Video details
Prayer before eating
A cooking demonstration and spiritual discourse on the sanctity of food.
"It is said that animals eat animals, and for humans, there is vegetation: the fruits which are falling from the trees, the herbs, the vegetables."
"And therefore, we are not worshiping or saying mantras to eat the meat... when we offer and we take with prayer to God, 'You gave us this food,' so until we did not pray or say thanks, that was not your food."
Swamiji begins by demonstrating how to prepare Panchkuta, a dried vegetable mix from Rajasthan, detailing its ingredients and cooking process. This leads into a broader discussion on food as a sacred source of life, contrasting human and animal nourishment. He emphasizes the importance of prayer before eating, referencing the goddess Annapūrṇā, and explores themes of humility, non-violence, and spiritual practice, concluding with a mantra and blessings for a holy Christmas time.
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.
The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:
- Yoga in Daily Life - The System
Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. Ibera Verlag, Vienna, 2000. ISBN 978-3-85052-000-3 - The Hidden Power in Humans - Chakras and Kundalini
Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. Ibera Verlag, Vienna, 2004. ISBN 978-3-85052-197-0 - Lila Amrit - The Divine Life of Sri Mahaprabhuji
Paramhans Swami Madhavananda. Int. Sri Deep Madhavananda Ashram Fellowship, Vienna, 1998. ISBN 3-85052-104-4
