onions garlic and mushrooms

[Guest guest]

> I once saw a text with the full story of why these are prohibited items -

> and although I have located Gauranga Das's text there was alonger one some

> time ago. If anyone has this reference or knowledge please email asap

> thank you

 

Can't locate it.

 

But here is another story, from Puranic Encylopedia by Vettam Mani (under

CANDRA VI.):

 

Solar eclipse according to the Puranas. The Devas and the asuras jointly

churned Ksirabdhi wherefrom emerged Dhanvantari with the Amrtakumbha (pot of

nectar). (See Amrtam).

 

But an asura mayavi (magician) called Saimhikeya absconded to Patala with

the Amrtakumbha which nobody noticed as everybody was busy with dividing

other divine objects. Only after the mayavi's disappearance was it noticed

that the Amrtakumbha was missing. At once Mahavisnu assumed the figure of a

beautiful woman, got back the Kumbha and gave it to the devas. The devas

began drinking the amrta when, at the instance of some other devas,

Saimhikeya, the mayavi, assuming the form of an old Brahmin reached svarga,

got a share of the amrta and began to drink it. Surya and Candra (Sun and

Moon) who were on guard at the gates divined the secret of the 'old Brahmin'

and informed Mahavisnu about it. He cut the throat of the pseudo-Brahmin

with his Sudarsana Cakra. But, half of the nectar he had drunk stayed above

the throat and the other half below it. Therefore, though the head and the

trunk were severed they remained alive. These two parts, in course of time,

evolved as Rahu and Ketu.

 

When the throat was cut some blood as well as some amrta dropped on two

places on the ground, and they became the red onion and the white onion

respectively. Some vaidika brahmins used to consider the red onion

objectionable for consumption as it was evolved from blood, while the white

onion was considered usable as it was evolved from amrtam.

 

Rahu and Ketu still maintain their hatred for Surya and Candra who had

betrayed the asura, who, disguised as brahmin tried to drink the amrta.

Eclipse is the phenomenon of Rahu and Ketu swallowing Surya and Candra as

and when opportunity presents itself for it. But, since the throat is

severed from the body, Surya and Candra thus swallowed get out through the

throat. That is the reason why Surya and Candra become visible after the

eclipse in over. (Kamba Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda and Bhagavata, Astama

Skandha).

 

Note: Kamba Ramayana is a Tamil text by poet Kambar.