva-paco visnu-sevi ca vamsanam kotim uddharet harer abhakto vipras ca svam ca raksitum aksamah Just like SB 7.9.10 40 ajnanad yadi grhnati visnor nirmalyam eva ca sapta-janmarjitat papan mucyate natra samsayah "If one (by chance) unknowingly accepts the remnants of items offered to Lord Visnu he becomes freed from the results of sins accumulated during his last seven births. Of this there is no doubt." 41 jnatva bhaktya ca grhnati visnor naivedyam eva ca koti-janmarjitat papan mucyate natra samsayah "But if one knowingly and with devotion accepts the remnants of food offered to Lord Visnu, one is freed from one's sins accumulated during the last ten million births. Of this there is no doubt." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.