Does God Eat the offered food?

An Annakoot Mahotsav was going on in the revered presence of Guru. A Variety of food was being offered to Lord Shree Krishna. Everyone was engaged in devotion with great sentiments. A college-going young boy- a novice on the path of devotion with his intellect yet weighing the divinity, was also observing everything. The ceremony was going on very well.

After the Puja was over, the pujari announced that all the devotees must accept the prasadam and only then leave. That young boy saw that not a single thing was consumed by God and even then everyone was accepting the prasadam with great sentiments. His intellect started itching. He could not resist and went straight to His Guru. He asked his Guru, "This is something that I cannot digest. We keep offering food to God and nothing is consumed by Him. Does God really eat? or are we just doing a drama in the name of traditions?"

The enlightened Guru understood the plight of the intellectual beginners and responded to the devotee with compassion.

He told him to bring a rose garland and a weighing scale. He couldn’t understand the purpose but did it never the less. He brought a garland and weighing scale.

The Guru told him to weigh the garland. He did so and told the exact weight of rose garland. It was exactly 700 gms.

Then the Guru told him to smell the garland. He did so. The Guru told him to smell it as much as possible, again and again. He followed the words of Guru. It seemed like his entire existence was filled with the aroma of roses!

Now the Guru told him to weigh the garland again. He weighed it.

The Guru asked him, "Is there any difference in the weight?"

He said, "No, it is the same."

Now his Guru explained the answer, "You smelled so much of the fragrance of these roses but not a bit of its weight is reduced by that. Similarly, God does eat the offered food- not physically, but he accepts the sentiments poured in them. He is omniscient. Right from the stage of mere thought when you wish to offer something to God, He starts accepting your sentiments. The varieties you choose, the quality of ingredients you buy, the way you prepare varieties, the way you present food, the way you offer them and the way you keep faith in this entire ceremony- everything is observed by God and He starts relishing your offerings right from the time when you conceived the thought of those offerings. So, apparently, nothing is consumed by Him but yet the entire food becomes divine prasadam. and when you eat that prasadam, it spreads devotion in your entire inner system. The more sensitive you are to these, the more divinity you would experience within.”

Important Lessons From Kurma Avatar

Happy Kurma Jayanti!

Kurma Avatar is the second incarnation of Shree Hari. Kurma means Tortoise. It is a tortoise form of Shree Hari; greatly revered by the devotees. During the great celestial event of Samudra Manthan, Mount Mandara was used as the pivot for churning the oceans. But when it began to sink, Shree Hari appeared as a giant tortoise that held the mountain up on His back.

Thus without the help of Lord Kurma , the milk-ocean or ‘Kshirsagara’ would not have been churned; and the demigods wouldn’t have found the 14 sacred ratnas or divine gifts. The day of Kurma Jayanti thus holds special religious significance.

Message of Kurma Jayanti:

1.There is duality everywhere in the world. Day and Night, right and wrong, good and bad, pain and pleasure, etc....and both the factors pulling us at their sides. Due to these continuous churning, we loose our balance and stability. In this condition only Shree Hari, His name or remembrance can provide the stability and balance in our life.

2.God appeared and sat as Kurma under Mt. Mandarachal. The foundation always remains at the bottom. In every structure foundation is of prime importance. If the foundation is weak or shaky the structure collapses. Thus Kurma avatar teaches us the virtues of stability and balance.

3.The foundation always remains at the bottom. Lord Kurma teaches us the importance of humbleness by remaining at the bottom.

4. The foundation can never be seen, and that is its great and silent contribution to any buildings. We used to praise the buildings but the foundation always remain under the cover.

Let us pray to Lord Kurma on Kurma Jayanti day and seek His blessings.