Eggplants are not for vaisnavas, or are they?

[Paramananda das]

Dandavat pranams

Jaya Sri Guru Gauranga,Gandarvika Giridhari

Jaya Srila Prabhupada

I was reading yesterday about how eggplants are not good for celibacy:

in Bhakti Vikas Maharajas Brahmacari book: In the   chapter of Retention of semen.

I have read in Haribhaki Vilasa some quotes where Krsna has stated in various Puranas that He turns His lotusface away from those who eat eggplants (and burnt food) ....

Well now we know, when I read these quotes I have never touched eggplants again. Some may laugh at this , I think it is no laughing matter....

This is from Hari Bhakti Vilasa- 8th Vilasa :

athabhakshyani

kaurme

vrintakam jalikashakam

    kusumbhashmantakam tatha

phalanòum lashunam shuklam

    niryasam caiva varjayet

    atha-now; abhakshyani-inedible; kaurme-in the Kurma Purana; vrintakam-eggplant; jalikashakam-plantain; kusumbha-safflower; ashmantakam-ashmantaka; tatha-so; phalanòum-onion; lashunam-garlic; shuklam-sour cereal; niryasam-tree sap; ca-and; eva-indeed; varjayet-one should avoid.

    What Is Inedible (For the Purpose of Offering to the Lord)

    In the Kurma Purana it is said:

    "One should avoid eggplant, plantain, safflower, ashmantaka, onion, garlic, sour cereal, and the sap of trees.

Text 161

skande

na bhakshayati vrintakam

    tasya durataro harih

    skande-in the Skanda Purana; na-not; bhakshayati-eats; vrintakam-eggplant; tasya-of him; duratarah-far away; harih-Lord Hari.

    In the Skanda Purana it is said:

    "Lord Krishna stays far away from anyone who eats eggplant."

Text 162

kim canyatra

vartakum brihatim caiva

    dagdham annam masurakam

yasyodare pravarteta

    tasya durataro harih

    kim ca-furthermore; anyatra-in another place; vartakum-eggplant; brihatim-eggplant; ca-and; eva-indeed; dagdham-burned; annam-food; masurakam-masura dal; yasya-of whom; udare-in the stomach; pravarteta-is; tasya-of him; duratarah-far away; harih-Lord Krishna.

    In another scripture it is said:

    "Lord Krishna stays far away from anyone who places eggplant, burned food, or masura dal in his stomach."

Text 163

kim ca

alavum bhakshayed yas tu

    dagdham annam kalambikam

sa nirlajjah katham brute

    pujayami janardanam

    kim ca-furthermore; alavum-alavu; bhokshayet-eats; yah-one; tu-indeed; dagdham-burned; annam-food; kalambikam-kalambika; sa-he; nirlajjah-shameless; katham-how?; brute-speak; pujayami-I worship; janardanam-Lord Hari.

    It is also said:

    "How can a shameless person who eats alavu, kalambika, and burned food, say the words: `I worship Lord Hari'?

Text 164

ata evoktam yamale

yatra madyam tatha mamsam

    tatha vrintaka-mulake

nivedayen naiva tatra

    harer aikantiki ratih

    ata eva-therefore; uktam-said; yamale-in the Yamala; yatra-where; madyam-liquor; tatha-so; mamsam-meat; tatha-so; vrintaka-eggplant; mulake-and radish; nivedayen-may offer; na-not; eva-inded; tatra-there; hareh-of Lord Krishna; aikantiki-unalloyed; ratih-love.

    In the Yamala it is said:

    "Only a person without genuine devotion for the Lord will offer Him wine, meat, eggplant, or radish."

Text 165

atha naivedyarpana-mahatmyam

skande

naivedyani manojnani

    krishnasyagre nivedayet

kalpantam tat-pitrinam tu

    triptir bhavati shashvati

    atha-now; naivedyarpana-of offering food; mahatmyam-the glories; skande-in thr Skanda Purana; naivedyani-should be offered; manojnani-beautiful; krishnasyagre-in Lord Krishna's presence; nivedayet-should offer; kalpantam-to the end of the kalpa; tat-pitrinam-of his ancestors; tu-indeed; triptih-satisfaction; bhavati-becomes; shashvati-eternal.

    The Glories of Offering Food to the Lord

    In the Skanda Purana it is said:

    "By offering many delicious foods to Lord Krishna, a person makes his ancestors happy until the end of the kalpa.

vaisnava das anu das

Paramananda das

[Paramananda das]

  for Purusottama  month  is is recommended to avoid eggplants:

Fasting from tomatoes, eggplant, sesame, mustard seeds & oil, honey, urad-dahl, as in Kartik

this is the standard of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada as well as in Hari Bhakti Vilasa

[Paramananda das]

Madhya Lila 3.48
TRANSLATION
Amongst the various vegetables were newly grown leaves of nimba trees fried
with eggplant. The fruit known as patola was fried with phulabadi, a kind of
dhal preparation first mashed and then dried in the sun. There was also a
preparation known as kusmanda-manacaki.
PURPORT
We request our editors of cook books to add all these nice preparations
described by the experienced author Srila Kaviraja Gosvami.
Madhya 3.48

[Paramananda das]

VRNTAKAM JALISAKAM KUSUMBHA SMANTAKAM TATHAPALANDU LASUNAM SUKLAM NIRYASAN  CAIVA VARJAYETGRJANAM KINSUKAN CAIVA KUKUNDANCA TATHAIVA CAUDUMBARAM ALAVUN CA  JAGDHVA PATATI VAI DVIJAH

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA  8/158, 159 KURMA PURANA)

"One  should  not eat eggplant, banana leaves, sunflower leaves and  asmantaka leaves, onions, garlic.  One should not  eat sour gruel  (a thin  watery poriage) or the juice of the tree.  One should also give up turnips and  beetroots, carrots,  kinsuka, forest figs, and white pumpkin.  If the twice born  persons eat these things, they all become fallen."

[Paramananda das]

The fact is that skins of eggplants is not good for celibacy and sastra obviously has mentioned to avoid eggplants, so the question is if it falls in raja or even tama guna catagory, otherwise why would sastra have mentioned eggplants.

Why did Sanatana Goswami quote Puranas that states   not to take eggplants during kartika  ?

Bhagavad Gita 17.8 and 9 describes food that are in the various modes of nature....so at least it is restricted for certain times such as Kartika as mentioned in Hari Bhakti Vilasa...it is controversial but should be discussed as such subjects strengthen the mind in the words of Krsna das Kaviraja(being controversial)

for the pleasure of the vaisnavas here is something else I have written about Prasadam and Nama seva:

http://nimaipandit.ning.com/profiles/blogs/bhagavad-gita-chapter-15...

[Paramananda das]

Dear Devotees,

Thanks for the enlivening posts on this subject. I receive mail all the time
asking why we eat things that are apparently 'not recommended' for Vaisnavas
in various scriptures and traditions.

My bottom line is ALWAYS this: what our dear Srila Prabhupada cooked and ate
is my guide. He is the walking, living scripture.

Here in Australia Srila Prabhupada personally cooked eggplant with his own
hands, and recommended we cook it as well.

I also have a famous eggplant story involving Srila Prabhupada. Here it is:


http://www.kurma.net/essays/e11.html

Humbly,


Kurma dasa

[Paramananda das]

dear Gaura Kesava Prabhu

PAMHO AGTSP

Yes that is very straigh foward:

nava-nimbapatra-saha bhrishta-vartaki

phula-badi patola-bhaja, kushmanda-mana-caki

SYNONYMS

nava -- newly grown; nimba-patra -- nimba leaves; saha -- along with; bhrishta-vartaki -- fried eggplant; phula-badi -- light badi; patola-bhaja -- fried patola vegetable; kushmanda -- of pumpkin; mana -- of squash; caki -- rounds.

TRANSLATION

Other preparations included eggplant mixed with newly grown nimba leaves fried together, light badi, fried patola and fried rounds of squash and pumpkin.

You have written something else I found interesting http://walkingthefenceline.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/onions-garlic-a...

hahahaha little out of topic

Well there is some statement by Vivekananda that it is better to grow eggplants than Tulsi ...and better to play football than read Bhagavad Gita

      Jagannatha das Babaji is said to have engaged some aspiring disciples in growing eggplants:

Narayana Maharaja has explained   in a lecture he gave about Lord Balarama how Jagannatha das Babaji told disciples to grow eggplants:

"Respect         all the Vaisnavas and develop your tendency to serve. Try to serve each         and every Vaisnava. Cultivate this taste of serving. Jagannatha dasa Babaji         Maharaja had engaged some of his disciples in cultivating the seeds of         eggplants. Why? Because they were not fit to continue chanting throughout         the entire day. They had wanted to learn so much from him, but upon accepting         them as disciples, he asked them to cultivate a field of eggplants. When         Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura went there, they complained, "Jagannatha         dasa Babaji Maharaja is so close to you. Please ask him something for         us. We have left our homes to learn something about Krsna consciousness         and chanting and hari-katha. Instead of giving us hari-katha he is asking         us to do this field cultivation." Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura felt         their pulse and replied, "He has done correctly. This is your bhakti;         this is your Krsna consciousness cultivation. Because all of us are not         fit to continue chanting all day, we require to work, and we should serve         according to the instructions given by Vaisnavas and Gurudeva.""

The question arise that if the Puranas state not to take eggplants then why would Lord Caitanya ,Who is the real compiler of all Vedas and Puranas take eggplants?  Is there one kind of eggplant that can be taken and not another?

Well maybe we will not know the answer to this.But here is examples of Srila Prabhupada and Jagannatha das Babaji and Lord Caitanya taking eggplant prasadam or having it grown.??

Indeed interesting

vaisnava das anu das

Paramananda das

[Paramananda das]

Dear Gaura Kesava and Hari Sauri  and Kurma Rupa Prabhus

Please accept my humble obaisences

Jaya Sri Guru Gauranga,Gandarvika Giridhari

Jaya Srila Prabhupada

No, no, no ,there is no intention on offending anyone what to speak of Srila Prabhupada, I was drawing the line between Bhakti Vikas Maharajas comments about Eggplants in the Brahmacari book: Retention of semen

"Some vegetables  contain a substance that thins the semen, making it prone to discharge. Worst  among them is eggplant. The skin of eggplant is especially bad. Next worst is  green chilies. Traditional Shri Vaishnavas exclude chilies, tamarind, and  drumsticks (a type of vegetable) from their diet because of their sexually  stimulating effect. Carrots, drumsticks, and to a lesser extent beetroot, heat  the semen and therefore make it prone to discharge. However, this effect is not  very pronounced, and brahmacaris can take these vegetables in moderate  quantities."

and then it seemed to make more sense to me when I read these quotes from Hari Bhakti Vilasa such as :

tasya durataro harih

kim ca-furthermore; anyatra-in another place; vartakum-eggplant; brihatim-eggplant; ca-and; eva-indeed; dagdham-burned; annam-food; masurakam-masura dal; yasya-of whom; udare-in the stomach; pravarteta-is; tasya-of him; duratarah-far away; harih-Lord Krishna.

In another scripture it is said:

"Lord Krishna stays far away from anyone who places eggplant, burned food, or masura dal in his stomach."

I appreciate the nectar shared by you all  , and it adds another angle to this discussion.In Gaudiya math many do not take eggplant also.

An interesting point is also if Sanatana Gowami quotes not to offered burned food, some claim he put chapati flour

and water mixed and had these bread balls he offered to Radha Madan Mohan, so where they really burned?

Devotional service is unlimeted so I just think it is nice ,devotees will discuss these things ,Tusyanti ca ramanti ca.

Oh yes and if someone says Srila Prabhupada took it, so I can certainly also offer eggplants I accept that logic of course. Personally I am just trying to implement anything that is favorable for bhakti.I just wanted to share and see what reaction devotees had, and it was very nice so,Krsna will not turn his face away from Srila Prabhupada even if he offered milliones of eggplants to Krsna, but I am not on Srila Prabhupadas level of course so I try to follow what I can..and yes Haribhakti Vilasa rules are strict...if the Puranas quotes I should not take eggplants that is Sastra Caksusa for me...that is good enough can anyone blame me for that?

Thank you

vaisnava das anu das

Paramananda das

[Paramananda das]

Srila Prabhupada of course ate eggplant his whole life and I hardly
think that Krsna is going to turn His face away from him:

August 15 1976 - Bombay

Prabhupada is attempting to treat his disease by adjusting the spicing
in his diet. In the morning he instructed Palika to soak black pepper
and cumin seed and then grind them into a paste. He had her do the
same with tumeric. She cooked his lunch using this spicing, carefully
mixing the paste with the required amount of water and adding it to
his lunch preparations. Then this evening he called her in and had her
make two parathas and a potato and eggplant subji. We were delighted
to see him eat and he told us that the spicing had given him a good
appetite.

October 10 1976 - Aligarh

Mrs. Saigal has been cooking expertly for Srila Prabhupada and he
called her into his room in the late evening to thank her. After her
first day's efforts he had complimented her and said she had cooked so
nicely he had eaten enough for three days in one. He especially liked
the neem begun, a traditional Bengali eggplant dish she had made. In
response to Srila Prabhupada's request Mrs. Saigal also made a jar
full of chudi (sevian) savoury noodles which he has been keeping on
his desk and occasionally dipping into. Now on the eve of his
departure he thanked her and smilingly told her that she had looked
after him just like a daughter. Mrs. Saigal was highly gratified that
she had pleased His Divine Grace by her humble efforts.

December 7 1976 - Hyderabad farm

On the way back from the walk we saw a farmer some three hundred
meters distant traversing the fields with a basket of eggplants on his
head, destined for the local markets. Prabhupäda had us call him over,
and after looking at the produce he began to bargain. Çréla Prabhupäda
spoke in Hindi, the farmer in Telegu, and Räma-çraddhä translated.
Prabhupäda started off by telling the man that since we are sädhus, he
should give his vegetables as a gift, but we don’t want them for free,
so what was his price? Räma-çraddhä was bit reluctant to say it, but
Prabhupäda encouraged him, “Bolo, bolo!”
The man asked for fifteen rupees for the whole basket and estimated he
had ten kilos. Mahäàsa thought it a little high, so Prabhupäda offered
five. The man came down to ten, but Prabhupäda would not budge from
five. After a brief discussion the man declined. “I will better go
there and sell it,” he said and set off across the fields again. ...
Then a good two minutes after the eggplant farmer had left us, Çréla
Prabhupäda had second thoughts. He asked Mahäàsa what the market price
of the produce was and Mahäàsa told him about one rupee per kilo. So
the man was asking the regular price, and on top of this, Hansadüta
pointed out that we would spend five rupees in petrol just to go to
the market and it would take us so much time. So Prabhupäda had us
call him back. The fellow was a good distance away by this time, but
responding to the loud calls of the devotees he made his way slowly
back. He must have expected Prabhupäda was going to pay his price, but
as we waited for him to arrive I suggested that we offer him seven or
eight. When he finally returned Prabhupäda asked him what was his
process for selling his wares. The man explained how he had to get up
early, collect his produce, then walk so far to go to the market and
then sit there all day trying to sell his goods. So Prabhupäda told
him that if he sold to us he would save so much trouble and time. Then
he offered him six rupees. There was a short discussion between the
devotees and the man and then they told Prabhupäda, “He wants
thirteen!” Everyone laughed. We thought after taking so much trouble
to walk over the second time he would accept Prabhupäda’s offer. Again
he turned to go, so Prabhupäda offered seven. Still he continued on
his way. As he walked some distance one of the devotees reminded
Prabhupäda that the farmer had initially said ten. So again, a third
time, Prabhupäda had us call him back. As he trudged back over the
rough sods of the ploughed field, Mahäàsa, midst our laughter, said we
should offer him nine. Prabhupäda also laughed, but finally he bought
the whole load, basket and all, for ten. The farmer went off happily,
having saved himself a trip to the markets, and later we were happy,
because it turned out there was actually fourteen kilos.


December 20 1976 - Wardha

When we first arrived in Wardha Çréla Prabhupäda had told Çrutirüpa
that he would accept the hospitality of his hosts and allow them to
provide his meals. She could simply confer with them and advise them
on what to cook. He hasn’t been so pleased with their provision,
however, and each meal he has asked her to add something extra. Today
she made practically everything. For his breakfast she provided mung
vada with coconut chutney, fresh channa, ginger and lime, sliced
oranges, peeled mosambi, apple, banana, papaya, fresh sandesh with
keshar, lichi, chicku, pomegranate, powha (a flat-rice dish), and
finally carrot halva. Prabhupäda was satisfied with her efforts. He
ate all the powha and told her, “Everything is nice, freshly prepared.
You have learned very nicely; now keep on.” For his lunch he asked her
to prepare sukta, a kind of stew made primarily with bitter melon, and
çäk, spinach. He also reminded her that since his stay in Våndävana he
had been taking a mixture of dahls—tor, channa, urd, and mung.
Accordingly, at 1 P.M. he had rice, mooli, sukta, and mixed dahl, all
prepared in the three-tier cooker, and a variety of subjis—okra,
potato strings, a wet cauliflower-potato preparation, and bindi.
Prabhupäda liked everything and told her, “Please keep on making it
this way.” But the preparation he especially liked was the pea
kachorés. He told her at least four times—sitting on his seat,
standing up, entering the bathroom, and again when he came out— “The
kachories were first class.”
She had also made some eggplant, which she cooked in a cast-iron wok.
Before trying it, he picked it up and his hand went black, and he said
with a little disappointment, “Oh, it is not done properly.” But he
ate it, and then rang the bell, and when she answered he told her,
“No, it is prepared very nicely” and ate the whole thing.

Your  humble servant, Hari-sauri dasa

On Mon, Sep 10, 2012 at 5:52 PM, Greg Jay a href="mailto:[e-mail]">[e-mail]> wrote:
> Dear Paramananda prabhu ji, PAMHO AGTSP
>
> I'm not sure what the purpose of your posting below is. If it is
> informational, thank you. I'm aware of these rules but perhaps many others
> aren't. If it is an inquiry about these rules read on. If it is meant to
> condemn others for eating eggplant then also read on.
>
> There are more sastric and traditional rules about eating and cooking that
> any other subject. Yes, we know these rules. However there are also other
> customs that may be adopted by different Vaisnavas. For example Madhva
> Vaisnavas did not eat eggplants up to the time of Vadiraja Swami, but during
> his time the Lord Himself in the form of Lord Hayagriva asked for a
> particular type of green eggplant ( gula in Kannada) to be added to the
> sambhar of His offerings. This was part of a lila to alleviate some poison
> that was given to the deity by mistake. Since that time everyday Madhva
> Vaisnavas offer this gula eggplant sambhar to Lord Krsna in Udipi. So there
> are rules certainly and then there are exceptions to those rules and also
> allowances made by great saints and devotees. These allowances then become
> part of what is called sistachara or traditional practice. Hari Bhakti
> Vilasa of course was written for Gaudiya Vaisnavas but it also contains many
> things that are not commonly practiced today. For example though we follow
> Ekadasi in a simply way by refraining from eating certain food items we do
> not fast for three nights taking food once only on dasami, no food on
> ekadasi and once only on dvadasi, nor do any of us stay awake throughout the
> whole night of ekadasi as is all prescribed in Hari Bhakti Vilasa. Of course
> we can do these things. And there is no harm if you want to follow a
> restricted diet of no eggplant but if your posting is meant to condemn
> others for eating it, sistachara or traditional practice can be cited in
> response. If your posting is a question as to whether all should follow
> these rules or why we do not follow these rules I think I have explained
> above. If it is simply meant as information for others, then I thank you for
> your informative posting.
>
> sincerely
>
> Gaura Keshava das

[Paramananda das]

dear devotees 

Please accept my humble obaisences 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

 Last year I wrote an article about Eggplants because Srila Sanatana Goswami has stated vaisnavas should not take them and offer them to Krsna.

But Srila Prabhupada cooked and offered eggplants as clearly shown by I believe it was Hari  Sauri  Prabhu, and Kurma Prabhu and Gaura Kesava Prabhu also commented on this issue. 

But did you know Eggplant has a high level of nicotine?

According to a previous study detailed in the 1993 project, 10 grams of eggplant contains 1 µg (microgram) of nicotine -- roughly the same amount one gets from three hours of exposure to . Cigarettes usually contain 1 mg (milligram) of nicotine, which means that a person would have to eat 10 kilograms, or 22.05 pounds, to reach that amount.

 

this is from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/15/nicotine-in-vegetables_n_1...

It is  stated one time some persons wanted to chant 2 or 3 lahks of holy names along with Jagannatha das Babaji  and he advised them to go home first and grow eggplants..whatever that from the mouth of Krsna pure devotee.

 t Sanatana Goswami has stated  in Haribhakti Vilasa 

VRNTAKAM JALISAKAM KUSUMBHA SMANTAKAM TATHAPALANDU LASUNAM SUKLAM NIRYASAN  CAIVA VARJAYETGRJANAM KINSUKAN CAIVA KUKUNDANCA TATHAIVA CAUDUMBARAM ALAVUN CA  JAGDHVA PATATI VAI DVIJAH

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA  8/158, 159 KURMA PURANA)

"One  should  not eat eggplant, banana leaves, sunflower leaves and  asmantaka leaves, onions, garlic.  One should not  eat sour gruel  (a thin  watery poriage) or the juice of the tree.  One should also give up turnips and  beetroots, carrots,  kinsuka, forest figs, and white pumpkin.  If the twice born  persons eat these things, they all become fallen."

Then again in the CC  it is stated Lord Caitanya respected eggplants prasadam at times.

So I am presenting this information for devotees to see http://nimaipandit.ning.com/profiles/blogs/eggplants-are-not-for-va...

Since I read the quotes by Srila Sanatana Goswami about eggplants I stopped taking eggplant prasadam years ago 

skande

na bhakshayati vrintakam

    tasya durataro harih

    skande-in the Skanda Purana; na-not; bhakshayati-eats; vrintakam-eggplant; tasya-of him; duratarah-far away; harih-Lord Hari.

    In the Skanda Purana it is said:

    "Lord Krishna stays far away from anyone who eats eggplant."

Text 162

kim canyatra

vartakum brihatim caiva

    dagdham annam masurakam

yasyodare pravarteta

    tasya durataro harih

    kim ca-furthermore; anyatra-in another place; vartakum-eggplant; brihatim-eggplant; ca-and; eva-indeed; dagdham-burned; annam-food; masurakam-masura dal; yasya-of whom; udare-in the stomach; pravarteta-is; tasya-of him; duratarah-far away; harih-Lord Krishna.

    In another scripture it is said:

    "Lord Krishna stays far away from anyone who places eggplant, burned food, or masura dal in his stomach."

reading that eggplant contains high nicotine level confirms my own personal reasons to stay away from eggplants to offer and accept.

 

So I just wanted to share with devotees and there is certainly all evidence that both Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya accepted eggplants, so I am not finding faults here. 

 

 

http://nimaipandit.ning.com/profiles/blogs/eggplants-are-not-for-va...

New England Journal of Medicine vol 329 p437,  .
Vegetable Nicotine in ng/g g per 1µg nicotine
Cauliflower 16.8 59.5
Eggplant (Aubergine) 100.0 10
Potatoes 7.1 140
Green tomatoes 42.8 23.4
Ripe tomatoes 4.3 233.0
Pureed tomatoes 52.0 19.2

1µg of nicotine is the equivalent of sitting in a vaguely smoke filled room for three hours. A cigarette contains about 7mg of nicotine, of which 1mg is absorbed. In other words, 100g of eggplant contains 0.01mg of nicotine, and 10kg of eggplant is equivalent to one cigarette.

your servant

Paramananda das