Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Foods-Accepted & forbidden-Aahara Niyamam

Courtesy: Sri .Sundara Narasimhan
======================
AAHARA NIYAMAM – A 21 verse set of rules by Sri Vedanta Maha Desikan,
a Vaishnava Acharyan.
In 21 Tamil verses it prescribes the articles of food for a Sri Vaishnava suitable for leading the life of religious discipline.
You can find the complete text in Tamil and English in the below link.
http://www.sundarasimham.org/ebooks/AN.pdf


CommentaryThanian:
The vEdhaantha dEsikar, the one with the grace ofEthiraajaa stood like a lion and triumphed over manydebating adversaries; researched the vEdhaas andsaasthraas, with the view to guide us in choosing foodsthat ennoble us and avoid foods that debase us, has givenus this prabhandam called aagaara niyamam. I shallwear His flower like thiruvadi as an ornament on myhead.
[1]All chEthanaas must understand that there are two kindsof foods, those that are ennobling (saathveega) and thosethat are debasing (thaamasa). These are described byKaNNan in sri bagavath geethai, by Ethiraajaa insrimadh geethaa bhaashyam, and by many rishees inmany saasthraas and smrithees. By following theseprinciples, ajakaran attained mOksham. Likewise, wemust 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. Ican't recognize many of them. Of the ones I am able torecognize, I don't know the English names. The rest arelisted 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 withoutpermission, portion that is set aside for oneself prior tothe partaking of the rest of the group, foods that areexceedingly bitter, salty, pepper hot, or sour.
[6] More forbidden foods:Foods that were not offered to our Lord, foods that werenot offered to the guests, foods that were cooked withoutfirst cleaning them, foods earned in immoral ways,cooked with other foods that are forbidden, cooked byunclean children, and foods that are contaminated byexcrements.
[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 blemishDip in the ocean is permitted on full moon day and newmoon day. During times of lunar and solar eclipse allwaters will be considered equal to gangaa water; waterin 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 forbiddenbased on the caste, stage in life, geography, time ofeclipse, individual dharmam, etc., etc. For example, it issaid that milk from kapilai cow is acceptable forbrahmins, but forbidden for shudraas. Therefore, onemust approach learned people and get your doubtsclarified. [21]For the benefit of people who live in this worldcharacterized by lack of wisdom, Lord kaNNan showedmany principles in saasthraas. After consulting withaachaaryaas these principles have been laid out in thisprabhandam. Guard yourself against the agnostics whobelieve only in this transient body and world. Consumeonly those saathvega foods that helps us amplify ourdevotion to the thiruvadi of pEraruLaaLan.

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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