Prasāda, or prasādam—"the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa." Food prepared for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa and offered to Him with love and devotion. Because Kṛṣṇa tastes the offering, the food becomes spiritualized and purifies anyone who eats it. Literally, mercy. When sattvic foods (milk, grains, fruits, vegetables, sugar and legumes) prepared by a devotee are offered to the Deity of Kṛṣṇa as prescribed in the system of bhakti-yoga, the offering is transformed into prasādam, the mercy of the Lord. Prasādam is delicious, nourishing but most important, transcendental. Ordinary food, unoffered to Kṛṣṇa, breeds karmic reactions for every mouthful that is eaten, because so many living entities gave up their lives during the preparation. But food offered to Kṛṣṇa is freed of sin and invokes an attraction to Kṛṣṇa in whomever accepts it. See Bhakti-yoga. See also: Mahā-prasādam