Why Should We Offer Food To God Before Partaking

Topic - Excerpt from Divine Discourse

Discourse Tags

Discourse Tags:

Here are a few excerpts from Discourses, where Swami explains the importance of praying and offering food to God. To listen to the prayers in Swami's voice, please see: Food Prayer.

Listed below are related snippets from divine discourses.

Total Number of Related Excerpts: 3

1. Impurities Impacting Food

Summer Showers 1977

Summer Course 1977

May 1977

Topic

In the matter of food, there are three aspects regarding the cleanliness of which we should take great care. One is the cleanliness of the material which we use for cooking the food. The second is the cleanliness of the pot in which we want to cook the food. We can certainly clean the materials which con stitute the food and also clean the pot in which it is cooked. The third aspect relates to the cleanliness of the process of cooking. This is not easily possible. Until the material gets cooked to its final stage, our ideas should be good for this to be achieved.

2. Effect Of Food On The Mind

Summer Showers 1993 - Indian Culture And Spirituality

Summer Course 1993

29 May 1993

Topic

Take for example the discipline regarding food. Food decides the nature of your mind. If you are afflicted by evil thoughts at the time of eating, these evil thoughts affect the food you are taking and consequently affects your mind. Mind is born of the food you take. As is the food, so is the mind. That is why our ancestors recommended the partaking of Sathwic food. The gross part of the food we take is converted into excreta; the subtle part of it goes into the making of muscles; the subtlest part of the food becomes the mind. Similarly, the gross part of the water we drink becomes urine; the subtle part of it becomes blood. The subtlest part becomes ‘Prana.’ We can say for certain that water contains ‘Prana.’ That is why when anybody faints, water is splashed on his face. Water enables the fainted man to recover as it contains prana in it.

3. Why Should We Offer Food To God Before Partaking

Summer Showers 1993 - Indian Culture And Spirituality

Summer Course 1993

29 May 1993

Topic

Prayer To God Before Partaking Of Food:

We should partake of food with a Sathwic mind. Our ancestors recommended the offering of food to God before partaking. Food so partaken becomes ‘Prasad’ (consecrated offering). Prayer cleanses the food of the three impurities caused by the absence of ‘Patra Shuddhi’ (cleanliness of the vessel), ‘Padartha Shuddhi’ (cleanliness of the food stuff and ‘Paka Shuddhi’ (cleanliness in the process of cooking). It is necessary to get rid of these three impurities to purify the food; for, pure food goes into the making of a pure mind. It is not possible to ensure the purity of the cooking process, since we do not know what thoughts rage in the mind of the man who prepares the food.

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

- Sri Sathya Sai International Organization