Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Forbidden food by Vedanta Desikan

Courtesy : Balaji Srinivasan
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Pl see this link
<http://www.scribd.com/doc/9652885/Ahara-Niyamanam-Guidelines-on-Eating-as-Per-Sastras>
http://www.sundarasimham.org/ebooks/AN.pdf
*Commentary*

Thanian:

The vEdhaantha dEsikar, the one with the grace of

Ethiraajaa stood like a lion and triumphed over many

debating adversaries; researched the vEdhaas and

saasthraas, with the view to guide us in choosing foods

that ennoble us and avoid foods that debase us, has given

us this prabhandam called aagaara niyamam. I shall

wear His flower like thiruvadi as an ornament on my

head.

[1]

All chEthanaas must understand that there are two kinds

of foods, those that are ennobling (saathveega) and those

that are debasing (thaamasa). These are described by

KaNNan in sri bagavath geethai, by Ethiraajaa in

srimadh geethaa bhaashyam, and by many rishees in

many saasthraas and smrithees. By following these

principles, ajakaran attained mOksham. Likewise, we

must understand and follow these rules.

[2] Forbidden foods:

- Foods that are not brought into the house through

the main door.

- grains such as varagu, etc.

- foods that mingle with stuff that have fallen from

the mouth

- remainder of what was put into the mouth

- foods seen by immoral people

- foods that are burnt

- foods touched by clothes, or contaminated by

saliva or sneeze.

- foods seen or touched by dogs

- foods cooked on days such as Ekaadhasi

[3] forbidden foods continued...

- foods smelt by animals or people

- foods touched by people with decease

- foods that are not offered with kindness

- foods contacted by fly, worm, thread, hair, and

nail

- foods offered by sanyaasi or touched by his vessel

- foods touched by the mouth of people, rats,

chicken, crow, and cat.

[4]

This paasruam lists the vegetables that are forbidden. I

can't recognize many of them. Of the ones I am able to

recognize, I don't know the English names. The rest are

listed below.

white eggplant, lotus stem, garlic, certain kinds of

spinach, mushroom, certain kinds of drumstick

[5] More forbidden foods:

Vegetables taken from other's garden without

permission, portion that is set aside for oneself prior to

the partaking of the rest of the group, foods that are

exceedingly bitter, salty, pepper hot, or sour.

[6] More forbidden foods:

Foods that were not offered to our Lord, foods that were

not offered to the guests, foods that were cooked without

first cleaning them, foods earned in immoral ways,

cooked with other foods that are forbidden, cooked by

unclean children, and foods that are contaminated by

excrements.

[7] forbidden foods continued...

- foods intended for dEvathaas

- foods offered to dEvathaas such as Sivan

- foods that harm our praaNan and indhriyam

- foods that are unrecognizable

- foods that are intolerably hot

- foods that are not palatable to the mind

- vegetables and flowers that bloom in an untimely

fashion

- dirty salt.

[8] forbidden foods continued...

- Calcium (suNNaambu) extracted from sea shells

- bubbles and froth from water

- foods that are not offered to our Lord

- harvested from the stems that were previously

harvested

- foods avoided by learned persons with pure heart

[9] forbidden foods continued...

- Foods from which the essence is taken out, except

buttermilk

- viLaam fruit and popped rice during the day

- foods prepared with curd and sesame seed oil,

during night time

- foods that are said to give magical powers

- no foods on Ekaadasi days, and at dusk or

midnight.

[10] Do not eat,

- before your shower and sandhya japam

- alone, eat with a group of bhakthaas

- foods that are mashed by someone else

- under the moonlight or fire

- husband and wife together

- while staring at inferior individuals

- with your left hand

- anything that is avoided by religious people.

[11] Do not eat,

- ghee that is served after you have begun eating

- foods that have been cooked twice (reheated?)

- foods served by bare hand or spatulas made of

iron, uncooked foods may be served by bare hand

- foods already bitten into,

- old, and spoilt foods

- foods prepared in someone else's house (no

potluck)

- foods that someone else wanted or rejected

- foods with smell of earth, or separated by finger

nails, salt that you can see

- separated for one self and guests

- sap coming out of trees, except asafoetida.

Foods that may be accepted are listed now.

[12] Accept without hesitation,

- foods with the saliva of one's father, teacher, and

first older brother

- Saliva in the sOmaa vessel during sOma yaagam

- foods with husband's saliva for wife, if such food

is contaminated with hair, worm, or thread, these

may be removed properly and the food accepted

- maadhuLangaay, only during our Lord's muga

vaaSa soorNam

- all prohibited foods during calamitous times

- water, roots, ghee, milk, havis from yaagam,

nimandhraNam, guru's teachings, and medicine

may be accepted even during fasting days.

[13] Accept without hesitation,

- sugar cane juice, yogurt, milk, ghee, beetle nut,

pepper, honey, cardamon, water made from snow

- anything until you realize its blemish

Dip in the ocean is permitted on full moon day and new

moon day. During times of lunar and solar eclipse all

waters will be considered equal to gangaa water; water

in rivers, even if it carries horses, donkeys and cadaver,

will become purified with current.

[14] Accept without hesitation,

- foods cooked without water

- fruits ripened on their own accord

- boiled rice

- vadaam, snacks such as appam, seedai, rotti, even

if they are old, but tasty; do not accept foods that

are fresh, but not tasty

[15] Accept without hesitation,

- Foods prepared with milk, like thirattuppaal

- snacks like thEnkuzhal, muRukku, etc.,

- medicines prescribed by physicians, flower,

vellam, wheat

- old rice that is soaked in clean water may be taken

with buttermilk, ghee, milk, yogurt

[16] Accept without hesitation,

- snacks made of yogurt and juice of flower,

vegetables, and fruits; these are OK even if they

are slightly spoilt.

- foods that are spoilt may be taken during

calamitous times by cleansing them and adding

ghee and honey. If these foods are further

contaminated with hair or other unclean stuff,

cleanse them with sand and water.

[17] Forbidden milk

- milk from one hoofed animals like horse or

donkey

- cow that has twin calf, or camel milk

- salt added milk

- milk from women

- milk from pregnant cow

- milk extracted with the help of calf that does not

belong to the cow

- cows that belong to temples (?)

- goat milk, milk bought from brahmins

- milk kept in copper vessels, burnt milk

[18] Forbidden water

- Water from previous day, except gangaa water

- remainder of water used for cleaning feet

- murky water

- heated coconut water

- water gathered in a ditch

- water offered in "water-sheds"

- doubtful water, water taken from where

washermen work

- water contaminated by saliva

- water from conch

- rain water that has not fallen on the ground

[19] about beetle leaves

- don't chew beetle nut without beetle leaves

- don't consume the bottom, stem, or tip of beetle

leaves

- don't chew beetle leaves and nuts at the same time

- widows, sanyaasi, and bachelors must not

consume beetle leaves

- don't consume the beetle leaf used to keep calcium

- never use beetle leaves on fasting days such as

Ekaadasi

- don't drink water while chewing beetle leaves

[20]

A particular food item may be acceptable or forbidden

based on the caste, stage in life, geography, time of

eclipse, individual dharmam, etc., etc. For example, it is

said that milk from kapilai cow is acceptable for

brahmins, but forbidden for shudraas. Therefore, one

must approach learned people and get your doubts

clarified.

[21]

For the benefit of people who live in this world

characterized by lack of wisdom, Lord kaNNan showed

many principles in saasthraas. After consulting with

aachaaryaas these principles have been laid out in this

prabhandam. Guard yourself against the agnostics who

believe only in this transient body and world. Consume

only those saathvega foods that helps us amplify our

devotion to the thiruvadi of pEraruLaaLan.
knr

knr

--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

 Every moment, thank God

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