Food with 5 Doshas Vs Prasadam – With Stories!
How food is prepared, where it is prepared, by whom it is prepared, and how it is served and consumed—all of these are of great importance.
Food sustains Prana (life force). Therefore, it also matters who prepares the food and how they prepare it.
Why should we offer food to Krishna?
Read these details with stories!
There are five types of doshas (flaws or impurities) associated with food:
1) Artha-dosha
2) Nimitta-dosha
3) Sthana-dosha
4) Jati-dosha
5) Samskara-dosha
Artha-dosha:
A scholar once visited his disciple’s home for a meal.
While finishing his meal, he noticed one of the disciple’s clients handing over a bag full of money to the disciple.
Later, while alone in his room, a sense of greed arose within him.
He reached into the bag and took a handful of money, then took his leave and returned home.
The next morning, while performing his puja (worship/rituals), he reflected on his actions from the previous day.
Filled with remorse, he wondered, “Alas! What a grave mistake I have made! How could I have done such a thing?”
He immediately took the money, went to his disciple’s house, confessed what he had done, and returned the money.
He also realized that once the food he had consumed was digested and the waste eliminated from his body, his mind had become pure again.
He asked his disciple, “How did you earn this money?”
The disciple, feeling ashamed, confessed that he had been earning his money through dishonest means and asked for forgiveness.
This is a flaw arising from the material itself—known as artha-dosha (where artha means wealth or material substance).
The ingredients we use for cooking must be acquired through honest and righteous earnings.
Nimitta-dosha:
Next is Nimitta-dosha. The person preparing the food must possess a good state of mind. They should be honest, compassionate, and have a virtuous disposition.
Furthermore, the prepared food must not be contaminated by a dog, an ant, etc. It is also essential that food remains untouched by creatures such as lizards or crows.
Food that has been touched by them is considered impure.
Furthermore, food should be free from contaminants like dust, strands of hair, or worms.
Bhishma lay on a bed of arrows for 27 days, with Krishna and the five Pandavas gathered around him.
Draupadi wondered to herself why Bhishma had remained silent when Duryodhana ordered her garments to be removed in the royal assembly.
Sensing her thoughts, Bhishma said:
“Ma, I had been consuming food provided by Duryodhana, while living under his patronage. That food had completely clouded my judgment. Now, as I go without food for these 27 days, my old blood is draining away drop by drop, and I am becoming purified. So, My intellect shines,” he said.
Impure food leads only to disaster.
Food prepared by a wicked person gives rise to evil thoughts.
Food prepared by a virtuous person fosters noble thoughts.
Sthana Dosha (Flaw of Location):
Next is Sthana Dosha. It is essential that the place where food is cooked possesses positive vibrations. If unnecessary quarrels or trivial arguments occur during the cooking process, the food becomes impure.
Furthermore, food prepared in the vicinity of places such as restrooms, hospitals, battlefields, or courts is unfit for consumption.
Duryodhana prepared 56 varieties of exquisite dishes and invited Krishna to dine, but Krishna declined.
Duryodhana even attempted to imprison Him.
Instead, Krishna went directly to the home of Vidura.
Upon seeing Him, Vidura’s wife was overcome with sheer delight.
In her state of overwhelming emotion, she peeled a banana, discarded the fruit, and lovingly offered the peel to Krishna.
Krishna accepted and ate it, filled with joy.
Seeing this, Vidura was alarmed and cast an angry glance at his wife; but Krishna intervened, saying, “Vidura! It is love alone that I yearn for.”
“If one offers Me, with sincere devotion, even a drop of water, a leaf, or a fruit—that is enough for Me,” He declared.
It is essential that food be offered with sincere devotion.
Jati-dosha (Flaw related to the nature of the food):
Next is jati-dosha. The ingredients used in the food must possess sattvic (pure/harmonious) qualities. Milk, ghee, rice, flour, and lentils are sattvic.
Foods that are sour, pungent, or salty are rajasic (stimulating/passionate).
Garlic, onions, meat, and eggs are tamasic (dull/inert/base).
Sattvic food fosters spiritual progress.
Rajasic food stimulates materialistic tendencies and leads to selfishness.
Tamasic food cultivates base, demonic qualities.
Samskara-dosha (Flaw related to the preparation/processing of food):
Next is samskara-dosha. Even if food is cooked in a clean environment, the items themselves must not be incompatible with one another.
Overcooking, excessive frying, or consuming stale food are considered doshas (flaws); they cause harm to both the body and the mind.
Therefore, one should consume food while avoiding these five types of doshas.
This is why our ancestors advised that food prepared and served at home—by one’s mother or wife—is the most appropriate.
The wise have urged us to follow achara (proper conduct/discipline). Achara implies purity.
Above all, if the food is offered to Krishna and takien as His Prasadam, it gives Krishna Himself. Because there is no difference between Krishna and His Prasadam.
(Life is a Feast at the Tip of a Sword – Story! READ HERE!)