CC Antya 11.20 (1975)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 20
- eta bali' mahā-prasāda karilā vandana
- eka rañca lañā tāra karilā bhakṣaṇa
SYNONYMS
eta bali'-saying this; mahā-prasāda—to the mahā-prasāda; karilā vandana—he offered respect; eka rañca—one fractional part; lañā—taking; tāra karilā bhakṣaṇa—ate it.
TRANSLATION
Saying this, he offered prayers to the mahā-prasāda, took a little portion, and ate it.
PURPORT
Mahā-prasāda is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, instead of eating mahā-prasāda, one should honor it. It is said here, karilā vandana, "he offered prayers." When taking mahā-prasāda, one should not consider the food ordinary preparations. Prasāda means favor. One should consider mahā-prasāda a favor of Kṛṣṇa. As stated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, kṛṣṇa baḍa dayāmaya karibāre jihvā jaya svaprasāda-anna dilā bhāi. Kṛṣṇa is very kind. In this material world we are all very attached to tasting various types of food. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa eats many nice varieties of food and offers the food back to the devotees, so that not only are one's demands for various tastes satisfied, but by eating prasāda he makes advancement in spiritual life. Therefore, we should never consider ordinary food on an equal level with mahā-prasāda.