Simple Dining, High Thinking

[Guest guest]

> > To me, chapatis, dhal, rice or potatoes, and a steamed vegetable has always

> > seemed like a feast. It might be better if we prepared simpler meals with

> > little or no butter and sugar, and much greater emphasis on raw fruits and

> > vegetables. They may make "lousy feasts", but they will make healthier

> > devotees.

>

> One only has to read Chaitanya Caritamrta to realise what a real feast is.

> And Srila Prabhupada's own introduction of "the Sunday Love Feast" included

> all kinds of delectables--pushapana rice, sweet rice, ISKCON bullets and a

> whole variety of wonderfully prepared subjis etc. etc.

 

I was listening to this Room Conversation - December 10, 1976, Hyderabad the

other day, and Prabhupada made it absolutely clear that the prasadam should be

very atractive, and why:

 

Prabhupada: Stryadhisa. Twenty-two capatis. (laughter) “Stryadhisa, can I give

you?” “Yes.” I gave him four. Finished. “Stryadhisa, can I give you?” “Yes.”

(laughter) Very nice boy. He was eating twenty-two. One day there was no money,

so he immediately went and came after some time with some money. “And where did

you go?” The shoe booth. He polished shoes and brought some money. (laughter)

In this way, this was developed. Give them prasadam, nice prasadam. Any

gentleman comes, immediately there must be some prasaadam. Engage first class

cook. Spend money, don’t be a miserly. If you have no money, I will pay. So

long I am living, I shall go on paying. You don’t be miserly. Bring devotees

for eating, and then chanting, then cinema, then lecture, in this way you have

to develop. Not that people will come, “Hare Krsna mantra is there, let us go

there.” They will not come. What do they know about Hare Krsna? They will come,

“Oh, there is nice, good prasadam distributed.”

 

Mahamsa: Some people I know, they said that yesterday the prasadam was not

nice, and there was...

 

Prabhupada: Not nice, it is not eatable even by the dogs. But you are less than

the dogs if you (prepare) such thing. I was surprised. You allowed a sweeper to

cook. I was surprised. We have distribution prasadam, not dog’s food. Such

rascals as here. You do not know. I do not wish to discuss anymore on this

point. You have murdered the whole thing in two days. Now if possible, bring

them, bring them first class prasadam, very palatable. Foodstuff means even one

has no appetite he’ll eat. That is food. Not that even one has got appetite,

he’ll forget. That is not food. So do like that and for money produce, use

cane, sugar cane, rice. We shall spend for that. Don’t spoil money, but do like

businessman. He invests money, he gets a return. Spend it for Krsna. That is

wanted. There is no question of becoming a miser. I never did it. When I have

got that farthing, I want to spend it. Immediately spend. Oh, what I have made

this BBT? Immediately 50% for printing, and 50% for spreading this.

(indistinct) and understand what I want to do. So whatever is done is done, now

do it very nicely. I want to see at least 1,000 men coming from the villages.

There are 20,000 men here, you cannot attract them?

 

your servant, Tribhangananda das

[Guest guest]

> > To me, chapatis, dhal, rice or potatoes, and a steamed vegetable has

always

> > seemed like a feast. It might be better if we prepared simpler meals

with

> > little or no butter and sugar, and much greater emphasis on raw fruits

and

> > vegetables. They may make "lousy feasts", but they will make healthier

> > devotees.

>

> One only has to read Chaitanya Caritamrta to realize what a real feast is.

> And Srila Prabhupada's own introduction of "the Sunday Love Feast" included

> all kinds of delectables--pushapana rice, sweet rice, ISKCON bullets and a

> whole variety of wonderfully prepared subjis etc. etc.

>>

 

Srila Prabhupada was always concerned that his disciples had first class

prasadam. On one occasion he described it in two ways, 'opulent or sumptuous'.

He said that opulent prasadam meant there was ghee and or sugar included in

the preparation. Sumptuous meant that it was very tasty. Prasadam could be

very tasty without being opulent.

 

Hari Sauri has already explained what an Iskcon feast was like according to

Srila Prabhupada's standards. More than that, he was concerned that on a daily

basis devotees had sumptuous prasadam. He said that if the food was not tasty

one could not even digest it properly and despite having an appetite they

would not want to eat. If it was tasty then they could eat even if they

weren't hungry.

 

Once he told me that the best method was to cook for yourself because you

would think it was first class no matter how bad it was. He indicated that

good health came from good digestion. That had much to do with the way

something was prepared. He said that one should eat as much as they could

digest, for some that could be one or two chapatis and for others ten.

 

He didn't care for 'health foods' and called boiled or steamed vegetables a

'starvation diet' and said he would rather die than have to eat like that. He

did like raw fruits with his breakfast but for lunch it was mostly what he

prescribed for us, rice, dahl, chapatis and subjis. Of course that can be a

feast when prepared properly but how often is that done.

 

The following is an excerpt from the Srila Prabhupada Uvaca homepage:

 

<A HREF="http://users.aol.com/vrinda/ppduvaca/uvaca.htm">Srila Prabhupada

Uvaca</A>

 

Once on a flight Srila Prabhupada was taking prasadam consisting of

puris and subji. As he was eating he began laughing aloud and said to

me, "When I was young I would never eat chapatis. I was very spoiled.

They were no good to me. I had to have puris. Whenever my mother cooked

for me I had to have puris. Even later when I was a businessman." He

stopped talking for a minute but it was only to laugh some more. He was

very pleased and enjoyed telling me what a rascal he was. Srila

Prabhupada continued, "Sometimes it was very embarrassing because I

would go to people's houses. They would have me over for dinner and they

would give me chapatis."

 

Srila Prabhupada's eyes grew very large as he expressed his dilemma

saying, "I couldn't eat them. At the same time, I couldn't refuse. I

didn't know what to do. What could I say, 'I'm sorry I don't eat

chapatis.' Then they would think. 'Oh! You are superior to me? You don't

eat chapatis? You have to have puris?' So, it became very awkward.

Sometimes, I would go out and I wouldn't eat them. It was very difficult

for me to say, 'Oh! I don't want chapatis.' They would become very

offended but I couldn't eat chapatis. I just didn't like them."

 

Srila Prabhupada never stopped smiling and laughing as he described his

mischievous activities. He continued, "Around that time I acquired a

servant. He kept trying to get me to eat chapatis. Once, he insisted, 'I

want you to try them. I want you to let me make you chapatis. I'm sure

you will like them.' I said, 'No!' This went on for some time. He kept

asking me, 'Please let me make you chapatis. I know you are going to

like them.' Finally I said, 'All right. I'll try them.' He made me first

class chapatis. Ever since that time I have liked chapatis. It was a

very abrupt change in my life. Until that time I never took chapatis."

 

It is difficult for a me to put into words how beautifully animated

Srila Prabhupada was while telling this story. He would express the

emotions of each individual as he joyfully unfolded the plot of the

story. His eyes would become so large as he expressed their alarm with

his 'superiority'. Whenever he talked about his youth it seemed to me

that it did not happen very long ago. He took great pleasure in speaking

about it with his disciples.

 

Your servant,

 

Srutakirti dasa

[Guest guest]

Many thanks Sruta Kirti prabhu for that wonderful story about Srila

Prabhupada's dislike for chapatis. I hadn't heard that one before. When is

your book coming out?

[Guest guest]

Ditto, ditto, on the appreciations for sharing your Prabhupada memories--both

of you!!

 

Chaturatma dasa