Text 54] Lord Caitanya’s Travels to the Holy Piaces 321

TRANSLATION

Having made their plot, the Buddhists brought a plate of untouchable food
before Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and called it maha-prasada.

PURPORT

The word apavitra anna refers to food that is unacceptable for a Vaisnava. In
other words, a Vaisnava cannot accept any food offered by an avaisnava in the
name of mahd-prasada. This should be a principle for all Vaisnavas. When asked,
"What is the behavior of a Vaisnava?” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, “A
Vaisnava must avoid the company of an avaisnava [asatl.” The word asat refers to
an avaisnava, that is, one who is not a Vaisnava. Asat-sanga-tyaga, —ei vaisnava-
acara (Cc. Madhya 22.87). A Vaisnava must be very strict in this respect and
should not at all cooperate with an avaisnava. If an avaisnava offers food in the
name of mahd-pras4da, it should not be accepted. Such food cannot be prasada
because an avaisnava cannot offer anything to the Lord. Sometimes preachers in
the Krsna consciousness movement have to accept food in a home where the
householder is an avaisnava; however, if this food is offered to the Deity, it can be
taken. Ordinary food cooked by an avaisnava should not be accepted by a
Vaisnava. Even if an avaisnava cooks food without fault, he cannot offer it to Lord
Visnu, and it cannot be accepted as mahd-prasada. According to Bhagavad-gita:

patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me Dhaktyda prayacchati

tad aharn bhakty-upahrtam
asndmi prayatatmanah

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, | will ac-
cept it.” (Bg. 9.26)

Krsna can accept anything offered by His devotee with devotion. An avaisnava
may be a vegetarian and a very clean cook, but because he cannot offer the
foodstuff to Visnu, the food he cooks cannot be accepted as mahd-prasdda. It is
better that a Vaisnava abandon such food as untouchable.

TEXT 54

CRABITH HABIT OF PP] GSA |
Cie’ aie cerns eaifey aeel Cate 8 tI

hena-kale maha-kaya eka paksi dila
thonite kari’ anna-saha thali laid gela
