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Thread: Food and what we take in

  1. #11
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    Re: Food and what we take in

    Namaste vcindiana,

    Quote Originally Posted by vcindiana
    How can u enjoy food without onions?
    Please refer to post #4 of this thread about the spiritual admissibility of onions and garlic. As a Saivite, I do take and enjoy them (I am not much spiritual of course) and personally think that their taste, smell or puranic origin does not affect spiritual progress. As Sarabhanga would be fond of calling it, onion is the 'Ram Laddu'. Most Vaishnavites and some orthodox Saivites do not take them, though some of my Vaishnavite friends do take them.

    The pungent smell and taste of raw onion is good for common cold. It can be used as a mosquito repellent also: just cut an onion and smear a border around your bed with its juice for a mosquito-free sleep. The smaller variety of onions popularly known as 'sambar onions' make a very tasty sambar. Around the 1970s, a popular brahmin restaurant by name Concerns in Matunga, Bombay used to serve onion sambar with boiled potato curry for their vegetarian, South Indian meal on Thursdays, and this meal was very popular.

    In a similar manner, garlic combats gas problems in the stomach. During my school days, we used to take oil-bath once in two weeks. On those days, the lunch included sambar of toor-dal balls and garlic rasam, and we children at my grandpa's home (where I stayed) would vie with each other to have a good share of the boiled garlic pearls. A raw garlic pearl taken in the morning in empty stomach is said to be good for health, but I haven't tried it.

    So rest assured that onion and garlic in food are indeed enjoyable, tasty and do not retard your spiritual progress. Incidentally, the spiritual meal served free in Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu, around eleven in the morning, includes onion raita!

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    Re: Food and what we take in

    Quote Originally Posted by satay

    are you joking!

    I eat a ton of onions in food and along with my food. I can not enjoy my food without raw onions!
    I also never use any perfumes but fortunately still employed since graduation!

    You might be lucky.

    I have seen some of my colleagues getting warning that someone sitting near them complained. (especially if you have "gas trouble" you will be unapproachable )
    Guard your Dharma, Burn the Myth, Promote the Truth, Crush the superstition.

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    Re: Food and what we take in

    The Amazing bhiksha That Paramacharya Took
    (from the book titled Maha Periyavalh Virundhu by Raa. Ganapathi)

    More often than not Paramacharya observed suddha upavAsah (rigorous fast), which sometimes extended to days together. Even on the days he took bhiksha (offered food), his usual take was a small amount of nel pori (the rice equivalent of popcorn) that was offered to Sri Chandramouleeswara or Mother Kamakshi. The days he took cooked rice with the accompanying dishes were very rare. To give up rice totally, he even tried the flour extracted from raw bananas, but had to give it up on the entreaties of his doctor devotees.

    Sometime in the year 1936, Paramacharya was observing the chAturmAsyam (ahimsa dharma followed by sanyasins by staying at one place and meditating) at Berhampur on his way back from Varanasi. At that time he observed rigorous fasting for several days together. And he did it so secretly that most people around him were not aware of it. The treasurer Ramachandra Iyer somehow came to know about the rigorous fast.

    He went to Mahaperiyavaa and pleaded with him to give up the fast. Paramacharya immediately called his biksha assistant and told him about the things that should be added to his personal food the next day.

    The treasurer was happy. As he returned to his office, he got a doubt if Periyavaa had really granted his entreaty when he did not listen even to such people as 'Annadhana Sivan' in such matters. When he checked up with the biksha assistant, his doubt was confirmed. The assistant said, "As soon as you left him, Periyavaa asked me to forget it all as he had only told so to satisfy you."

    The treasurer went again to Mahaperiyavaa, but couldn't have an opportunity to talk to him. Everytime he tried, Paramacharya saw to it that he had somebody nearby discussing something. This continued for some days, until one day, the treasurer was able to 'catch' Paramacharya at ten in the night, when the latter had finished the Friday puja, appearing rather tired.

    "Periyavaa should have a stomachful of biksha tomorrow," said the treasurer. "Otherwise I shall quit the matam."

    That did not work. With a broad smile, Paramacharya said, "Will nothing move in the matam if you are not there?"

    "Then I shall quit this world", uttered the treasurer vehemently, and started weeping. He knew that Periyavaa could not ask the same question with this offer to quit the world.

    "Alright, I will have the biksha. Why tomorrow, I shall have it now. You said that you will offer to fill my stomach. Will you do it?" said Paramacharya.

    "I am only waiting for such words", said the treasurer as he prostrated, his eyes full of tears. He thought that at that time of night Periyavaa wouldn't take anything other than milk and fruits, so he rose to call the biksha assistant who knew about his Guru's habits.

    "Why do you call him? I asked only you to offer me the biksha and you agreed", said Paramacharya.

    "Since I don't know about the quantity, I though I would ask him..."

    "So what? Bring what is avaiable."

    The treasurer brought the baskets and bamboo plates that were filled with fruits. He thought Periyavaa could take what he desired from the lot.

    A totally surprising order came from Paramacharya. "Where is the suji (a sweet dish) and sundal (boiled and fried seeds) that were offered at the Friday puja? Bring them at once!"

    The treasurer ran and brought the large utensils that had the dishes, and placed them in front of his Guru.

    A miracle happened there! Paramacharya emptied the utensils quickly and asked for more!

    The treasurer moved the fruit baskets near the sage. That was also emptied in no time. And the question came, "what else is there?" The treasurer was aghast.

    "You offered to fill my stomach and stirred the hunger in me, now I can't bear it!" said Paramacharya. Not able to withstand those words, the treasurer brought a large kooja (a pot like container) of milk and offered to the sage.

    No sooner Paramacharya drank all the milk than the treasurer patted his cheeks resoundingly and fell at the feet of the sage. "Periyavaa should excuse me! I shall never disturb you hereafter."

    Mahaperiyavaa laughed like a child and said, "So you wouldn't come in my way henceforth!", and blessed the treasurer with raised hands.
    Last edited by saidevo; 22 November 2006 at 07:03 AM.

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    Re: Food and what we take in

    Paramacharya as Goddess Annapurani
    (from the book titled Maha Periyavalh Virundhu by Raa. Ganapathi)

    Even during the 1920s Paramacharya hosted a dinner for the Muslims, whose sense of unity and patriotism ran high in those days.

    Two hundred Muslim youths from an Islamic Youth Forum performed an exemplary service in the Mahamaham festival of 1921 in Kumbakonam. Paramacharya, who was camping at Patteesvarm nearby, heard about it and sent some Matam officials to bring the Muslim youths to him.

    The youths were very happy that Shankaracharya had called them to his presence. They stood before him showing utmost reverence.

    Paramacharya praised their seva and heard the details about their Forum. He inquired their personal details such as native place, education, occupation and family of all the two hundred youths individually, and made everyone of them immensely happy. He also presented a silver cup as a memento from Kanchi Matam for their seva.

    Like the cherry on the ice cream, Paramacharya ended the interview with a tasty, three-course dinner to the youths.
    .........

    In the year 1924, Kaveri and Kollidam were overflowing with floods that threatened to merge them into a single river. Tiruvaiyaru and its surroundings were the worst affected by the floods. At that time, for nearly fifteen days, cartloads of cooked food were sent from Kanchi Matam for the thousands of poor people in the area. The food was served by the Congress workers under the supervision of Lawyer Sarangapani Iyengar, leader of the Tiruvaiyaru Congress Committee.

    The daily culinary needs of SriMatam were reduced to the minimum, in order to use the stored provisions for feeding the poor. They worshipped the great sage who fed them as God.

    The press praised this social service as the largest till then by a Sanatana Religious Institution.
    .........

    During the last days of the year 1931, the persecution of the Congress workers by the British government was at its peak. People and organizations were warned of stern action against any support for the Congress members.

    Paramacharya was camping at Arani in the North Arcot district. A group of Congress members wanted to meet him. The Matam officials informed the sage that his meeting the Congress workers might create problems for SriMatam.

    Paramacharya heard their apprehensions with concern and then said calmly, "Ask all the members of the group to come here. Also arrange for feeding them from SriMatam."

    The stunned Matam officials carried out the orders of the sage with consternation, but there was no problem from the government.

    When the Manager brought the happy news of no reaction from the British government, Paramacharya said, "If I were to close the doors on people who want to meet me, I would not be fit to carry the title Jagatguru and sit on the throne of this Peetam."
    .........

    Paramacharya used to quote the Tamil saying 'Feed everyone, without any distinction' (yArkkum idumin, avar ivar ennnanmin) and explain that no distinction of any kind must be entertained in offering food. He would be delighted to explain the Keralite tradition of feeding even the thieves at night! This custom existed in the place called Cherukkunnam, Kerala, in the Annapurani temple. After feeding the bhaktas in the temple, food packets were prepared and kept tied to the trees in the night, for the use of any prowling thieves.

    Paramacharya also took delight in explaining the reference in the Sagam Literature of how the Chera king Udhiyan Cheraladhan earned the name Perum Sotru Cheraladhan (the king who was the chief host) by feeding the opposite camps of the Pandavas and the Kauravas during the Mahabharata war.

    Kannappan the hunter fed Shiva Mahadev. Guhan the hunter fed Sri Rama. Here, the hunters named the Senjus of the Srisailam forest area were fed by the Paramacharaya!

    During the 1934s, when the road transport facilities were very scanty, Paramacharya was traveling with his entourage in the desolate forests of Srisailam. Somewhere on the way, they came across the Senju hunters. Mistaking them for their foes, the hunters raised their bow and arrows initially, but when they saw the sage with his divya tejas, they realized their mistake and became friendly.

    The people who came to oppose their passage became their security guards, carrying their luggage and watching over their camps at night time. Only after safely seeing off Paramacharya and his entourage at their next destination, the hunters assembled before them to take leave.

    Paramacharya ordered the manager to give them some cash, but they refused to touch the money. The leader of the group said something to the manager, who nodded his head in disapproval and spread out his hands.

    Paramachara snapped his fingers and called the manager to attention: "What is it that he asks for and you refuse?"

    "They want to show their dancing skills before Periyavaa".

    "So you told them that I can't see their dance because it was your opinion as manager that it was beneath the dignity of SriMatam."

    There was not any trace of anger in Paramacharya's words. The manager was silent.

    And the Paramacharya, who would not witness the performance of even the great and popular dance artistes, gave them permission to dance before him, with a condition: that while any of their males could dance, only those females who hadn't attained puberty could join the males in dance.

    Paramacharya asked them, "you might have different types of dances to suit different occasions: one for Swami (God), one for victory, one for sports and so on. What type of dance are you going to perform now?"

    They gave a telling reply: "We are going to perform the dance reserved only for the closest of our relatives."

    Paramacharya witnessed their dance, blessed them, and hosted a nice dinner for them.
    .........

    A wealthy landlord in Thanjavur district had undertaken the biksha on that day. Paramacharya had ordered him to prepare a large number of laddus.

    Only a small group of people which included SriMatam officials and the family and relatives of the host was present for the dinner on that day. The landlord couldn't understand the reason for the large number of laddus. Perhaps Paramacharya wished to send the pack to an orphanage or a vedic institution, he thought.

    Contrary to his wont, Paramacharya supervised the diner's rows. He ordered for serving two and more laddus to each diner, even if they were in excess, ignoring the individual's protests.

    After making another strage announcement, Paramacharya went to his room. The anouncement was that it was not compulsory to eat all the laddus though Periyavaa himself ordered it, and that the excess numbers might be wasted!

    Nobody could understand the strange announcement from Paramacharya who usually advises children that anna lakshmi should not be sent to the dust bins. Everyone had to leave the excess number of laddus on their banana leaves.

    Since it was an order from Paramacharya, the laddus were made professionally, embedded with cashew nuts, dry grapes, clove, and cardamom. Now these embeddings from the leftover laddu globes were winking at the landlord, who tried to pacify his mind that Paramacharya wouldn't order anything without a valid reason.

    Later, during his conversation with the host, Paramacharya told the landlord, "Go and check the backyard where the leftovers are thrown."

    When the landlord went to the backyard, he saw familes of the kurava clan avidly eating the left over laddus. As they saw the landlord, they heartily thanked him for the tasty dish that was never before served to them.

    The landlord felt happy and grateful. When he returned to Paramacharya, the sage said, "As per their kula dharma, these kurava clan prefer only ucchishtam. They wouldn't consent to have an anna dhanam. Such is the rule among them. Don't they have the same mouth and stomach as we? It occurred to me to give them the same kind of laddus that we have in our dinner. And I thought only you could do it well. Now, only you have their good wishes."
    .........

    After the maravas and the kuravas, it was the turn of paraiyas.

    Paramacharya was travelling in the Kodavasal - Koradacherry route. On the way in Tirukklambur, the slum people met him and submitted their humble offerings.

    Paramacharya heard their welfare and woes. Unhurriedly, he discussed the details with the manager as to what SriMatam could do to mitigate their woes, either in their own capacity or with the charity of affordable devotees.

    The managers and the other officials started worrying about the ensuing delay for their next camp and the following pujas. The god of the poor, however, seated himself among them, and ordered dhotis and saris for every nandan - nandini from the local textile shop. If that shop didn't have the required goods, Paramacharya ordered them bought at Kodavasal. He also ordered prepartion of thick sambar rice under the shades of the trees.

    The manager was worried that the two or three hours time spent in these activities would delay reaching their next camp and that it would be very tedious for Periyavaa to undertake the long puja thereafter.

    When he started to express his feeings, Paramacharya said simply, "this is also a puja."
    .........

    Two years after his Varanasi trip, when Paramacharya was returning, he had to camp for three days in the Kyonjer samastanam of the hilly areas. His heart overflew with campassion at the pitiable conditions of the tribals in the area. He told the manager, "for all the three days we stay here, we should arrange to feed them."

    The manager hesitated with a request, "Those people are over a hundred and fifty families. We don't have the facilities to cook food here."

    "Then give them as uluppai", replied the sage.

    Giving as uluppai is giving supplies of food articles, vegetables and fruits. For three days the tribals enjoyed the bounty of SriMatam.

    In the same way, Paramacharya ordered serving three days supplies to the suffering employees of a circus company in Ilayattankudi, that was closed down.
    .........

    It seems that there was only one occasion in the history of SriMatam, when rice and other food supplies were carried on the back of the SriMatam elephant! Paramacharya, the udAra murti created history with such an incident, to fill the udarams of the poor harijan people.

    It was November 1940. The village was heavily flooded when Paramacharya reached Tiruchettankudi from Tirumarukal. News reached his ears that over five hundred harijans in the area were suffering, as a hailstorm lashed on.

    Paramacharya hastened the officials to rush them food supplies, but was informed that it was not possible for bullock carts to pass through the rain inundated roads.

    "Then you send the supplies on the back of the elephant. This place is known as Ganapateesvaram," said Paramacharya, poining out the harmony. "So Pillaiyar will be happy that an elephant partakes the jana seva."
    .........

    The dog, according to shastras is of a low birth. The Guardian of Shastra also extended his bounty to the dogs.

    In the year 1927, a dog came to SriMatam camp on its own and started keeping vigil. After his biksha was over, Paramacharya ordered that the dog be fed. Strangely, after tasting the food from the matam, the dog stopped accepting food from anyone else.

    The dog used to trot under the palanquin known as mena which carried Paramacharya. Sometimes it would run between the massive, moving legs of the elephant! When the palanquin was parked, it would step aside to a distance and watch the sage descend and walk, wagging its tail.

    At one time, the officials thought that the dog had become mad and ordered a servant to leave it in a village, about forty kilometers away from their camp. No sooner had the servant returned, than the dog also had got back to the camp! From that time, until its death, the dog kept vigil and also kept a vow not to take food until it had a darshan of Paramacharya.

    As he resumed his divine duties after a short rest following his biksha, Paramacharya would first inquire if the dog was fed.
    .........

    There was an incident when Paramacharya served food for an entire army of dogs.

    He was observing chAturmAsyam at Vasanta Krishnapuram near Tirukkovalur in the year 1947. The peak of Tiruvannamalai hill, about twenty kilometers away, was visible from that place. Paramacharya used to perform a puja for the mountain that was Lord Siva's form at where he stayed, with a darshan of the peak.

    During one such puja, when he was meditating, a dog came and put its mouth to the water in the kamandaluh. The people around were very much upset by this happening, and a devotee who was a retired government official, stoned the dog, which ran howling, and stopped at a safe distance.

    Paramacharya's eyes opened at the anxious hubbub. He looked at the people aroud him and ordered: "Collect all the available dishes from the houses of the agrahAram. Also bring bucketfuls of water."

    The volunteers group that included retired official went around and brought the food and water. As Paramacharya gestured, the dog that was standing at a distance came near and stopped hesitatingly. As he gestured a second time, soemthing very strange happened.

    An army of dogs came from nowhere and calmly arranged themselves in a row, without showing any signs of hurry for the food that was before them. Paramacharya offered food and water to the dogs through the retired official who had stoned the dog earlier.
    .........

    Since the beginning of 1964, Paramacharya asked the rice donors to send the rice bags to the Rameswaram branch of SriMatam. This seemed rather strange and the manager took exception to the excessive collection of rice bags at their Rameswaram branch. There were even occasions that suggested that the manager was not at all happy with the decision and might have an argument with the sage. Paramacharya, however, was adamant, and ensured that 250 bags of rice were stocked in their Rameswaram branch.

    During the month of December 1964, Rameswaram was hit by a severe cyclone. The Pamban bridge was uprooted and Dhanushkoti town sank in the ocean. It became impossible to send food supplies to the Rameswaram island, overcoming the rage of the ocean.

    The 250 bags of rice that was stocked by Paramacharya in the Rameswaram branch of SriMatam helped to fill the stomach of thousands of people who suffered from the nature's fury.
    .........

    Glossary
    anna dhanam - an offering of food
    anna lakshmi - the goddess of food and bounty
    biksha - hosting a satvic dinner; also offering food to a sannyasi.
    divya tejas - divine splendour
    harijan - Hari's people, a name for the meek and lowly
    jana seva - service to the people
    kula dharma - dharma of the family
    kurava - a nomad tribe who sells small ornaments
    laddu - a sweet delicacy, globular in size
    marava - warriors and hunters
    nandan - nandini - son and daughter
    paraiya - people living in slums
    samastanam - a region ruled by a king
    sambar rice - a dish in a South Indian meal
    ucchishtam - remnants of food eaten by others
    udAra murti - a figure of bounty
    udaram - stomach
    uluppai - supplies of raw material of food

  5. #15
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    Re: Food and what we take in

    Disclaimer for my Translated Materials

    These English translations done by me of Paramacharya darshan and experiences of devotees from their original presentations in print and other media are posted here with the sole intention of carrying the divine message of Paramachaya to the members of this Forum, for a discussion among the members so as to understand and practice the directions contained in the message.

    As a translator, I have no commercial interests or financial considerations in spreading Paramacharya's message and darshan experiences, and have no claims of copyright for the translations.

    I have duly quoted the source of these translations, and I hereby acknowledge the credits to the publications, authors, devotees and any other people concerned. Since Paramacharya is the real source, I understand that the original credit of these materials accrues to SriMatam, Kanchipuram followed by the other people involved in spreading Paramacharya's message.

    If anyone involved with these publications has any reservations on the implicit consents and permissions assumed in these translations, for the spiritual benefit of mankind, the same may be brought to the notice of the Forum Administrator, for necessary changes or removal of the material presented.

    'saidevo', as translator of the materials presented.

  6. #16
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    Re: Food and what we take in

    Hari Om
    ~~~~~

    Quote Originally Posted by saidevo View Post
    From Bhagavad Gita

    The food also which is dear to each is threefold. -– Gita,17.7

    That food which increases life, purity, strength, health, joy and cheerfulness, which are savoury and oleaginous, substantial and agreeable, are dear to the Sattwic (pure) people. -– Gita, 17. 8

    The foods that are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot, pungent, dry and burning are liked by the Rajasic and are productive of pain, grief and disease. -- Gita 17. 9

    That which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten and impure refuse, is the food liked by the Tamasic. -– Gita, 17.10

    From Sattwa (purity) arises wisdom or knowledge; from Rajas (passion) arises greed; and from Tamas (inertia) arises heedlessness, delusion and ignorance. -- Gita, 14.17

    Verily Yoga is not possible for him who eats too much, nor for him who does not eat at all, nor for him who sleeps too much nor for him who is always awake. -- Gita 6.16

    From Manu Smriti

    Garlic, leeks and onions, mushrooms and (all plants) springing from impure (substances) are unfit to be eaten by twice-born men.
    We talk much about the food we ingest... This food I have mentioned in past post also include what is taken in via eyes, ears, nose, and not just the mouth - so say the wise.

    Yet I have been thinking of late of the direction Krsna suggest for classifying the food as satvic, rajasic and tamasic.

    If one thinks about a vegetarian offer of fruits and vegetables, these 'fresh' foods are alive, fresh from the garden, and wholesome. They are alive as they grow, take in nutrients, and the like, and then we consume them. Yet the satvic ones are sweet , agreeable, etc. they also can contain the hightest level of 'order'.

    I have heard the fresher the food, the more 'order' one takes into to their bodies. As things are older, and being to decompose ( meat, canned foods, food store too long in the refrig, and the like), one is eating tamasic and less 'order'. This notion of order is the thought that our bodies use this to rebuild and nutrify the system with less effort.
    This is not my idea, just one I have listened to in a lecture some time back.

    So, why not the onion, mushrooms and the like? The tamaisc influence is there I suspect and influences ones mind/consciousness.

    That said, I have been on a veg diet for some time ( 35 years +/-); I also do not use onion, garlic, mushrooms, etc. Yet over the weekend I was a guest and did in fact have garlic offered in a meal. I could tell the difference in me several hours later. My behavior did not change, but clarity of thought was absent. I could tell the difference.

    With many foods, it is the contrast one experiences that suggests there is an influence. Hence for those that may not see the difference, an experiment of this nature ( to satisfy ones curiosity) may be of interest.

    So the question would be what changes could I expect if I had garlic for a few days? and added other foods I usually do not ingest? I do not have the desire for this, as I cannot be without clarity of mind, but it would interesting to see any behavioral changes.

    Has anyone noticed this ? or experimented with food combinations? Its easy to see what the affects of alcohol , but of a pickle or onion, we are on a different level of refinement. Most I talk to say what is first to go, is the quality of ones meditation.

    Just an idea... if you have some personal experiences on this matter it would be interesting to read.

    pranams.
    Last edited by yajvan; 19 September 2007 at 05:03 PM.
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  7. #17
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    Re: Food and what we take in

    Yajvan: I think everyone's metabolism is different, therefore personal experiential knowledge of different foods is ideal. Of course we need to be physically aware first. Many people just aren't. But I have a different question. Who here eats brown rice? The white rice common to China, and India has been proven scientifically time and again to be inferior to whole grain brown rice. Personally I get very 'backed up' from a steady diet of white rice, because of the less fibre in it. Here my fellow Hindus from the east have practically never heard of brown rice, and consider it 'inferior'. What do Indians have against brown rice? Is it historical? Was it a caste thing? Was it the British influence? Or maybe its just the fact that brown rice takes longer to cook, and there is less fuel for fire in India? Just curious. Aum Namashivaya

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    Re: Food and what we take in

    Hari Om
    ~~~~~

    Quote Originally Posted by Eastern Mind View Post
    Yajvan: I think everyone's metabolism is different, therefore personal experiential knowledge of different foods is ideal. Of course we need to be physically aware first. Many people just aren't. But I have a different question. Who here eats brown rice? The white rice common to China, and India has been proven scientifically time and again to be inferior to whole grain brown rice. Personally I get very 'backed up' from a steady diet of white rice, because of the less fibre in it. Here my fellow Hindus from the east have practically never heard of brown rice, and consider it 'inferior'. What do Indians have against brown rice? Is it historical? Was it a caste thing? Was it the British influence? Or maybe its just the fact that brown rice takes longer to cook, and there is less fuel for fire in India? Just curious. Aum Namashivaya
    Namste EM,
    you bring up a good point as various constitutions ( vata, pitta, kahpa) are in play.
    I am a brown rice eater as of late, yet ayurved suggests brown rice aggrevates pita dosa. I have not noticed this. I was for years a white rice eater ( switched from brown) and enjoyed the flavor (basmati) more then brown. Now I consume brown for the fibre with ghee. A nice balance.

    I also have heard it is inferior to white, but not by doctors.

    With brown rice - I found if you let it soak before cooking ( say an hour )or so, it produces a better texture and flavor.

    Any way, I still would find it interesting if folks are attunes to their eating habits and if a different ingredient of sattva, tamas, or rajas gives a different effect.

    thanks for the post.
    Last edited by yajvan; 20 September 2007 at 05:58 PM.
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  9. #19

    Re: Food and what we take in

    Quote Originally Posted by satay View Post

    are you joking!

    I eat a ton of onions in food and along with my food. I can not enjoy my food without raw onions!
    I also never use any perfumes but fortunately still employed since graduation!

    Om Shanti,
    I am confused. Is there not a conversation between Lord krishna and Arjuna about not eating onions and garlic?

    Namaste,
    Hiwaunis

  10. #20

    Re: Food and what we take in

    Om Shanti,
    A few years ago a friend of mine and I started eating at Indian restaurants. Is the food cooked there considered vegetarian according to the Gita? I have also noticed Indian food prepackaged in Indian stores. What is the quality of that food? Is that food good for one's spiritual progess? Although I love the taste of Indian food I have stopped eating it because I think it is too hot and spicy. Any suggestions on what I can eat?

    Namaste,
    Hiwaunis

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