WHAT IS PRASAD ?

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Prasad and Charanamrit

By Swami Shivananda

Divine Life Society, Rishikesh

 

The word `prasad' means that which gives peace. During any form of

worship, ritual or ceremony, Hindus offer some items of food to the

Lord. Puja is done with Bael leaves, flowers, Tulasi (Basil plant),

Vibhuti and these are given as Prasada from the Lord.

 

Prasada is that which gives peace. Prasada is the sacred food

offering of the Lord. During Kirtans (Singing hymns), worship, Puja,

Havan and Arati, the devotee offers sweet rice, fruits, jaggery,

milk, coconut, plantain and such other articles to the Lord,

according to his ability. After offering them to the Lord, they are

shared between the members of the house or the Bhaktas (devotees) in

a temple.

 

Water, flowers, rice, etc., are offered to the Lord in worship. This

denotes that the Lord is pleased with even the smallest offering.

What is wanted is the heart of the devotee. The Lord says in the

Gita :

 

" Patram Pushpam Phalam Toyam Yo Me Bhaktya Prayacchati;

Tadaham Bhaktyupahritamasanami Prayatatmanah " – Whoever offers a

leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water with devotion, that I accept,

offered as it is with a loving heart " .

 

It is not necessary that one should offer gold, silver and costly

dress to the Lord. The devotee offers these according to his ability

and position in life, thereby denoting that the whole wealth of the

world belongs to the Lord. A rich man offers costly things to the

Lord. He feeds the poor and serves the sick, seeing the Lord in his

fellow-beings.

 

The mental Bhava (attitude) of the devotee offering Bhog to the Lord

has very great effect. If an ardent devotee of the Lord offers

anything to the Lord, that Prasada, if taken, would bring very great

change even in the minds of atheists. The Grace of the Lord descends

through Prasada. Go through the life of Narada. You will realise the

greatness of the sacred leavings of the Lord as well as those of

advanced Sadhakas and saints.

 

Namadeva offered rice etc., to Panduranga Vitthala and He ate the

food and shared it with Namadeva as well. If the food is offered with

an yearning heart, sometimes, the Lord takes that food assuming a

physical form. In other cases, the Lord enjoys the subtle essence of

the food offered, and the food remains as it is in the shape of

Prasada. While feeding Mahatmas and the poor people, that which is

left behind is taken as Prasada. When a sacrifice is performed, the

participants share the Prasada which bestows the blessings of the

gods. When Dasaratha performed Putrakameshti (a sacrifice performed

wishing for a son), he got a vessel full of sweetened rice that he

gave to his queens, by taking which they became pregnant.

 

Charanamrit

 

A special form of prasad is the Charanamrit, which is the water or

milk used to wash the feet of the idol, or of a holy saint. The

Charanamrit has tremendous powers. It can change the outlook of a

devotee entirely. It has the power to cure diseases. There are cases

where it brought back life to the dead. Charanamrit is a tonic or

medicine for misery, pain and anxiety. Intense faith is the all-

important necessity for taking it. Without faith it brings very

little benefit. The benefits of Prasada and Charanamrita are beyond

description. They have the power to change entirely the outlook of a

man's life. There have been ever so many instances in the past in

this holy land of ours (India) which bears witness to the potency and

efficacy of Prasada. Prasada destroys all pains and sins. It is an

antidote for misery, pain and anxiety. Faith is the important factor

in testing the accuracy of this statement. For faithless persons, it

brings very little effect.

 

Those who are brought up in modern education and culture have

forgotten all about the glory of Prasada. Many Western educated

persons do not attach any importance to Prasada when they get it from

Mahatmas. This is a serious mistake. Prasada is a great purifier. As

they are brought up in the Western style of living, they have imbibed

the spirit of Westerners and forgotten the spirit of true children of

Indian Rishis of yore. Live for a week in Vrindavana or Ayodhya or

Varanasi or Pandharpur. You will realise the glory and the miraculous

effects of Prasada. Many incurable diseases are cured. Many sincere

aspirants get wonderful spiritual experiences from mere Prasada

alone. Prasada is a panacea. Prasada is a spiritual elixir. Prasada

is the Grace of the Lord. Prasada is a cure-all and an ideal pick-me-

up. Prasada is an embodiment of Sakti. Prasada is Divinity in

manifestation. Prasada energises, vivifies, invigorates and infuses

devotion. It should be taken with great faith.

 

The prasad of the Lord is very sacred and purifying. If it is taken

with faith and devotion, it brings miraculous results to the devotee.

 

The Lord enjoys the subtle essence of the food offered. The food is

then eaten as prasad by the devotees.

 

While feeding Mahatmas, Sannyasins and the poor, that which is left

over is also taken as prasad, because in feeding them, we feel that

we are feeding God Himself.

 

When a ceremony is performed all the devotees should share the prasad

and thus receive the blessings of the Deities. Prasad is extremely

sacred. There is no restriction of any kind in taking prasad. Time,

place or condition does not affect one. Prasad is all purifying..

Prasada is the most sacred object for a devotee. One should consider

himself lucky to take the Prasada, and there is no restriction of any

kind in taking Prasada. Prasada is all purifying.

 

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Jai Shree Krishna !