Mantra before taking food

shuvo · **Mantra before taking food -** 06-24-2006, 04:53 AM

can anyone say me the mantra which we should chant before taking food?

[Chant and be happy]

**haribol -** 06-26-2006, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuvo

can anyone say me the mantra which we should chant before taking food?

[Chant and be happy]

Prasada Sevaya

sharira avidya-jal
jodendriya tahe kal,
jive phele vishaya-sagore
tara madhye jihwa ati, lobamoy sudurmati
ta'ke jeta kathina samsare

krishna baro doyamoy, koribare jihwa jay,
swa-prasad-anna dilo bhai
sei annamrita pao,radha-krishna-guna gao,
preme dako chaitanya-nitai

TRANSLATION

O Lord, this material body is a place of ignorance, and the senses are a network of paths to death. Somehow, we have fallen into this ocean of material sense enjoyment, and of all the senses the tongue is the most voracious and uncontrollable; it is very difficult to control the tongue in this world. But You, dear Krsna, are very kind to us and have given us such nice prasada, just to control the tongue. Now we take this prasada to our full satisfaction and glorify you Lord- Radha and Krsna- and in love call for the help of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda.

06-27-2006, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guest

Prasada Sevaya

sharira avidya-jal
jodendriya tahe kal,
jive phele vishaya-sagore
tara madhye jihwa ati, lobamoy sudurmati
ta'ke jeta kathina samsare

krishna baro doyamoy, koribare jihwa jay,
swa-prasad-anna dilo bhai
sei annamrita pao,radha-krishna-guna gao,
preme dako chaitanya-nitai

TRANSLATION

O Lord, this material body is a place of ignorance, and the senses are a network of paths to death. Somehow, we have fallen into this ocean of material sense enjoyment, and of all the senses the tongue is the most voracious and uncontrollable; it is very difficult to control the tongue in this world. But You, dear Krsna, are very kind to us and have given us such nice prasada, just to control the tongue. Now we take this prasada to our full satisfaction and glorify you Lord- Radha and Krsna- and in love call for the help of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda.

Should this long prayer be spoken before every meal? Is it ok to say this prayer in English instead of Sanskrit? Does it have to be said word for word or can it be paraphrased?

madhavachari · 06-27-2006, 05:26 AM

This is not a mantra, but verses in Bengali.

gs_gnanambigai · 06-27-2006, 07:32 AM

u must chant this as a token of thanks for giving food 2day & also as a request for giving food in the forth coming days..........

anna poorne sadha poorne
shankara praana vallabhey
gnyaana vairaakya siddhyartham
bikshaan dhehi paarvathi !!!!

rgds,
ambi

ramkish42 · 06-27-2006, 02:43 PM

The best is not to chant a mantra before taking food but to dedicate the food to lord in heart.

Based of class one belongs to mantras changes, Hindus with yajnopavitha does not chant mantra before taking food but should offer food to praana, apaana etc

06-27-2006, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramkish42

The best is not to chant a mantra before taking food but to dedicate the food to lord in heart.

Based of class one belongs to mantras changes, Hindus with yajnopavitha does not chant mantra before taking food but should offer food to praana, apaana etc

06-28-2006, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramkish42

Based of class one belongs to mantras changes, Hindus with yajnopavitha does not chant mantra before taking food but should offer food to praana, apaana etc

Non-Indians who follow a Vedic tradition do not have any class (caste). Caste desiginations are an Indian custom, so how would non-asian Hindus who have no caste distinction, deal with the change of mantras?

shuvo · **Re..................................... -** 06-28-2006, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madhavachari

This is not a mantra, but verses in Bengali.

This is a mantra, and a verse in Sanskrit.

I found this mantra in a website.
Source:-http://www.krishna.com/main.php?id=336#sarira

Jahnava Nitai Das · 06-28-2006, 09:25 AM

Mantra is that which delivers the mind. Praying to Krishna before eating delivers the mind, so in some sense it can be seen as mantra. Vedic mantras have different criteria, such as bija, devata, rishi, chanda, etc.

vedamoorthyks · 06-30-2006, 09:49 AM

Before we take food, pray to God, for giving you the food to eat.

It is only His will that we take the food everytime we sit for meals.

There is no need to recite a mantra.

It is only our prayer that sustain us.

ramkish42 · 07-04-2006, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guest

Non-Indians who follow a Vedic tradition do not have any class (caste). Caste desiginations are an Indian custom, so how would non-asian Hindus who have no caste distinction, deal with the change of mantras?

I had categorically mentioned that People who wear Yajnopavita can recite some mantras.

For those who know want to chant some mantra before taking a food, honest mental offering would suffice, if still required can remember the meaning of the mantra in instances of absence of yajnopavita

vrajavasi · 07-06-2006, 07:29 AM

Radhe Krishna,

While taking every handful of food into your mouth say "Govinda" and take the food.

Radhe Krishna

yogivivek · **brahman -** 07-09-2006, 01:53 AM

''bramarpanam brahma havir brahmagnau brahmana hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyam
brahma karma samadhina''

optional for closing:

om santih santih santih
om sri gurubhyo namah
hari om

translation:

''brahman is the giving, brahman the food offering;
by brahman it is offered into the brahman fire,
brahman is that wich is to be atained
by complete absorption (samadhi) in brahman action''

we use it in amritapuri (ammas ashram in kerala, india)

Gopaladasa Mulash · 07-09-2006, 11:00 PM

Though indeed the verses are known as poetry, they are also used by different temples as mantra, to deliver the mind, to receive the prasadum, as blessed by Our Lord. Leastwise, this is my understanding, as taught to me, in Sanskrit, many years ago, in the Vedic Temple of my education. I have used it as such, daily, prior to consumption, indeed, prior to preparation also. That some would treat it otherwise is of course no offense, but likewise, to regard it as a mantra is also no offense; particularly if it helps the weary to their goal.

raga · 07-10-2006, 01:26 AM

The zarIra avidya-jal is technically a pada, a piece of Bengali poetry. I can assure everyone it most certainly is not in Sanskrit, and the word mantra is not customarily used for the such, regardless of how one might explain the meaning of the word mantra.

In Vrindavan at festivals, Gaudiya Vaisnavas commonly chant a rather lengthy Jaya-dhvani before taking prasad. Then, there's another cute chant:

rAma kaha sukhe bhaje, kRSNa kaha duHkha yAYa |
mahA-prasAda pAo sAdhu, prema prIti lAgAi ||

“Say Rama and worship with joy, say Krishna and miseries flee.
O saints, take the most glorious prasad – prema and priti are available!”

That is in Bengali, too. One may also chant or remember any other songs or verses, such as the descriptions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's praising Jagannatha's maha-prasada in Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya-lila, chapter 16.

07-11-2006, 09:22 AM

Before having food, the following mantras need to be chanted..

1) OM BHUR BHUVAH SUVAH
TAT SAVITURVARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI
DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAAT

This is called Gaayatri mantra - gaayantam trayate iti gayatri - ie, that which protects it's chanter is gayatri.

2) take some water in hand, and spill it over the place, enrircling the food in the anticlockwise direction.

while doing so, chant the Gaayatri.

3) then take small bits of food each and put it in your mouth.
Each time, chant the below mantras.

OM Pranaaya Swaaha
OM Apanaaya Swaaha
OM Vyanaaya Swaaha
OM Udanaaya Swaaha
OM Samanaaya Swaaha

Finally, OM Brahmane Swaaha
and then Brahmana AAthma Amritathvaaya.

4) Start taking full morsels of food. While eating food, it is desirable that you keep in mind God and His Vibhutis. (what I do is, ponder over the meaning of the holy names in Vishnu Sahasranaam)

5) At the end, sip a bit of water, enough to wet your throat, and chant the below mantra.

Amrithaapidhaanamasi. (let this food confer immortality to me)

If you require further clarifications, let me know.

Sahasraarchi

yogivivek · 07-11-2006, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sahasraarchi

Before having food, the following mantras need to be chanted..

1) OM BHUR BHUVAH SUVAH
TAT SAVITURVARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI
DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAAT

This is called Gaayatri mantra - gaayantam trayate iti gayatri - ie, that which protects it's chanter is gayatri.

2) take some water in hand, and spill it over the place, enrircling the food in the anticlockwise direction.

while doing so, chant the Gaayatri.

3) then take small bits of food each and put it in your mouth.
Each time, chant the below mantras.

OM Pranaaya Swaaha
OM Apanaaya Swaaha
OM Vyanaaya Swaaha
OM Udanaaya Swaaha
OM Samanaaya Swaaha

Finally, OM Brahmane Swaaha
and then Brahmana AAthma Amritathvaaya.

4) Start taking full morsels of food. While eating food, it is desirable that you keep in mind God and His Vibhutis. (what I do is, ponder over the meaning of the holy names in Vishnu Sahasranaam)

5) At the end, sip a bit of water, enough to wet your throat, and chant the below mantra.

Amrithaapidhaanamasi. (let this food confer immortality to me)

If you require further clarifications, let me know.

Sahasraarchi

WOW

you are a serius one!!!! lol

shuvo · **Hare Krishna -** 07-12-2006, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sahasraarchi

Before having food, the following mantras need to be chanted..

1) OM BHUR BHUVAH SUVAH
TAT SAVITURVARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI
DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAAT

This is called Gaayatri mantra - gaayantam trayate iti gayatri - ie, that which protects it's chanter is gayatri.

2) take some water in hand, and spill it over the place, enrircling the food in the anticlockwise direction.

while doing so, chant the Gaayatri.

3) then take small bits of food each and put it in your mouth.
Each time, chant the below mantras.

OM Pranaaya Swaaha
OM Apanaaya Swaaha
OM Vyanaaya Swaaha
OM Udanaaya Swaaha
OM Samanaaya Swaaha

Finally, OM Brahmane Swaaha
and then Brahmana AAthma Amritathvaaya.

4) Start taking full morsels of food. While eating food, it is desirable that you keep in mind God and His Vibhutis. (what I do is, ponder over the meaning of the holy names in Vishnu Sahasranaam)

5) At the end, sip a bit of water, enough to wet your throat, and chant the below mantra.

Amrithaapidhaanamasi. (let this food confer immortality to me)

If you require further clarifications, let me know.

Sahasraarchi

Is it really necessary to chant so many mantras, or we can just take the name of God. It's really too many,.....

can I just take the name of Lord Krishna and thanks him in our language for providing us the food.

Hare Krishna,.........

raga · 07-12-2006, 07:16 AM

I would suggest that you actually put the foods on a separate plate and bring it to an altar with a picture or murti of Sri Krishna and offer it there. If you are not diksita, you may just chant the maha-mantra and with a prayerful spirit ask for the Lord to partake of the meal. Then take his remnants. This is the most beneficial method from the angle of bhakti. You may or may not chant prayers before partaking of the meal -- that is secondary to the importance of directly offering it first.

As is evident by now, there are plenty of diverging traditions. You would then have to qualify the "we" in "mantra which we should chant" -- who are the "we", in which tradition?