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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

Hari Om, good morning. Today we are speaking about our Panchkuta vegetable, a dried vegetable which Swamijī brings from our ashram in Rajasthan, Om Ashram. It is collected, harvested, and pre-prepared there. We have it here; the Saṅgrī is inside. It consists of five different kinds of fruits or vegetables that grow on bushes and trees. It is not easy to harvest. It is very hard to pluck it, to search for it, collect it, bring it to the kitchen, wash it, dry it, pack it, bring it here, pack it in containers, and then you have it. So, it involves a lot of pre-preparation. Inside are the Guṇḍās, dry Guṇḍā. The effect of this "bubble" is very, very good for our gums; it has a little astringent effect. Guṇḍā is very good for our joints, especially for our knees. The Saṅgrī is good in taste. All in all, there is also the Kair inside, the small, small seeds. So, the five are: Saṅgrī, Guṇḍā, bubble, Kair. This is the dry version, and this is cooked. We cooked it for, let's say, half an hour, or you can soak it; it is the same. The preparation we wrote on a paper is very simple. You take this quantity—I said for four people for eating. Tvam icchasi, not this. This is raw, and this is cooked, Tvam icchasi, for two persons. This is good to eat with chapati, with rice, with some achar pickles. We have the oil prepared; it is cooked. Meanwhile, you prepare in one pan the oil. We use olive oil, and that is why we put the spices in nearly cold olive oil. But you can also use ghee. Let it become hot, then put the mustard seeds inside. Put mustard seeds and cumin seeds in the hot oil. Take care that it does not burn too much. Onion, cut. That onion, if you want; if not, it is also possible without. Onion is the master of the kitchen. And like Swamiji said, onion is very good because it makes a disinfection and kills all the bacteria and viruses. But do not burn it; cook it. Meanwhile, you prepare the basic spices in one bowl. So you put in the Jīrā (cumin), Haldi (turmeric), curcuma, chili according to your taste, salt, and hot water. Mix it and put it inside where the onion and spices are. Okay, mix it, and it looks like this then. You have a good masala. Wait, let it steam a little bit, till the oil comes on the surface. Then it looks like this: masala. And here, in this hot masala, put your cooked vegetable inside. Can I put it inside? Mix it. Now I am on the fire. Mix it. For three to four persons. Now it looks like this. The dry vegetable needs a little bit more oil or fat than normal. It looks like this. According to your taste, now put green chili. A little either lemon or Amchur powder, it has to go. According to your taste, if you like the garlic, add it at the end of cooking, and green Dhaniyā. Do not cut it, just take the leaves, and the ready vegetable. It looks like this. Good? And then we can wish only good appetite. Thank you. My pleasure, Swamiji. Now you can eat it with bread, with chapati, with rice, with cornflakes, with spinach, with different options. Chili, they are according to your taste. Good. Oh, Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ. Oh, we were beginning today with, again, with the food. And I think food is a big subject. Any business can go down, but not the food. So it does not matter if it is raw food or cooked food. We all need this, and that is because it is a source of our life. There are some people who slowly, slowly give up eating. It is rare. We have to work. We have to walk. We have hard work. And therefore, the nourishment is very important. There is a strength in our body from our nourishment. Often, I tell that in the creation, they said, "Jīva jīva bhakṣate"—life eats life. So one animal eats the other animal. But humans are not in the line that is also animal. So who is human is not animal, because the animals do not have that knowledge, and so they live like this. But humans have more intellect, more feelings to know what is sin and what is good. Humans know what is sin and what is good, what is a pure soul—a pure soul, a very clean soul. So there was a time when humans were living in the forest, in the caves, under the trees, etc. There was no education. And at that time, they were half reacting like animals. They had little knowledge to produce the vegetables, the fruits, but it is only seasonally. So at that time, they did not know what is a sin and what is not a sin. But now we humans are very developed. We have immense knowledge, and we have developed a lot of science. At the same time, we have different feelings. Otherwise, there was a time when even humans were killing and eating other humans. It was about some decades before, or a hundred years before, that people were eating people. But now we are all so far that we protect our, as humans, and because the human is that kind of creature which has the knowledge. And therefore, it develops a different kind of nourishment. The mother's milk was there from the beginning. All babies were drinking mother's milk, from the animals or humans, and the other birds, they also feed the little babies. So also, then they developed the milk. So there were animals which did not have so much milk also. Buffaloes, cows, etc., also did not have a lot of milk. But their babies, the grass-eating ones, they were very soon, in ten days or fifteen days, they begin to eat the grass. So the many great Ṛṣis, they give the knowledge to humans, what they should do and what they should not do. 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 also, we learned cooking long after time. They were sometimes burning the fire. They were making the fire from stone to stone, scratching the stones, and creating fire. Then they were boiling or cooking, or whatever you call it, on the fire. They were frying on the fire, but we developed a lot, we developed a lot. You know, day by day, our science is rapidly progressing quickly. And I do not know what they will develop more. They will also make you look at the food, and your stomach is full. They will develop the energy so that the energy goes in. Like we are sitting here, and heat is coming out from this to me, so that I am warm or I am cold. And many things we have, x-rays, and we can see what is inside, and before, maybe we have to open the lungs. So, definitely, you know all, and I also know a little bit that our science is very far. But in this, that it is the human, the human is different, and therefore we all humans respect the humans. And if someone makes wrong mistakes, then they said, or we said, he is not like a human. Or, if you are a human, you cannot kill this and that. So in this also, it is coming that when you give the child and parents and child separate, this is also not good for the humans, because humans understand the children. And nature also takes care of and loves the animals. So, and in that, then we said the food is for us very holy. And therefore, we are not worshiping or saying mantras to eat the meat. And besides this, we should know how this food came to us. We do not know. And therefore, in Hindu religion, in Christian religions, Buddhist religions, and Parsi, I think also, they pray to God, saying, "God, thank you for giving us." So you have from the Bible, it is called the dining table prayer. And from the time of childhood, the parents were teaching the children. And so there are many children who are still waiting until the father or mother will begin to say the prayer. So it means they are not beginning to eat in the kitchen. And nowadays, what people are doing is they are cooking in the pot and taking a spoon again inside, which is not good. Because 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. You cannot taste it; it is His. And then if we are serving on the table and then we said... Father or mother, whatever is that, the prayer, and then we eat. Now, these few words that we are saying and looking at the food, it is already gone into our body, to our energies, in our brain, etc. And then what we eat, and also many people say, "Enjoy your meal." In Austria, they say "Mahlzeit." The Germans do not say "Mahlzeit," because they say "Mahlzeit" is for the workers, so they just say "Guten Appetit." So they make it different, the Germans, but Austrians not. The Austrians make all equal. Either workers or a king, "Mahlzeit" means just time for eating. So I know Germans are very good people, I have nothing to criticize at all, and if so, sorry please from my side, but the Austrians have other feelings. There is a very, very much. Feeling is in Austrian education, not in German education. The Austrian children will not say these things, but the German children now say, "It is your problem." Children say it to the parents because these children are not educated. And when the Austrian child will say, the parents or grandparents, they will give a very nice lesson. Similarly, we return to come to this part of Europe—Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, etc., etc.—it is a more different feeling. Because it is said, in the Bible it is said, "Thou art the salt of the earth," it means you are the salt of the earth. You will die. Everything, you will become one in the mud or earth, and you will be that, the salt of the earth. So, thou art the salt of the earth, die and live, it is said, it is said in the Bible, die and live. What does it mean? Kill your ego, your sin, etc. And live a pure human life. So this is in every country, but some are neglecting. They think, "We are human, I am intelligent." I am not a beggar. Yes, we are beggars of God. Yeah, when you are going shopping, getting food, it does not matter. You are giving money, but you are a beggar. Yes. So, oh men, do not be proud and egoistic. We cannot be higher than God in any case. Maybe you have a lot of knowledge in everything. But, my dear, God is God. And God said, "Love." And where there is love, there is no cruelty. Where there is love, you cannot kill any creature. And so, for food eating, we pray, and therefore we also say, "Annapūrṇe." It is the Holy Mother who is giving us the food, and when this... Food is given by the holy mother, Annapūrṇā. Anna is the goddess of nourishment. So you may have a girl's name, Anna, yes. In Slovakia, I had one disciple. She is a very great, good person. Her name is Anna, Anička. So, and you have also very many names in this way, little changes. So this is the mother of the nourishment, the love. Annapūrṇe, Sadāpūrṇe. So when you respect the mother of the food, Sadāpūrṇe, Pūrṇa means complete. We will not have any hunger. Nothing is missing. It is said, even the mother will remain hungry, but will first feed the child. Mother does not have any food now, two days. But still, she will give the child breastfeeding. So, do you know what a mother is? What respect you, your mother? And it is Shiva, he is giving the Prāṇas, so they are both together. It is a Sūrya and moon, so the sun has its qualities and its function, and the moon also has that. Surya is not some human body, maybe say God, God, God. But we call it God because it is a protector. And the same way, the moon, the mother. You see, so this is the, do not think that the moon is some human form. Our sun is like a god, no? Where is a god? Did you see the god? No. But we feel in our heart, and we know that, and we will one day become one with the god, but still you will not know what it is. We are like we have in our palm, you know, one drop of the water, and we are holding it over the ocean. That is the ocean, and this is the drop. So, this drop, when it will fall into the ocean, no one will say it is a drop. The drop means it is dropped; the definition of the word. Drop, so it is drop. We can say oil, milk, any liquid that is drop, and that drop is coming from the ocean. This drop of the milk came from the mother cow, or goat, or buffalo, or humans. You cannot produce the milk. Only the mother can. And mother, if you cut her here, milk will not come. So there is that ocean of the love of the mother. And so on, this is the nourishment. Annapūrṇe, Sadāpūrṇe, Śaṅkara, Prāṇa, Vallabhī. So Śaṅkara is the Prāṇa. So this food that we are getting is Prāṇa. And Prāṇa is living. When an animal dies, what we call it is dead. Now, when we say it is dead, you killed it. So there is no more Prāṇa. So we are eating the dead bodies. So there is no Prāṇa. Maybe you have your stomach filling something, and so and so, but there, in the highest, highest level, Brahma or Holy Father or Allah, they will know what you did. You should not do. Writing the Bible is different, and Jesus himself is different. It is said, "Kṛṣṇa jāneśa Gītā." If you have seen and you know what Kṛṣṇa is, then you will understand what the Gītā is. The Gītā is written after. So, Kṛṣṇa Jñāneṣu Gītā, if you know what is Kṛṣṇa and you see that, you realize the Kṛṣṇa, then you will know he is Rāmāyaṇa or the Gītā. Māta Jñāneṣu Pitā, and only mother knows who is the father of the child. Only mother knows. You see, so reality is different. We are producing our own ideas, and we think that we are the creator. Oh man, you are not the creator. You are only the salt of the earth. And one day you will be gone. You will die and live again, until you come to Self-realization. Annapūrṇe Sadāpūrṇe Śaṅkara Praṇavāhlave Jñānavairāgyasiddhādaṁ. For Jñāna, Vairāgya, and Siddhas, Siddhis. Oh, mother, give me food. Bhikṣā. Bhikṣā means giving food. In the Buddha tradition, the monk is known as Bhikṣu. Bhikṣuk. What is a Bhikṣuk? Bhikṣuk means one who is begging. It is not a word for begging, but asking for food because they do not produce anything. They do not work; they do not earn money. They are only doing Sādhanās, meditations. Then, for them, just food or medicine is enough. But you come to the ashram here, and you are getting eatings, and you want to ask for money. Then you are not a Bhikṣu here, and the master will also not give you here and go. Go and work, you are healthy. So, in all eastern countries where Buddhism is, there is an immense number of monks called Bhikṣuk. They have to go through their education, then they can marry or become a monk. But before they… you cannot call them monks, they are Bhikṣuk, students, and they need the food. So when you are coming here in our ashram, how many here are Bhikṣuk? They are eating, they like to eat what they want, they get money, and then still they say, "No, I cannot do this, I do not want to do this." So you can take the Bhikṣuk here. If not, then we do not need. Let our whole garden become the forest. Yes, we do not need to clean our everyday yard. Yeah, or you are a Bhikṣuk, you will do it, but you have to work the whole day. And at the time of eating, you stand in the queue, and it is a big Someday. Everybody will say, "Big Someday." So when you come there, you are jumping, you are talking, you are ha-ha-ha, and eating. What is that? That is not ashram food. Yeah, you are a Bhikṣu now, all. You have one weekend. You are one weekend. You are a Bhikṣu. Do not say, "The food was not so good. This was not good." Bhikshu will not say this food was not good. So Sādhanā, from Bhikṣu to the monk, and from monk to the Siddhas, it is a long, long way, my dear. So you go to the monastery, yes, there are many Christian monasteries here on the hill up. Three times I had lectures for the nuns, but that time was the communist. And one monastery near Olomouc somewhere, and they were happy, there were no dualities. But ask this in the nuns' monastery: do they pay you? I do not know, I am asking you. The nuns are getting… Yes or no? Okay, you get food, you get medicine, you get a bed, you get respect, but you have to work, a lot of work. So everywhere is like this, because you are coming, this is Christmas time, I am talking about Christmas time. And in reality, in Christianity, to live very simply, like a poor person. Yes, and there was a time that people were leaving because they said, "I am the sinner." and they were praying, "Holy Mother, Jesus," etc. Not running for the money, but in the last two centuries, suddenly all Christians began to become rich people. So when you got the money, everything is funny. For you, it is like fun. You lost your spirituality. So, "Annapūrṇe Sadāpūrṇe Śaṅkara Praṇavālavā Jñāna Vairāgya Siddhāra Bhikṣāṃ Dehi Chāpā." So, please give me food. For what? For knowledge, for Jñāna, then Vairāgya and Siddhi, perfection. Annapūrṇe Sadāpūrṇe Śaṅkara Praṇavālabhe for my Prāṇa that I live. For this Prāṇa, for my life. O Mother Pārvatī, please give me Dīkṣā. After Dīkṣā, you will get the Dīkṣā. That is it. And do not say, "I want to become a Sannyāsī." I want to have Vairāgya, but then she is running in her house every day. And to go to this person and that person, there is no Vairāgya, yes, that is it. But our Parvati is very good; she is doing one and a half percent. What is the name of Pārvatī? Parvati. Parvati... Parvati. Parvati. Parvati... Satrubhudevi Nāsa, Dīpa-jyoti na Dīpa-jyoti Para-Brahma, Dīpaṁ Sarve Mohanam, Dīpanasajyate Sarvam Sandhyā, Dīpaṁ Sarav Satyam Suṁ Prabhāṁ Brahma-havi, Brahmāgno Brahma-nā Brahmevate Na Gantavyam Brahma-karmas Pūrṇam. Adha, Pūrṇam Idam, Pūrṇāt, Pūrṇam Udacyati, Pūrṇasya, Pūrṇam Ādhāya, Pūrṇam Eva Avaśiṣyati. Oṁ Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ. What are mantras? There is no difference, only differences in the names. Otherwise, all self-realized beings or incarnations, or whatever we call them, are the same. So also, when you are cooking, you can have this everything with your own knowledge. And definitely, your children, if you educate them from the beginning, they will be very great children. And also, sleeping. Before going to sleep, there is also prayer. And how are you now sleeping? Looking and looking, all the time looking in the computer, computer, computer. And kum means less in Hindi, kum means less. And ter means like run behind a goat. And so you sleep down, or you drink the Coca-Cola and again look, and all are drinking this. Where are your children's education? But many people do not believe. Many parents do not know. And they think it was the other time. Now we know everything. It does not matter if you know everything, but when the cancer comes in the body, and the doctor will open it, God, Jesus, Holy Mother Maria. Where have you been before that? All your many mantras, and this would not have created cancer in your body. Good thinking, good doing, good practicing, good eating, yes. Because in the human brain, there is a God. The feeling of that is God. And that, when you say one very beautiful word, it is going through the whole body. Yeah, that is it. So you see, you see Jesus, still you see him hanging, why? But it is that we know that he is suffering for the reality, for the truth, for God, etc., etc. So, my dear, I wish you a very, very beautiful, holy time, Christmas, for you, for your families, your city, your village, your country. God bless all of us. Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ. Hari Om.

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:

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