REGARDING PRASADAM :
Offering Grains to the Spiritual Master and Lord Caitanya :
In a conversation, Srila Prabhupada
said that grains should not be offered to either the spiritual master or Lord Caitanya and His associates on Ekadasi.
Devotee: On Ekadasi, we can offer the Deity grains?
Prabhupada:
Oh, yes. But not guru. Ekadasi
observed by jiva-tattva, not by Vishnu. We are fasting for clearing our material disease, but Radha-Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu,
Caitanya Mahaprabhu also may not be offered grains because He is playing the part of a devotee. Only Radha-Krsna, Jagannatha
can be offered grains. Otherwise, Guru-Gauranga, no. And the prasadam should not be taken by anyone. It should be kept for
the next day. [Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, Tokyo, April 22, 1972] If there is only one plate for all Deities and the
main Deity is Krsna or Jagannatha, grains should be offered as on normal days. If the main Deities are Gaura-Nitai, offer
only non-grain preparations.* It is best to replace the normally offered grain preparations with non-grain preparations so
that there are the same number of preparations as on normal days. If, however, grain preparations are being cooked for Krsna
or Jagannatha, it may be difficult to cook additional non-grain preparations for the spiritual master and Gaura-Nitai. In
that case serve larger quantities of the non-grain preparations to the spiritual master and Gaura-Nitai, and prepare the offering
plate for Krsna or Jagannatha as on normal days. * If you are cooking for a restaurant where grains will be served on Ekadasi,
you may offer the grains to Gaura-Nitai with the understanding that They will offer the bhoga to Krsna.
What Constitutes "Grains" on Ekadasi?
Srila Prabhupada specified foodgrains and
beans (pulses) as foods that must be avoided on Ekadasi. One may use spices for cooking, although mustard seeds should be
avoided.* You should not use powdered asafatoeda (hing), since it (generally) contains grains. Sesame seeds are also to be
avoided, except on Satila Ekadasi, when they may be offered and eaten. Do not use any cooking ingredients that might be mixed
with grains, such as ghee that has been used to fry puris, or spices touched by hands dusted with chapati flour. * Someone
who is very strictly observing Ekadasi should avoid all spices except pepper, rock salt and cumin. He should also eschew certain
vegetables, such as tomatoes, cauliflower, eggplant, and leafy vegetables. Temple kitchens need not follow these strictures,
since Srila Prabhupada did not establish them. Individual devotees may observe these rules if they choose, either making their
own arrangements for cooking on Ekadasi, eating uncooked foods such as fruit, or observing full fasting. These arrangements
should not interfere with the temple cooking schedule.
Mahaprasadam on Ekadasi:
On Ekadasi, strict followers of Vaishnava regulations avoid
eating any mahaprasada from an offering that includes grains. The shastra explains that the papa-purusha (sin personified)
takes shelter in grains on Ekadasi, and therefore we avoid grains at all cost on that day, not even risking taking non-grain
preparations of mahaprasada from an offering plate containing grains. Ekadasi mahaprasada should be stored until the next
day; if that is not possible it can be distributed to persons not strictly following Vaishnava regulations or to animals.
In fact, mahaprasada maintains its purity on Ekadasi despite the presence of the papa-purusha, and therefore it will purify
anyone who eats it.
Nevertheless,
the followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, being strict followers of Vaishnava regulations, avoid mahaprasada on that day because
their strict sadhana will be hampered by the presence of the papa-purusha.
