Cooking for Krsna

Expressions researched:
"cooking for krsna" |"cook for krsna" |"cooked for krsna"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

This chanting means always remembering Kṛṣṇa. Cooking, I am cooking for Kṛṣṇa, I am typing for Kṛṣṇa, I am going to preach for Kṛṣṇa, I'm distributing Back to Godhead for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968: So, one has to come to perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness some way or other. That is perfection. That is everything. If one always thinks of Kṛṣṇa, then he is perfect. We should not forget. We have presented so many formulas. Why? Not the formulas are important, but the formulas will help me to remember Kṛṣṇa always. Just like you are going to sell our magazines. So this magazine selling or taking some contribution is not our business. Our business is that we are spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, people are hearing something about Kṛṣṇa. And because we are helping, we are also hearing. We are also benefiting. When you speak somebody about Kṛṣṇa, then I hear also Kṛṣṇa. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam [SB 7.5.23]. The first preliminary steps, hearing and chanting, is going on. So in this way we shall take all opportunities so that twenty-four hours, whether awakened or sleeping, we shall always think of Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. This chanting means always remembering Kṛṣṇa—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma. Cooking, I am cooking for Kṛṣṇa, I am typing for Kṛṣṇa, I am going to preach for Kṛṣṇa, I'm distributing Back to Godhead for Kṛṣṇa. In this way (laughs) always remember Kṛṣṇa, that's all. That will make you perfect. Yes?

Cooking for Kṛṣṇa, that is bhakti-yoga, and cooking for yourself for your sense gratification, that is karma.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Devotee: We are absorbed in performing bhakti-yoga, devotional service. Now you stated in the lecture that the purport of bhakti-yoga is that our real nature is spirit soul, whereas in jñāna-yoga is of the mind, and karma-yoga is the activities of the body. Now in our service in bhakti-yoga, how... I don't exactly understand if we actually are the spirit soul because...

Prabhupāda: Just give me some practical example. What you are doing?

Devotee: Preparing prasādam.

Prabhupāda: So it is not bhakti-yoga? Why don't you understand? Your prasādam you are not cooking for yourself. You are cooking for Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee: Yeah, well, what I'm getting at is we're performing actions with our body.

Prabhupāda: But first of all try to understand this, this cooking... If you are cooking for Kṛṣṇa, that is bhakti-yoga, and if you are cooking for yourself, for your sense gratification, that is karma. The same process. Why don't you take the example of Arjuna? For himself, he was considering, "Whether I shall fight or not." But as soon as he That is bhakti-yoga. So you can perform bhakti-yoga by fighting, by cooking, by going to the office, everything, if that purpose is for Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti-yoga. Is it clear?

You will feel happy when you do everything for Kṛṣṇa , includes cooking for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974: You establish Kṛṣṇa at home. This center, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness center, what is the purpose? You can also establish at home Deity. You can also perform the Deity worship. You can also perform kīrtana at home. You can also read Bhagavad-gītā at home. It is not that we are, we have made this business that you come here and pay something and we profit by your payment. No. It is education, how one should be satisfied by accepting kṛṣṇa-prasādam, for working Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be feeling satisfaction. You do business for Kṛṣṇa, you do your occupational duty for Kṛṣṇa, you cook for Kṛṣṇa, you offer to Kṛṣṇa, take prasādam of Kṛṣṇa. You will feel very happy. That is the description. Yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ.

Think of Kṛṣṇa. We have got this hand—wash the temple or cook for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969: You are serving Kṛṣṇa, that means you are doing. Serving means doing. What do you mean by serving? Actually when you serve somebody, are you are not doing something. You are engaged in serving Kṛṣṇa how? You are going to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you are cooking, you are cleansing, you are so many, doing something. So helping Kṛṣṇa means doing. Helping Kṛṣṇa does not mean you sit down tightly. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness activities. Whatever asset you have got to work, utilize it for Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti. Now we have got, what assets we have got. We have got this mind. All right, think of Kṛṣṇa. We have got this hand—wash the temple or cook for Kṛṣṇa. We have got the legs—go to the temple of Kṛṣṇa. We have got this nose—Oh, smell the flowers offered to Kṛṣṇa. So we can engage. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness engage means working, activity. Arjuna, he was declining to act. And Kṛṣṇa was enthusing him to act. This is the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not mean that no work. To engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to work— for Kṛṣṇa.

A person who is cooking for Kṛṣṇa, he is in yoga system.

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969: Devotee: Verse thirty-five: "The Blessed Lord said: O mighty armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by constant practice and by detachment." Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes." Kṛṣṇa does not say that it is not difficult. Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, it is difficult." But it is possible by constant practice. This constant practice is to engage oneself in something which reminds as Kṛṣṇa. Do something. Therefore we have so many activities. Not only kīrtana, but temple activities, prasāda activities, publication activities, so many activities. Everyone is engaged in some activities and Kṛṣṇa is the central point. Therefore a person who is typing for Kṛṣṇa, he is in yoga system. A person who is cooking for Kṛṣṇa, he is in yoga system. A person who is chanting in the street, distributing our literature, he's also in Kṛṣṇa. So by ordinary habits we are engaged, as in our material life we were engaged in so many things. If we mold our life in connection with Kṛṣṇa, then in every activity there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness and therefore this yoga perfection is there automatically. Yes, go on.

There is foodstuff offered. It is cooked for Kṛṣṇa, and decorate with flower.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966: "Swamiji was spoke, speaking like this, and how does it apply in my life?"... We should remember this. We should not forget just after leaving this place. And if there is any question, any doubt, we should place before this assembly. I am inquiring. I am inviting you for any question because we are trying to understand a very nice and great science. So it should be understood with all critical study. We don't request you to take it or accept it blindly. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. And pāda-sevanam. Pāda-sevanam means to rise early in the morning, open the door of temple and wipe it out, all the dust, and give some light. The pāda-sevanam. Arcanaṁ vandanam. Then there is foodstuff offered. It is cooked for Kṛṣṇa, and decorate with flower. So many things there are, arcana-vidhi.

People do not know that they are eating sinful reactions by cooking for themselves, not for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Delhi, September 22, 1974: Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt [Bg. 3.13]. Generally, people, they cook for themselves nice, palatable foodstuffs for eating and enjoying. But they do not know that they are eating all sinful reactions. Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt. What is the difference between this house and the next house? Here we cook for Kṛṣṇa, not for ourselves. Therefore we are being saved. Otherwise, if you don't cook for Kṛṣṇa, if you cook for yourself, then it is, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

What is the difficulty in cooking for Kṛṣṇa?

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974: That is stated in the Bhagavad... Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām. These boys and girls who are in bhakti-yoga, they are satataṁ kīrtayanto kṛṣṇam. They are going... Sometimes we go to make membership with these books. So we have to speak about Kṛṣṇa. Satataṁ kīrtayantaḥ. They are cooking for Kṛṣṇa. They are dancing for Kṛṣṇa. They are singing for Kṛṣṇa. They are talking for Kṛṣṇa. They are going round the world for Kṛṣṇa. Everything for Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness and bhakti-yoga. Everyone can adopt these principles. Where is the difficulty?

Those who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness spend their money to satisfy their senses and those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness dovetail their activities for Kṛṣṇa's service; cook for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972: So Sūta Gosvāmī said, nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ: don't spend your hard-earned money for sense gratification. Then one may say that "After all, we have got this body, and we have to eat, we have to sleep. And because we have got senses, the senses must be a little bit satisfied." No. Kṛṣṇa says, Sūta Gosvāmī says, it is not that you shall stop. That is already explained. I, the other day: nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. You eat in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Just like here, in this temple, what we are doing? We are also cooking. Others are also cooking at house. Then what is the difference? The difference is that we are cooking for Kṛṣṇa; others, those who have no Kṛṣṇa consciousness—I don't say everyone—they are cooking for themselves. Just like the hotel. In a hotel they are cooking for the customer palatable dishes. So that is the difference. But Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "Dovetail with Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is yukta vairāgya. Because in this human life we require to develop jñāna and vairāgya. So if we dovetail our activities for Kṛṣṇa's service, that is yukta vairāgya. So here also it is said that nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ. We should not earn money for sense gratification. But Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "Dovetail with Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is yukta vairāgya. Because in this human life we require to develop jñāna and vairāgya. So if we dovetail our activities for Kṛṣṇa's service, that is yukta vairāgya. So here also it is said that nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ. We should not earn money for sense gratification.

Anyone who is cooking for Kṛṣṇa, he is in samādhi.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969: So anyone who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, he is in samādhi. Anyone who is cooking for Kṛṣṇa, he is in samādhi. Anyones who is typing for Kṛṣṇa, he is in samādhi. Anyone who is working in the field for Kṛṣṇa, he is in samādhi. Because his consciousness is that "I am doing here for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa." Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Anuśīlanam, cultivation of Kṛṣṇa knowledge favorably, not unfavorably. Then it is perfection. Bhaktir uttamā. Ānukūlyena. Anyābhilaṣitā-śūnyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. When you cook, if you think, "Oh, this nice thing is being cooked. I shall eat it very nicely," then it is not Kṛṣṇa. But while cooking, if you think, "Let me do it very nicely so that Kṛṣṇa will taste it," it is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The same thing. Activities is the same, but the consciousness is different. That is samādhi.

One of the businesses of the temple is to cook for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973: What is the business of the temple? Simply to worship. Bring flowers for Kṛṣṇa, bring nice foodstuff for Kṛṣṇa, cook for Kṛṣṇa, offer it to Kṛṣṇa. Then whatever remnants is there you eat, take kṛṣṇa-prasādam, glorify Kṛṣṇa. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam [SB 7.5.23].

The first symptom of the business of Gosvāmīs is that they are always busy doing services for Kṛṣṇa. One example is cooking for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974: Because this place was excavated by the gosvāmīs, ṣaḍ-gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī came here, Rūpa Gosvāmī came here. And then other Gosvāmīs, Jīva Gosvāmī, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, all joined together for executing the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu—to write books about Kṛṣṇa, His pastimes, His līlā; very, I mean to say, highly spiritual understanding books they wrote. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. This is the business of the Gosvāmīs, the symptoms. The first symptom is, kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. They were always busy-Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana means... Just like we perform kīrtana with khol, karatāla, this is also kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. And to write books, that is also kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. And to read books, that is also kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Not that simply this kīrtana is kīrtana. If you write books about Kṛṣṇa, if you read books about Kṛṣṇa, if you talk about Kṛṣṇa, you think of Kṛṣṇa, you worship Kṛṣṇa, you cook for Kṛṣṇa, you eat for Kṛṣṇa—so that is kṛṣṇa-kīrtana.

Our central point is Kṛṣṇa, the only enjoyer. If we are cooking, it is for Kṛṣṇa, not that we are cooking for our purpose.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971: The peace formula is that one should understand that Kṛṣṇa is the only enjoyer. Just like in this temple, our central point is Kṛṣṇa. If we are cooking, it is for Kṛṣṇa, not that we are cooking for our purpose. Ultimately, although we shall eat the prasādam, but when we cook, we don't think that we are cooking for ourself. We are cooking for Kṛṣṇa.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa and we offer it first of all to Kṛṣṇa. Same as cooking, we cook food and offer it to Kṛṣṇa first. In this way, there is no sin, no suffering.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973: You cannot manufacture rice, dhal or wheat in your factory, neither fruit, nor milk. It is given by Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. He's giving. One has to acknowledge, "Yes, it is given by Kṛṣṇa. It is Kṛṣṇa's. So let me offer it first of all to Kṛṣṇa, then take the prasādam." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Where is the difficulty? Everyone can do it. But they'll not do it. They'll satisfy the tongue. That is forbidden. Ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt, bhuñjate te aghaṁ pāpām [Bg. 3.13]. So if you are eating, eating simply sin, how we can be happy? We have to suffer. Bhuñjate te aghaṁ pāpām ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt. So who is cooking for Kṛṣṇa? Nobody's cooking. Except a Kṛṣṇa's devotee, nobody's cooking. He's pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt. He's thinking, "Now this sandeṣa, rasagullā, purī and meat and chicken, I shall eat very voraciously." So you are, he's eating sinful, sins, all sins. Aghaṁ pāpā. And he has to suffer. He has to suffer. Therefore people are suffering. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everyone must suffer. That is the laws of nature.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

When you are cooking, it is practically thinking. You are cooking for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

Guest (1): Forget yourself?

Prabhupāda: No. We don't forget. We always remember that we are servants of God. We don't forget. We forget this material nonsense. That's all. But don't forget ourself. Our identity is there. We are all servants of God, Kṛṣṇa dāsa. And this is real ego. So ego is not dissolved. Ego is there, but it is purified. It is purified. Yes?

Kīrtanānanda: Well, er, it's so difficult to control the senses. So we're engaging all of our senses in chanting and dancing and so forth. Now, the thinking mind is most difficult. So we can engage that in thinking of Kṛṣṇa. So...

Prabhupāda: Well, when you are chanting, that is thinking, practically thinking. When you are chanting, you are practically thinking. When you are cooking, it is practically thinking. You are cooking for Kṛṣṇa. You are typing for Kṛṣṇa. You are chanting Kṛṣṇa's name.

The Māyāvādī philosopher takes it for granted that these devotees' activities, like cooking for Kṛṣṇa is one of the mayic activities.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.19-31 -- San Francisco, January 20, 1967: So the Bhāgavata says, simply to understand "This is not Brahman, this is māyā, this is not Brahman," if you go on speculating and without any interest for devotional service or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then teṣām eṣa kleśala eva śiṣyate. So their advancement in self-realization is simply troublesome. Troublesome. They simply take the trouble of discriminating that "This is māyā, this is Brahman. This is false, this is reality." Because they have no other engagement. For a devotee there are so many engagements, but the Māyāvādī philosopher takes it for granted that these devotees' activities... "They are cooking for Kṛṣṇa or they are offering prasādam to Kṛṣṇa, they are decorating Kṛṣṇa, or they are singing for Kṛṣṇa, glorifying Kṛṣṇa—these are all mayic activities," they say. Because this bhakti-mārga is not appealing to them.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

There is no sin, because it is being cooked for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1970: The difference of cooking here in this temple and in ordinary house is that in ordinary house they're cooking sins. The cooking, it appears that the same, "These people are also cooking," but this cooking and that cooking is different. Here there is no sin, because it is being cooked for Kṛṣṇa.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

When you come to the Kṛṣṇa platform you serve Kṛṣṇa with free will, like cooking for Kṛṣṇa, not that you become a stone.

Morning Walk -- December 13, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prajāpati: Kṛṣṇa has given us free will to choose or reject the godly life. Should the government take away that free will of whether they choose to...

Prabhupāda: No, that free will is not to be given. It is already there. Rather, Kṛṣṇa says He has given free will, but His personal advice is: "I am now talking to you the most confidential words." Sarva-guhyatamam. "You stop your so-called free will. Just surrender to Me." This is the most confidential. "If you surrender to Me, that is good for you. But if you go on keeping your free will you'll not be happy." There is also free will. When you come to the Kṛṣṇa platform you serve Kṛṣṇa with free will, not that you become a stone. There is free will. Just like our devotees they are dressing Kṛṣṇa nicely, is there no free will? They are cooking for Kṛṣṇa. Is there no free will? The free will is there. The Māyāvādī philosopher says, the Buddha philosopher says, that "Stop this free will, and then you become happy."

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Everyone is sinful if it is not cooked for Kṛṣṇa. It is not that we are propagating that you become vegetarian. We are propagating that you become Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our propaganda.

Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Devotee (2): Why is meat-eating sin?

Hari-śauri: He said he can understand meat-eating is sin, but when we are doing our ordinary work and normal functions, aren't we killing so many other things? So is that sin or not?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is also sin. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that whatever you eat, bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt [Bg. 3.13]. Anyone is cooking something, meat or vegetables, for his own eating, he is eating only sin. It is not that the vegetarians are not sinful and the meat-eaters are sinful. Everyone is sinful if it is not cooked for Kṛṣṇa. It is not that we are propagating that you become vegetarian. We are propagating that you become Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our propaganda. But because we are trying to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, we offer something to Kṛṣṇa. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. So not patraṁ puṣpam, whatever within this group available, fruits, flowers, grains, milk, so we offer to Kṛṣṇa. Yajña. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ [Bg. 3.9]. If you do not perform yajña, then you will be bound up by the resultant action. So this is yajña, to offer to Kṛṣṇa.

Train all devotees how to cook for Kṛṣṇa nicely. All the gopīs, they are engaged for cooking for Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation on Farm Management -- December 10, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: I shall go. I shall speak. Give them very nice food. From tomorrow I will... If there are rascals, you'll bring. I will pay nice cook. Make varieties, very palatable food. Kichranna,(?) puṣpānna, rice, there are so many preparations. Paramānna. You do not make paramānna, kichranna,(?) puṣpānna. There are varieties of rice preparation. They know, the southern people, with curd, yogurt...

Mahāṁśa: Tamarind.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Tamarind, so many preparations. So make like that. Why dog eating? They are not dogs. You cannot expect, because you are giving some dog eatable food, they will come. There must be one first class cook, and all our men should learn. There's no need of simply keeping unduly: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, and sleeping. We don't want such men. Make a show. And do not know anything how to preach. Useless. The householder, the women should be engaged in cooking. Their children should be gathered together. One man... I have said many times, all the children should be taken in a room by one woman, and others should be engaged in the cooking department. I have seen it. Your country, America. When hey go to church, all the childrens are gathered together in a room. Is it not?

Devotees: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And one or two men take care. And others, they go. Similarly, children they must have, so... Not that everyone is children busy, "I cannot do." They cannot do if they are busy with children. What is the use of keeping such householders? Let them live outside, earn their money. Women business is to cleanse, to cut the vegetables, to cook, what is this? They're simply busy with the children? And they have started their mission for maintaining some children, and useless women. You should organize. Rādhikāra pakka anna vividha byañjana. All the gopīs, they are engaged for cooking for Kṛṣṇa. Mother Yaśodā will call them, "You young girls, you can cook very nicely." rādhikāra pakka anna vividha byañjana parama ānande kṛṣṇa korena bhojana Do you understand Bengali?

Mahāṁśa: No.

Prabhupāda: Rādhikā with Her friends, they are cooking. And they cook so nicely that parama ānande kṛṣṇa korena bhojana. With great pleasure Kṛṣṇa is eating. And that we have to distribute. Not dog's food. You do not know what is the purpose of this mission. No need. Here is a good chance, don't spoil it. Produce food. Make profit, you spend for Kṛṣṇa. Train all devotees how to cook. All women. Don't distribute dog's eatable things. Kṛṣṇa prasādam.