You Are What You Eat [2]

The remnants of food offered to Krsna are called prasadam. Prasadam means mercy. Krsna accepts the offering of food and then returns it to His devotee as His mercy, for Krsna Himself becomes the food which was offered to Him. Because the food is in contact with Krsna, it becomes spiritualized, Krsna-ized. Such food is transcendental, completely free from contact with the modes of goodness, passion and darkness. Prasadam is karma-less food, and anyone who takes krsna-prasadam advances in spiritual life. One may try to attain the Supreme by an assault of mental speculation, or by drilling the respiration, etc., but what is so nice and so easy as reaching the supreme destination simply by eating?

Because food offered to Krsna is prepared with love and devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is accepted by His mercy after it is offered to Him, no karma attaches itself to the food because nowhere is there any sense gratification or material desire. In preparing, in offering and eating krsna-prasadam, a person remains fixed in the transcendental position, absorbed in Brahman, spirit, and undeluded by the modes of nature. Eating in this way is the actual attainment of yoga: "A person is said to have attained to yoga," Krsna says, "when, having renounced all material desires, he neither acts for sense gratification nor engages in fruitive activities." (Bg. 6.4)

Renunciation is essential for any person serious about spiritual advancement. If a person claims to be engaged in yoga or spiritual development but does not firmly engage in renunciation of fruitive activities and sense gratification, he is a cheater or is being cheated by a cheater. Somehow or other one must prevent the senses from engaging in material activities of sense gratification. This is taught by all authorities, including Lord Sri Krsna, Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus Christ, Sripada Sahkaracarya, etc.

Once upon a time, many ages ago, a great devotee named Dhruva Maharaja practiced very severe yoga to realize God in six months. First he ate only fruits and berries every third day, and in the second month he ate dry grass and leaves every sixth day; in this way he progressed to taking only a little water every sixth day, and finally, he was taking a breath of air every twelve days. In this way, Dhruva Maharaja renounced sense gratification and realized God. Now, in this age, it is impossible for us to practice such severe austerities to control the senses. Who can do it, or even take the first steps? Therefore Krsna does not instruct, "Don't eat." Rather, He says, "Eat krsna-prasadam." Eat sumptuously, and in that way renounce sense gratification and fruitive activities.

Any person can prepare, offer and eat krsna-prasadam even at home, without inconvenience. Such a wonderful activity is very simple. It is the perfection of eating, and it is "everlasting and joyfully performed."