Kṛṣṇa, however, having been interrupted in His business of sucking the breast, was very angry. He took a piece of stone, broke the churning pot and entered a room, where He began to eat the freshly churned butter. When mother Yaśodā, after attending to the overflowing milk, returned and saw the pot broken, she could understand that this was the work of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore she went to search for Him. When she entered the room, she saw Kṛṣṇa standing on the ulūkhala, a large mortar for grinding spices. Having turned the mortar upside down, He was stealing butter hanging from a swing and was distributing the butter to the monkeys. As soon as Kṛṣṇa saw that His mother had come, He immediately began to run away, and mother Yaśodā began to follow Him.
Spices
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 3
The vaiśyas are divided into many subsections: some of them are called kṣetrī, or landowners, some are called kṛṣaṇa, or land tillers, some of them are called tila-vaṇik, or grain raisers, some are called gandha-vaṇik, or merchants in spices, and some are called suvarṇa-vaṇik, or merchants in gold and banking.
Mixed smell is sometimes perceived in foodstuffs prepared from various ingredients, such as vegetables mixed with different kinds of spices and asafoetida. Bad odors are perceived in filthy places, good smells are perceived from camphor, menthol and similar other products, pungent smells are perceived from garlic and onions, and acidic smells are perceived from turmeric and similar sour substances. The original aroma is the odor emanating from the earth, and when it is mixed with different substances, this odor appears in different ways.
SB Canto 6
O King, are your wives, citizens, secretaries and servants and the merchants who sell spices and oil under your control? Are you also in full control of ministers, the inhabitants of your palace, your provincial governors, your sons and your other dependents?
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Cooked by first-class brāhmaṇas with expert knowledge and then distributed to the public, this prasāda is also a blessing from the brāhmaṇas or Vaiṣṇavas. There are four kinds of prasāda (catur-vidha). Salty, sweet, sour and pungent tastes are made with different types of spices, and the food is prepared in four divisions, called carvya, cūṣya, lehya and peya-prasāda that is chewed, prasāda that is licked, prasāda tasted with the tongue, and prasāda that is drunk. Thus there are many varieties of prasāda, prepared very nicely with grains and ghee, offered to the Deity and distributed to the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas and then to the general public. This is the way of human society. Killing the cows and spoiling the land will not solve the problem of food. This is not civilization. Uncivilized men living in the jungle and being unqualified to produce food by agriculture and cow protection may eat animals, but a perfect human society advanced in knowledge must learn how to produce first-class food simply by agriculture and protection of cows.
"When the milk and curd are kept high on a swing hanging from the ceiling and Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma cannot reach it, They arrange to reach it by piling up various planks and turning upside down the mortar for grinding spices. Being quite aware of the contents of a pot, They pick holes in it. While the elderly gopīs go about their household affairs, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma sometimes go into a dark room, brightening the place with the valuable jewels and ornaments on Their bodies and taking advantage of this light by stealing.
Kṛṣṇa, at that time, was sitting on an upside-down wooden mortar for grinding spices and was distributing milk preparations such as yogurt and butter to the monkeys as He liked. Because of having stolen, He was looking all around with great anxiety, suspecting that He might be chastised by His mother. Mother Yaśodā, upon seeing Him, very cautiously approached Him from behind.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
Within his means, the devotee should arrange to offer Me sugar candy, sweet rice, ghee, śaṣkulī (rice-flour cakes), āpūpa (various sweet cakes), modaka (steamed rice-flour dumplings filled with sweet coconut and sugar), saṁyāva (wheat cakes made with ghee and milk and covered with sugar and spices), yogurt, vegetable soups and other palatable foods.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
The Deity was first offered many varieties of food, then scented drinking water in new pots, and then water for washing the mouth. Finally pan mixed with a variety of spices was offered.
Lāphrā-vyañjana is a preparation in which many vegetables are boiled together, and then a cheṅkā is added, consisting of spices like cumin, black pepper and mustard seed.
After Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu finished eating, the Bhaṭṭācārya poured water for the Lord to wash His mouth, hands and legs and offered Him flavored spices, tulasī-mañjarīs, cloves and cardamom.
The Lord was then given spices to purify His mouth. Afterwards He was made to rest, and Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya personally massaged His legs.
This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.9.14) is in reference to Lord Kṛṣṇa's exhibiting Himself like an ordinary child before mother Yaśodā. He was playing like a naughty boy, stealing butter and breaking butter pots. Mother Yaśodā became disturbed and wanted to bind the Lord to a mortar used for pounding spices. In other words, she considered the Supreme Personality of Godhead an ordinary child.
(33) Spices for chewing should be offered.
The Deity should be placed in bed with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and this should be indicated by bringing the wooden slippers from the altar to the bedside. When the Deity is laid down, His legs should be massaged. Before laying the Deity down, a pot of milk and sugar should be offered to Him. After taking this thick milk, the Deity should lie down and should be offered betel nuts and spices to chew.
CC Antya-lila
When all the Vaiṣṇavas had finished eating, Vallabha Bhaṭṭa brought a large quantity of garlands, sandalwood pulp, spices and betel. He worshiped the devotees very respectfully and became extremely happy.
She powdered fried grains of fine rice, moistened the powder with ghee and cooked it in a solution of sugar. Then she added camphor, black pepper, cloves, cardamom and other spices and rolled the mixture into balls that were very palatable and aromatic.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stood up and washed His hands and mouth, while Jagadānanda Paṇḍita brought spices, a garland and sandalwood pulp.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “These ingredients, such as sugar, camphor, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, butter, spices and licorice, are all material. Everyone has tasted these material substances before.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Instruction
Others are attracted by eating vegetables, creepers, spinach or milk products, but all for the satisfaction of the tongue's demands. Such eating for sense gratification—including the use of extra quantities of spices like chili and tamarind—is to be given up by Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. The use of pan, haritakī, betel nuts, various spices used in pan-making, tobacco, LSD, marijuana, opium, liquor, coffee and tea is indulged in to fulfill illicit demands. If we can practice accepting only remnants of food offered to Kṛṣṇa, it is possible to get free from māyā's victimization. Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk products and water are proper foods to offer to the Lord, as Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself prescribes. However, if one accepts prasāda only because of its palatable taste and thus eats too much, he also falls prey to trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
According to Vedic civilization, unmarried girls from ten to fourteen years of age are supposed to worship either Lord Śiva or Goddess Durgā in order to get a nice husband. But the unmarried girls of Vṛndāvana were already attracted by the beauty of Kṛṣṇa. They were, however, engaged in the worship of Goddess Durgā in the beginning of the Hemanta season (just prior to the winter season). The first month of Hemanta is Agrahāyana (October-November), and at that time all the unmarried gopīs of Vṛndāvana began to worship Goddess Durgā with a vow. They first ate haviṣyānna, a kind of food prepared by boiling together mung dāl and rice without any spices or turmeric. According to Vedic injunction, this kind of food is recommended to purify the body before one enacts a ritualistic ceremony. All the unmarried gopīs in Vṛndāvana used to daily worship Goddess Kātyāyanī early in the morning after taking a bath in the river Yamunā. Kātyāyanī is another name for Goddess Durgā.
They offered him a very nice sitting place and water for washing his feet. They also worshiped him with a suitable presentation of honey mixed with other ingredients. When Akrūra was thus comfortably seated, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma offered Him a cow in charity and then brought very palatable dishes, and Akrūra accepted them. When Akrūra finished eating, Balarāma gave him betel nut and spices, as well as pulp of sandalwood, just to make him more pleased and comfortable. The Vedic system of receiving a guest was completely observed by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself to teach all others how to receive a guest at home. It is a Vedic injunction that even if a guest is an enemy he should be received so well that he does not apprehend any danger from the host. If the host is a poor man, he should at least offer a straw mat as a sitting place and a glass of water to drink. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma welcomed Akrūra in a way just befitting his exalted position.
While Rukmiṇī was praying, she presented a variety of items before the deity, chief of which were water, different kinds of flames, incense, garments, garlands and various foods prepared with ghee, such as purīs and kachoris. She also offered fruits, sugarcane, betel nuts and spices. With great devotion, Rukmiṇī offered them to the deity according to the regulative principles, directed by the old brāhmaṇa ladies. After this ritualistic ceremony, the ladies offered the remnants of the food to Rukmiṇī as prasādam, which she accepted with great respect. Then Rukmiṇī offered her obeisances to the ladies and to Goddess Durgā. After the business of deity worship was finished, Rukmiṇī caught hold of the hand of one of her girlfriends in her own hand, which was decorated with a jeweled ring, and left the temple in the company of the others.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Now India there is scarcity, scarcity of foodstuff. But the same India was producing so much grains, even during British time, that many thousands and thousand tons of rice were being exported from India to other countries. You see? That I have seen. I have seen. My maternal uncle was very rich man by simply exporting rice to the foreign countries. Yes. Spices... And old history you will find that India, they had got their own ships for exporting spices to Greece and other countries of Europe. The history is there. And they were supplying muslin cloth, even just before the British period, Muslim period. So India's export, export, I mean to say, status was far greater than other countries. And these spices and other export attracted persons from Europe, that Vasco de Gama, and the Columbus also wanted to go, but he fortunately came to America. You see? All these Europeans and the Britishers went and established their supremacy.
Just like we eat kṛṣṇa-prasādam by offering yajña. Yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. If we take kṛṣṇa-prasādam, then we become freed from all kinds of sinful reaction. Because the material world is so made that willingly or unwillingly... If you are not willing, unwillingly you have to commit so many sinful actions. Just like to kill an animal is sinful action, but you don't want to kill. Still, when you are passing on the street, you are killing so many ants. While drinking water, besides the..., all around the water jug there are so many animals. When you crush, I mean to say, spices, we kill so many animals. So we are responsible for that. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā you know, bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt (BG 3.13). If you simply cook for your sense gratification, then you have to take responsibility of all the killing business.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You do not know what is happiness.
Student (2): Well, of course, that sorrow or that suffering might add the spice to make that suffering that goes in between happiness.
Prabhupāda: No. The thing is that there are different kinds of miseries. That we understand. That is our..., due to our ignorance. We don't care for it. Just like a man who is suffering from very, since a long time. He has forgotten what is happiness. He has forgotten what is real happiness. Similarly, the sufferings are there already. Now take for example, you are now young man. Now, would you like to become old man?
Student: I will become an old man in the process of...
Prabhupāda: Now, you will become. You'll be forced to become old man, but you don't like to become an old man.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Siddhānta, to become a pure devotee, a staunch devotee of Kṛṣṇa, one has to learn about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is, therefore, coming personally to teach us what He is. That is required. Vāsudeva-kathā-ruci (SB 1.2.16). Our life is meant for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Ruci. This ruci is very important thing. Ruci means... Just like we like to eat some favorable food. That is called ruci. Somebody is interested in eating some salty food, somebody's interested some sweet food, spicy food... Just like we have got taste for different types of food, similarly, when we shall increase our taste, propensity for Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of our perfection. Before that, we are in the material consciousness. When we increase the taste for Kṛṣṇa, for understanding Kṛṣṇa... This ruci comes when one is actually liberated. This ruci. Tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. First of all, śraddadhānasya. As it is stated here, śraddhā, faith. Kṛṣṇa is... Kṛṣṇa says that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), "There is no more superior authority than Me." Mattaḥ parataraṁ na anyat. Na, "Nobody else. I am the Supreme."
Every one of us, life after life, we are committing simple sinful activities, knowingly or unknowingly. Knowingly, I may kill one animal. That is sinful certainly. Even we do it unknowingly, that is also sinful. Just like while we are walking on the street, we are killing so many ants, unknowingly. So in our ordinary dealings, while cooking, while taking water, while using pestle and mortar for smashing spices, we are killing so many animals. So unless we remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, we are liable to be punished for all these unknowingly committing sinful activities. Knowingly, of course, you'll be... That's a fact.
So as soon as you ignite, all those small ants—you cannot see—they die. Similarly, when you keep water, there are so many microbes and other living entities. So as you press on it, they die. Similarly, pestle and mortar. In India the system, they don't purchase...Those who are rigid family, they do not purchase these powdered spices. No. They bring whole spices and they smash it with mortar and pestle. That is very nice. So doing that smashing work, you kill so many animals. In breathing, you kill so many animals. In drinking water, you kill so many animals. This is bhūta-hatyā. You are killing. This is not intentional. You do not know. Therefore in a Vedic system there is prescription, pañca-sūnā-yajña. Pañca means five, and sūnā means bhūta-hatyā, or killing animals, sūnā. Striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūta (SB 1.17.38). Sūnā. Sūnā means violence.
So don't become victims of this civilization. Try to understand. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). And what is the purpose? Yad indriya-prītaye. The same thing. Indriya-prītaye means satisfying the senses. So that already explained, that sense gratification process is already there in the animals. The hogs and dogs, they are also busy in sense gratification. Then why, why you are calling yourself civilized than these cats and dogs? They are also eating meat, just like tiger. And because you can cook it very nicely with spices, you become civilized? But they have taken, "No, we can cook very nicely." Because in the flesh, there is no taste. So it has to be added with garlic, it has to be added with onion, and somehow or other... Then it becomes little palatable. Otherwise, what is the taste of this dead flesh? Suppose if you... But those who are after this blood, they find taste. So that is tigers' and dogs' and cats' civilization; that is not human civilization; that is not human civilization.
Prabhupāda: Not condemnation
Devotees: Relish, spices, etc.
Prabhupāda: No, no, not condiment. Condone.
Devotees: Oh, condone, Sanction, approval.
Prabhupāda: No. Suppose if you commit some sin and counteract it by some other thing. What is called? Just like in Christian Bible there is...?
Devotees: Confession, atonement...
Prabhupāda: Atonement, yes. (laughter) That's it. Atonement. I was forgetting this word. Atonement. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī suggests that you should know the responsibility, and according to the gravity of sinful life, you should accept some type of atonement as they are described in the śāstras. Actually, according to Vedic way of life, there is a class of brāhmaṇas who... Just like you go when you are diseased.
Whatever you offer to Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, that is called sacrifice, yajña. Kṛṣṇa's or Viṣṇu's another name is Yajña-pati. So yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. Whatever we do here within this material world, there is some sort of sinful activity. We do not know, imperceptibly. Just like killing of some animal is sinful activities. But even if we do not willingly kill some animal, when we are walking on the street, we are killing so many animals. When we are drinking water, in the, below the waterpot there are so many ants and microbes, they are being killed. When we ignite fire, there are so many small microbes, they also become burned into the fire. When you rub the pestle and mortar for rubbing spices, so many small microbes are killed. So we are responsible for that. Therefore, willingly or unwillingly, we are becoming entangled in so many sinful activities. Therefore the Bhagavad-gītā says, yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. If you take the remnants of foodstuff of yajña, after offering yajña, then you become free from all contamination. Otherwise, bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt: (BG 3.13) "One who is cooking for eating personally without offering to Kṛṣṇa, he is simply all sinful resultant action." This is our position.
It is said that there was a king, he was giving shelter to all the brāhmaṇas. He had a guest house. Guest house, so any brāhmaṇa can stay there. So many non-brāhmaṇas also were coming. So the order was that the brāhmaṇa can stay there and there was a store, he can take his supplies from the store and eat and live there peacefully. And the storekeeper was submitting bill to the king that your guest has taken so many things, kindly pay. So he was paying. So he was testing by the bill. If he would see the bill contains more spices and chilis, he will ask immediately, "Drag this man, he is not a brāhmaṇa." (laughter) "Drag this, he is not a brāhmaṇa." So be careful, don't take much. I know you don't take much. But if you take too much chilis and spices, then you will be considered amongst the non-brāhmaṇas. You can take more sweets. (laughter) So if the bill was submitted containing more sugar, then he would accept, "Yes, that man is brāhmaṇa." (laughter) So these three guṇas means sweet, salt, and chili. Sattva-guṇa is sweet, and rāja-guṇa is salt, and tama-guṇa is chili.
So Kṛṣṇa wants this variety. So you all are devotees. You, the central point is to love Kṛṣṇa and offer Him service, but that service may be of variety. Variety. You cannot claim that because you are serving Kṛṣṇa in a type, and therefore, if somebody is serving in a different way—must be approved by the authority... You cannot criticize him. Varieties. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. The same vegetable, the same ghee, the same salt, same spices, but there are varieties of preparations. That is required. We Vaiṣṇava, we want varieties. Bahūnmukhi-sevā. How... The central point is how... The Vṛndāvana-Kṛṣṇa is the central point. The cowherd boys, they are satisfying Kṛṣṇa by going in the forest, playing with Him, mock-fighting with Him. That is also variety.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Generally we commit sinful activities knowingly; if not knowingly, unknowingly. Just like we are walking on the street, we are killing so many ants, unknowingly. So that is also sinful activities. You do not know, you do not want to kill the ants, but still, unknowingly, you are killing. When you take water from the jug, there are so many animals encircling the water jug, and when you take water some of them die. When we make paste on the pestle and mortar, spices, so many small insects die. That is going on.
Philosophy Discussions
Conversations and Morning Walks
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: There is no pleasure. Blissfulness is not there, brahma-jyotir is simply eternity, that's all. The same example can be given. Just like sunlight. There is only light. But on a planet the effect of the light is there—there are so many trees, so many flowers, fruits. We, we want varieties of pleasure. Variety is the mother of...
Devotees: "Variety is the spice of life."
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Himāvatī: Spice of life.
Prabhupāda: Oh. Yes. So therefore, we are living entities, life. We want variety. So this is the varietyless, no variety, one kind, sunlight. We require sunlight. We are so much anxious for sunlight. Not only sunlight.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Bob: I found, specifically what I mean, is some was too spicy and hurt my stomach.
Prabhupāda: Well, that is also due to ... not appreciate. But Kṛṣṇa should be... The cook should have consideration that Kṛṣṇa must be offered first-class foodstuff. So if he offers something last class, that is not his duty. But Kṛṣṇa can accept anything if it is offered by a devotee, and a devotee also can accept any prasādam, even if it is spicy. (break) Hiraṇyakaśipu gave his son poison and he drank it nectarine. So for the devotee even it is spicy to other taste, it is very palatable to the devotee. What is the question of spicy? He was offered poison, real poison. (break) ...she also offered Kṛṣṇa poison, but Kṛṣṇa's so nice that "She took Me as My mother." So He took the poison and delivered her. Kṛṣṇa does not take the bad side. Any good man, he does not take the bad side; he takes only the good side. (break) He wanted to make business with my Guru Mahārāja. But he did not take the bad side. He took the good side that "He has come forward to give me some service. So whatever he wanted he gave him."
Prabhupāda: There is no such thing. They will stop(?).
Gurudāsa: Yes, they are nice boys. Secondly, for some reason they don't like..., they like to cook themselves.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Gurudāsa: They like to cook for themselves. They cook without spices and like that, because they are thinking of their health. I gave them... I know, I can... (break)
Prabhupāda: (indistinct) a nice place, a very open place. (indistinct)
Gurudāsa: You have your choice.
Prabhupāda: No, no, it's a very nice place, undoubtedly.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: The chemical is also matter. Just like with one matter you make... Just like we mix so many matters. Turmeric, salt, spices, they are all matter. But mixing together, the condition is that it becomes a sweet vegetable. Similarly, the chemical is also matter. And water is also matter. So if life comes from matter, then it will come from the water. Why...? There is no use of mixing another chemicals? And it will actually be: Then let the water remain for some time. When it will decompose, the life will come. The stagnant water, life will come. Just like in the ocean, there are so many lives are coming out. Who is going to put the chemical? Nonsense. Where you have got so much chemical? And you can find out tons and tons, millions of tons of fish, but nobody went to give there the chemicals.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: That's all. Because I did not earn this money, I have printed. I am prepared to twenty rupees. So he says, "Why shall I pay ten rupees? I must wait for the customer, for twenty rupees, and hoard it." Even there is sufficient stock, he will not sell. Therefore the other man, who is honest, he is suffering. This is going on. So to stop this inflation, the government must stop this paper currency. Then the inflation... There will be no more inflation. But that they will not do. They want to cheat people. "In God I trust. Take this paper and you be satisfied that you have got thousand dollars." That's all. This cheating is going on. Why should you pay me paper? Give me real dollar, in gold. That they have none. They haven't got. That's all. They will employ laborers and cheat them by paying these papers, and this rascal will think that "I am getting more money." That's all. Since this world has taken this paper currency, the situation has degraded. Formerly there was barter exchange. That was very good thing. Still in Indian villages, the remote villages, there is barter. Yes. He has produced some grains, paddy. He will bring to the storekeeper. And the storekeeper will take, "For so much oil, you have to give me so much paddy." So he will weigh and keep it and give him oil. So he will arrange to sell the paddy. But for the villagers, he brings the paddy and he takes. They require little salt, little oil, some spices. That's all. Otherwise they have got their own thing. They have got dahl, their rice, wheat, everything. They have produced. In this way, still there are, Indian villages. There is no question of scarcity.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Oh. Mas Alla? (pronounces "masalla")
Gurudāsa: It's not spice.
Hṛdayānanda: That means "beyond." "Beyond Birth and Death." And that's the cover for our Bhāgavatam.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Gurudāsa: It is also spicy.
Rāmeśvara: It's very convenient for him to print here because he has all the credit from BBT, so the printers immediately want to do business with him.
Prabhupāda: That's it. Yes, businessman never invests his own money. He does business with others' money. That is business. Just like I am doing. (laughter) I brought only forty rupees. That was also not spent. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: No. Now they have made it Commonwealth, keeping some scent, flavor of British empire. Commonwealth.
Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda? In those early days of colonization they were trying to sail to India by a quick route to get the spices, and it was the same time that Lord Caitanya's movement began. So is that just a coincidence, that they were trying to go to India at the same time?
Prabhupāda: No. What it has got with Caitanya's movement?
Rāmeśvara: I heard... A devotee once told me that they were actually...
Prabhupāda: Oh, again, "heard it from devotee." (laughter) That is very dangerous. What Caitanya's movement has got with politics? Nothing. They drag Caitanya's movement, that. Many rascals do that. It has nothing to do with politics. It is simply spiritual. Rather, even the Mohammedans, they were very much respectful to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They never took it as, His, the political movement.
Prabhupāda: And if our... Pushed on our men... The thing is they supply more spices, and especially that mustard. This is not good. This is prohibited.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It should be mild, prasādam.
Prabhupāda: Practically no spices. Simply little cumin. And this turmeric. Turmeric you get from India, whole turmeric. This powdered turmeric is very, very bad.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Unhealthy.
Harikeśa: They put sawdust in it.
Prabhupāda: That's all.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's very unhealthy.
Prabhupāda: It is very cheating. Any powdered spice is not good.
Prabhupāda: It is very cheating. Any powdered spice is not good.
Harikeśa: Asafoetida also.
Prabhupāda: Everything. As soon as it is powder, they will mix with all rubbish things. And it is very easy to cheat you. You are susceptible for being cheated. So they take advantage and cheat you. So best thing is to import spices from India whole and either get it powdered or during time of cooking you make them paste. That is first class.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Crushing.
Prabhupāda: You just put the spices water, soaked in water for some time, and then in mortar and pestle you...
Dhanañjaya: Smash it.
Prabhupāda: That is very nice. And immediately you fresh prepare and put into the vegetable. It will be tasteful, and it will be beneficial. All spices are beneficial.
Prabhupāda: ...interested, just like you give somebody two kinds of vegetables and spices, ghee, and he makes a nice preparation. So people, these so-called scientists, they are like that. But we are after wherefrom the vegetable came. That is the difference.
Brahmānanda: Who supplied.
Prabhupāda: Who supplied. That is the difference. He is trying to take credit by mixing these vegetable and spices and salt and ghee, and he is expert in preparing a very nice, palatable... But we say that "Where you got the vegetables? Where you got the spices? Where you got the ghee?" And they are not concerned about that.
Prabhupāda: Britishers were advertising outside India that "Indians are uncivilized. Therefore we are making them civilized. Therefore we should stay there. Don't object." Because United Nations, they were asking, "Why you are occupying India?" So they used to forward this argument, that "These people are uncivilized. We are making them civilized." (laughter) Now, how there should be Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose? Therefore they used to suppress always. Everything Indian wanted to do, they would suppress: big businesses, this mining... They would suppress. This Morarji, Sumati Morarji, her father-in-law started that... He had to face so many impediments from the Britishers to start the shipping company. Formerly there was no shipping company, Indian. Now, before that, there was shipping, not shipping company, but navigation was there from India to Rome, Greece, Turkey, there was regular business of spices and fine cloth. Later on, this large-scale shipping industry, that was done by the Europeans. So when Indian wanted to start, they would supress. The Tata iron industry, he had to face so many difficulties. Formerly, even if you wanted to bring some iron frame, it would come from Sheffield.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Buttermilk, yes, and in this way after drinking and eating so many things, whatever balance is there, churn it and they get ghee, and that ghee is kept in stock. On the market day, they go to the city and sell it. You'll find in Vṛndāvana, so many cultivators, they have brought ghee. So the inhabitants of the city, town, they require ghee, they purchase, and with that money they get some necessities, just like some oil or some spices, salt, like this, which is not available.
Devotee (6): It's mustard oil with spices, and I am not sure what the fruit is. It may be mango, I'm not sure.
Hari-śauri: It's some kind of crude mango pickle.
Prabhupāda: Why not take little?
Devotee (6): Do you want me to try to see what it is?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee (6): Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Prabhupāda: You have taken? What is that?
Devotee (6): I can't tell.
Prabhupāda: No taste?
Devotee (6): It tastes like mustard oil and spices. I think it's mango.
Prabhupāda: They asked, "What you want to eat?" "If you can, you make first-class kacuri." That is from my childhood. My friends also did it. They'd make the first-class kacuris in my youthhood. I am fond of kacuri. Kacuri is made first class in Mathurā. Agra and Mathurā. Very, very nice. The kacuri is being made, hundreds of customers waiting. At shops, there was many shops, waiting for purchasing. And as soon as it comes out of the pan, immediately sold. There is no question of waiting. They make spice nicest. That is India's craftsmanship. Nobody will starve. If you have no business, you prepare something palatable, and people will purchase, all over India.
Hari-śauri: But variety is the spice of life.
Prabhupāda: Variety, there are qualities of varieties. Just like we enjoy varieties prasādam, and there is variety in the brothel also. Two qualities of variety. Variety is good, that's all right.
Hari-śauri: Well, sometimes we want to sit in a garden like this and sometimes we like to be inside, and other times we like to go out to the movies.
Prabhupāda: I don't go out. We do not go to the movies or to the restaurant. It is different taste. Therefore it is calculated three kinds of men-sāttvika, rājasika, tāmasika-their tendencies are different.
Prabhupāda: They will come for the tongue.
Mahāṁśa: Yes. Today the dallers (?), they liked it very spicy.
Prabhupāda: That they like, I do not know what they like. But you prepare they should come and eat.
Mahāṁśa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: I do not know what they like.
Mahāṁśa: There is a lot of sabji in the ḍāl also, today and it's hot. They like it.
Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, whatever they like, the villagers, you prepare. If you have no money, I shall pay money.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Just rice, dahl, and vegetable. That's all, nothing extraordinary.
Gurudāsa: And you put lot of spice in it or not?
Prabhupāda: No.
Gurudāsa: So that's the secret. If someone cooks for themselves... Why don't you direct it but not cook?
Prabhupāda: Yes, I'm directing and nobody learns.
Prabhupāda: Pāpī tāpī jāta chilo, hari-nāme uddharilo. That is the beginning. And He enthused Indians, "Take this knowledge and distribute." Bhārata bhūmite haila manuṣya janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). That is Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.
Rāmeśvara: That was the period when all the Europeans became very interested in traveling all over the world, and they discovered America, and they were very interested in coming to India for the spices. There was a great interest in India. Actually they say this man Columbus, he landed in America because he was looking for India, trying to cross the ocean, and he found this land America blocking his way.
Hari-śauri: That's how those islands became the West Indies, because he was looking for India, and he went West, and he hit some islands, and they call them the West Indies. Then later they went to America.
Prabhupāda: West Indies are South America.
Prabhupāda: Here there are so many nice...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because one thing we don't get many people is the Indian people to eat in the restaurant, because they are accustomed to more spices.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And unless one is expert at the... He will not cook properly spices.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So we are thinking to bring one of the cooks here to learn for a couple of months.
Prabhupāda: That's nice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because the Indians will come like anything to the restaurant if it is nicely prepared foodstuffs.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They want delicious spices.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Spicy, yes. The Western palate is bland food. They don't like too much spice.
Prabhupāda: No. They simply take boiled, little black pepper and salt. That's all. (laughter) And that is also stale meat. That is Western. And then they drink coffee and tea.
Prabhupāda: Indian.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. All Americans. The Indians don't come to our restaurant because the food is not properly spiced.
Prabhupāda: Made.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is not properly made. Actually, I don't like it. It's too bland. But for the American tastes it may be all right. But I think it's not proper. If we have a good cook who learns the cooking from here, then everyone will come.
Prabhupāda: Hm. So why not?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: These two girls, they are very fine.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I know, in New York, that is one of their complaints, the Indian people, that we don't cook spicy enough. Too bland for their palate. And we're not accustomed to that so much, hot spices. They like.
Prabhupāda: Without spices, Indians should not cook.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, they won't digest it either.
Prabhupāda: You'll be surprised how what quantity of spices toward(?) Indians. There is a Calcutta wholesale market of spices. They... Everywhere, not Calcutta... Chili, they are sold in big, big bag. We have seen in Hyderabad a spice shop, chili, large shop. And amongst the spices, the chili is most favorable.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they like it very much. You also use it.
Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone. And there are so many spices.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The spice merchants are usually pious men who become members, I have found. In any city...
Prabhupāda: They have got money.
Prabhupāda: Gujarati.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Gujarati, yeah, Gujarat. In Bombay there is a big Bombay Tri(?). Pañcadraviḍa Swami, that was his special area. He would go down there, huge spice area.
Prabhupāda: There is a special name of that place. Everyone, every poor man or rich man, must use quantity of spice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was surprised. In Bombay this one life member, very wealthy man... I thought, "Oh, this man must have many businesses." And I found that he only had one business. He simply exports cardamom. And he's a very wealthy man, and he simply exports little cardamom seeds, but such quantities, and it fetches a very good price abroad.
Prabhupāda: Yes, there are many merchants. They deal in quantity and stock huge. Nobody can compete with him.
Prabhupāda: The villagers, these grain soaked in water, they... Not cooked.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes I have seen they sell on the streets some spicy ḍāl? Hard? I think that's fried.
Prabhupāda: Last year in Washington I was there.
Prabhupāda: No, brāhmaṇa will do. Similarly, the spice merchants, they'll worship Gaṅgeśvarī. The gold merchant worships Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who would do that?
Prabhupāda: Gold merchant. The student will worship Sarasvatī. The merchant will worship Gaṇeśa, Lakṣmī.
Prabhupāda: Everything is very nice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Do you want those spices now, little digestive spice?
Prabhupāda: Hm. (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: People will just eat themselves, eat each other.
Prabhupāda: First thing is... Māṁsa. "I'll kill you. I'll eat you." That time is coming. It has already... Russia, there is no food. They are very much proud of the so-called solutions of the world—but there is no food. Pita mata pech. (?) Therefore they are coming again to religion. They are realizing. There is a line even for flesh.
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
Please send me regularly the Mango juice (dry) and Papad made by Bedekar with spices.
I hope Kirtanananda has already arrived destination. I shall be glad to hear from him. Hope you are all well and performing Kirtana regularly. Kirtanananda has learned one tune to be sung in the morning which please practice as far as possible. Brahmananda must attend his office timely so that he may not be called for explanation or reprimanded. Now Kirtanananda is there and I think there will be no difficulty in the management. I have received the cover of the record and hope to receive the records as early as possible.
In SB the environment of a child in the womb is described by Narada Muni as a very awful place and after nine months when the child has developed its body and consciousness to some degree the entrapped soul begs to Lord Krishna to set me free and promises that in this life he will be a devotee. At that time the baby is allowed to be born but, unfortunately during the Kali yuga as soon as the child is come out of the womb he is in 90% of the cases he is not given any facility to further its KC. However in your case Krishna has shown this soul great mercy. The Bhagavat also says that no one should become the parent unless he can deliver the child from the clutches of death. So it is your duty to make this baby KC so that he may not have to take birth again. My advice for the present is that during your time of pregnancy you should eat very simple foods, hot or spicy foods are not to be taken and also sexual relations are forbidden. All blessings to Hamsaduta and yourself.
If you come here it will be a nice idea, but you should come with money, purchase the goods and book them immediately. Air cargo will be too costly, we have already sent 1 tanpura to Mukunda and the cost was 106 Rs. but air cargo was 1,100 Rs. So you cannot do business by paying 11 times more than the cost for freight. Regarding books I've already consigned along with mrdangams harmoniums karatalas and beads & bags. I have arranged for supplying incense with a gentleman here and I'm taking samples with me. Similarly I've arranged for sending spices and frankincense. The contact with MacMillan should be finished before you leave. Your journey, as you have suggested is important for your touring in Europe. We cannot expect any tangible help from Miss Bowtell. She is not my godsister but a disciple of my godbrother. The best thing will be to start a center independently.
I've also noted down your program for European tour. I am very glad that you are preparing the ground work for starting our centers in London, Amsterdam and Berlin. It may be that we can add another in Tokyo. Yes, we must have hundreds of such branches for preaching Krishna Consciousness all over the world. I have already made arrangements for supply of Saris, incense, musical instruments, mrdangams, karatalas, spices, etc. I am also arranging to print 2 volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam in Delhi. Acyutananda and Ramanuja are going back to Vrindaban on the 15th after sending me off for San Francisco.
My first concern is that you are not eating well. It is a case of anxiety. Please don't eat dal and spices. Simply boiled vegetables, rice and a few capatis. Take butter separately and eat only as much as you may require for taste. Drink milk twice, morning and evening. Don't eat at night. Eat some fruits in the evening. Use some digestive pill after each principle meal. I think soda-mint tablets will help. Be careful about your health first. This information is not only for you but all my noble sons. I am an old man. I may live or die it does not matter. But you must live for long time to push on this Krishna Consciousness movement.
1969 Correspondence
I understand you are now expecting a nice child for raising in Krishna Consciousness. In this connection, you should avoid any spicy foods so long the child is within the womb. So far this soy sauce, I have no personal experience with it. I understand soy beans are nice, but I do not know about this soy sauce. So far natural childbirth is concerned natural delivery is possible if we keep ourselves naturally. And so far I know that a pregnant woman should not eat any pungent food stuffs, she should not move in cars, and she should not sit idly. She should move and do some physical work. These are the general rules and regulations I have seen in India, and they have natural delivery. But so far your country is concerned, and especially the situation of the women here, that is a different thing. I cannot say definitely what is to be done. And under the circumstances, the best thing is to consult a doctor as they usually do. And after all, Krishna is the ultimate master, so if we keep the natural habits and depend on Krishna, then everything will be done nicely without any difficulty.
1970 Correspondence
Regarding your first question, while Lord Jagannatha is on His Ratha, and for the duration of the festivities for eight days following, bhuni kicrie may be offered along with other preparations. So for Rathayatra day feast should consist of bhuni kicrie which you make by first frying the dahl and rice in ghee. Also fry the vegetable with little ghee and massala. Then after the kicrie is cooked add some sugar, not enough to make it sweet, but just a little sweet taste, and some nutmeg, cinnamon, and other sweet spices. In this way it is like push pana. Other preparations may be a fruit salad, sweet rice, puris, a chutney, and a vegetable which is neither wet nor dry.
1971 Correspondence
The suggested ceremonial gifts for the Spiritual Master are as follows: grains; fruits; spices; ghee; flowers; clothings and garments; bedding, shoes, umbrella; asana; sacred thread; utensils; lamp; bead bag; kunti (neck) beads; incense; ornaments; money. No, the third floor is not too high for my quarters. When I was in Montreal I was on the fourth floor.
When Arjuna left his family connections, he went to the Himalayas. The picture may be shown of Arjuna going step by step to the Himalayas; Yes, occasionally devotees may be pictured with full head of hair instead of sikha. You should use your own discretion; the garb can be Vedic or "American." There is no harm. Dress has nothing to do with the soul; Foods in the mode of passion are those that are very rich, such as kachori, halava, rasgulah, etc. They are also foods too much spicy. All this is described there in Bhagavad-gita.
So far as controlling "kam" or lust, best thing is don't eat any highly spiced food stuffs and always think of Krishna. Chant regularly and get yourself married as soon as possible, and live a peaceful householder's life in Krishna Consciousness.
In answer to Krishna Devi's questions: I have not received your cook book as of yet; mustard seed, etc.—these are exciting spices and should be avoided; Vegetable ghee is all right if real ghee is not available or easily acquired.
So far my coming to Israel, I will be glad to come but I do not know yet if it is possible. But when my program is fixed up I will let you know, probably by the first week in August.
Eating is the basic principle for keeping one's health. Eating too much or too little causes disease. Therefore Bhagavad-gita says yuktahara vihara. Simply eat to keep fit. That is one important business of those in Krishna consciousness. Generally hepatitis is a disease on account of eating too much fatty and spicy foods. So we must use always simple food stuff and a little milk. Not very much puris and halava and sweet balls and sweet rice, like that.
I have not heard for many days about Kuala Lumpur activities and also Hong Kong. I hope you might have received news from them. So I wish that you may stay for some time in Delhi to recoup your health. Delhi climate is now very good. So you take in the morning sugar candy juice. Just soak some sugar candy overnight in water and take early in the morning and that will help you. Don't take any fatty vegetables (too much ghee and spices). Take green vegetables in salad with lime juice. Green papaya boiled is also nice.
1973 Correspondence
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 8, 1973 and have noted the contents. With regard to this problem I recommend that in your diet you take no spices. Furthermore you should see that the bowels are cleared daily.
| Page Title: | Spices |
| Compiler: | Rishab, Mayapur |
| Created: | 26 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=8, CC=11, OB=4, Lec=14, Con=25, Let=14 |
| No. of Quotes: | 76 |