“Prohibited” food offerings

[alphamind]

So there are many sources saying that generally deities should not be offered certain foods like onion, garlic, chilly, mushrooms, etc. On the other hand I have been told by my Guru to offer what food I have with no restrictions mentioned (please don’t say anything defensive, I will not tolerate it, kindly explain rather).

My question is, what DOES happen if one offers onion for example? Will the deity not consume it?

[WhiteWarrior]

I'm not educated on hinduism. But I do think your guru is right. It is the act of making an offering that matters, not its taste or shape. I'll add that making an offering directly against what you know of that deity is not in good spirit, nor is a careless offering much of a showing of good faith. But everything is relative. A couple of nuts and a handful of grass takes on new meaning if you are starving.

[sky]

Originally Posted by alphamind

So there are many sources saying that generally deities should not be offered certain foods like onion, garlic, chilly, mushrooms, etc. On the other hand I have been told by my Guru to offer what food I have with no restrictions mentioned (please don’t say anything defensive, I will not tolerate it, kindly explain rather).

My question is, what DOES happen if one offers onion for example? Will the deity not consume it?

Why not try and see for yourself. Have you personally seen any deities consuming food ?

Is this about Krishna?

I think it depends on whether your relationship with the god in question is dualistic or not. If you are petitioning a devata to ask for a favour, or if you see your beloved God as a separate individual from your self, it is important to learn what they like and dislike, and behave appropriately.

The Puranas are full of examples showing that if you don't use good manners, ie. if you offer something they don't like, you will probably offend them. It usually results in curses that teach unpleasant lessons.

Even in that context, some forms of god are more particular about sattva than others. For example, it is expected that you offer Matangi partially eaten food.

And some are less concerned with rules in general. There is a story in one of the Puranas (forgive me, I have no idea which one) about a hunter who, every day, brings deer before the lingam, to offer to Shiva, before he takes them home. In this story, Shiva is very touched by the devotion behind this act, even though it is not the prescribed way to worship him.

I am one of those who offers absolutely everything. I only worship Durga, and she said she will accept any worship and, more importantly, she enjoys all forms of worship. But Shaktism doesn't easily allow for dualistic beliefs. Our scriptures say, the entire world is all part of her being, so, this is all her eating herself.

In the context of Shakti advaita (maybe all advaita?), God is everything, which leaves nothing to prohibit.

[ajay00]

Originally Posted by alphamind

So there are many sources saying that generally deities should not be offered certain foods like onion, garlic, chilly, mushrooms, etc. On the other hand I have been told by my Guru to offer what food I have with no restrictions mentioned (please don’t say anything defensive, I will not tolerate it, kindly explain rather).

My question is, what DOES happen if one offers onion for example? Will the deity not consume it?

Onion, garlic are associated with the quality or guna of tamas in Hinduism. It is said to generate tamasic or negative thoughts.

https://www.yogabasics.com/learn/the-3-gunas-of-nature/


Since the deities are said to enjoy food imbued with sattva (positivity), onion and garlic are not added.

But since your guru has not made any issues about it, you need not worry much about it. What truly matters is the nature of your consciousness, whether it is tamasic , rajasic or sattvic. The quality of your consciousness, if sattvic, will make the food offerings sattvic as well.


All spiritual exercises are done to create a sattvic state of consciousness which is associated with divinity.