Why do we offer food to the Lord before eating it ?

JAY SHREE POOJYASHREE SHREE AMMA
JAY MAHAN BRAHMASHREE GOPALAVALLIDASAR
JAY SHREE RADHEKRISHNA SATHSANG

Radhekrishna to one and all!

We are discussing the ninth question of our question-answer series which is “Why do we offer food to the Lord before eating it?” We concluded the previous post with an unanswered question. While partaking our food, we place five morsels of food at the side of our plate. What is the reason for doing so?

Five morsels of food are placed on the side of the plate acknowledging the debt owed by us to the

1. Divine forces (devta runa) for their benign grace and protection,

2. Our ancestors (pitru runa) for giving us their lineage and a family culture,

3. The sages (rishi runa) as our religion and culture have been "realised", aintained and handed down to us by them,

4. Our fellow beings (manushya runa) who constitute society without the support of which we could not live as we do and

5. Other living beings (bhuta runa) for serving us selflessly.

Thereafter the Lord, the life force, who is also within us as the five life-giving physiological functions, is offered the food. This is done with the chant

praanaaya swaahaa,
apaanaaya swaahaa,
vyaanaaya swaahaa,
udaanaaya swaahaa,
samaanaaya swaahaa,
brahmane swaahaa

After offering the food thus, it is eaten as prasaada - blessed food.

…concluded

Section II: Information about Indian herbs

In this post let us know about a commonly used Indian spice. The name is Kaali Miri more commonly known as Pepper in English

1. It is a green sun-dried pepper corn

2. It is an appetizer

3. It is a good remedy for digestive disorders and throat problems; especially cold and catarrh

4. A pinch of finely ground pepper powder mixed with honey, if taken in the morning and evening, is useful in case of amnesia or dullness of intellect

That concludes our post for the fortnight. Till the next post on the 6th of June,

Radhekrishna!

Sarvam Guruvaarpanam