Naivedya Sārasāra Viveka
Naivedya Sārasāra Viveka, simply known as Naivedya Sarasara Viveka, Sanskrit: नैवेद्य सारसार विवेक, Telugu: నైవేద్య సారాసార వివేకం, Hindi: नैवेद्य सारासार विवेक.
Naivedya is the food and other things offered to Bhagavān Vishṇu in pūjā. Sārasāra-viveka is the discernment of what is sāra (rich in its life and power) and what is asāra (without it). The Garuḍa Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 14, gives the teaching of Śrī Kṛshṇa to Garuḍa on this. It says that Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa receives the sāra of what is offered. It also tells how long fruits, food, flowers and other ritual things keep their sāra so that they are fit for naivedya.
Nārāyaṇa receives the sāra
Śrī Kṛshṇa tells Garuḍa that Bhagavān Vishṇu is the root form (mūlasvarūpa), full of all qualities (pūrṇaguṇasaṃpanna), wholly independent (sarvathā svantantra), the ancient one with a complete body (purātana pūrṇaśarīra), of the nature of bliss (ānandasvarūpa) and endless (ananta). He has no equal in any loka at any time. Every limb of his, from his feet to his crown, is complete in itself. His strength fills even a single hair of his śrī. He is the maker (kartā), the taker back (hartā) and the enjoyer (bhoktā) of all creation, and in particular the enjoyer of the sāra part (sāra-aṃśa) of every substance.
Śrī Kṛshṇa says that Bhagavān Vishṇu graciously takes the sāra part of what devotees offer in food to be chewed (bhakshya), food to be eaten (bhojya) and the various upacāras. Things spoiled by time, unclean things and things offered with an impure mind (bhāva-dushṭa) cannot reach him.
Even with fruits such as grapes, only those that are fresh and properly ripe are fit to be placed before Bhagavān Vishṇu. A fruit like the jāmbu (Java plum) is sārahīna (without sāra) four days after it ripens. So a devotee must know what is sāra and what is asāra.
The teaching ends with this verse. A mouth that does not speak the name of Hari has no sāra. Food that is not offered as naivedya to Hari has no sāra.
hariṇāma-vihīnaṃ tu mukhaṃ niḥsāram ucyate
harinaivdyahīnas tu pāko niḥsāra ucyate
This is Brahma Khaṇḍa 14/37.
How long each item keeps its sāra
The tables give the time within which each item keeps its sāra and is fit for naivedya.
Fruits and dried goods
| Item | Time it keeps its sāra |
|---|---|
| Jāmbu (Java plum) and similar fruits | 4 days after ripening |
| Panasa (jackfruit) | 1 month |
| Kharjūra (fresh dates) | Up to 6 months, then they turn sour |
| Nārikela (freshly split coconut) | 1 day only |
| Śushka-nārikela (dried coconut) and śushka-kharjūra (dried dates) | No such spoiling |
| Areca nut (vakkā, supāri) | Up to 1 year |
| Drākshā (grapes) | Only while fresh and properly ripe |
Cooked and prepared food
| Item | Time it keeps its sāra |
|---|---|
| Anna (cooked rice), pappu (lentils) and the like | 3 hours only |
| Things fried or cooked in oil (tila-taila) | Up to 3 pakshas (fortnights), about 45 days |
| Things cooked in ghṛta (ghee) | 12 hours only |
| Vegetables (cut kūrgas) | Must be used within 9 hours of cutting |
Spices, condiments and other ritual items
| Item | Time it keeps its sāra |
|---|---|
| Śṛṅgivera (ginger), gaja-nimbu (elephant lime), āmalaka (gooseberry), karpūra (camphor), āmra (mango) | 1 year |
| Tāmbūla (betel leaf preparation) | Must be used within 1 ghaṭikā (24 minutes) of making it |
Flowers and fragrant things
| Item | Time it keeps its sāra |
|---|---|
| Arasī (flax flowers) | 3 days |
| Mallī (jasmine) | 1 jāmu (a quarter of the day) |
| Jātī and Campakamallikā kinds | Half a jāmu only |
| Kesara (saffron) | 3 years |
| Kastūrī (musk) | 10 years |
| Karpūra (camphor) | 1 year |
| Candana (sandalwood) | Always sāra (sadā sāravat) |
Special rules
Tulasī is always sāra, fresh or dry, wet or withered. No time limit applies to her.
tulasī sarvadā sārā ekādaśy api dvijaḥ
ādrāvāpy athavā śushkā sārdrā sāravatī smṛtā
This is Brahma Khaṇḍa 14/29.
The rule for Ekādaśī. On Ekādaśī, any item mixed with water may be used. The water used for the pādatīrtha of Hari should always be ajala (free of outer impurities).
Months that spoil certain items
In three months, certain items become sārahīna:
- Āshāḍha māsa: vegetables (śāka) become sārahīna.
- Bhādrapada māsa: curd (dadhi, perugu) becomes sārahīna.
- Āśvayuja māsa: milk (pālu, kshīra) becomes sārahīna.
Sources
- Garuḍa Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 14 (including Brahma Khaṇḍa 14/29 and 14/37)