27 - Eatables and non-eatables for the Brahmana

Narada said—О lord tell me what is eatable and what is non-eatable for Brahmanas house-holders, Yati, Vaishnava, widows and a Brahmachari. You also tell me all their duties and the deeds from which they should reframe. The things which they should enjoy and should avoid, because you, are well aware of all these details being lord of the universe. 

Mahesvara said—Some of the ascetic Brahmanas remain without food, some of them live only by in-hailing the air, some of them live on the fruits and roots. 

О Brahmana the house-holders appropriately consumes foods with their wives. Similarly, everyone does according to his liking because everyone has different taste and different liking. 

But for a Brahmana house-holder the taking of the food available after the performing of homa is prescribed, is the best. The left over of Narayana are consumed by them as a gifts. Only that food can be described as non-eatables which was not been initially offered to lord.

Because the food which is not offered to lord Vishnu can be treated as refuse and the urine. Thus on the eleventh day of the fort-night, the food and the water is discarded. 

Therefore, a Brahmana who willingly or at the instance of someone else takes food actually consumes the sins. There is no doubt about it

О Narada that is why, the house-holder Brahmanas are prohibited from taking any food on the eleventh day of the fortnight. 

On the day of Hari, the house-holder Brahmana whether he believes in Shiva are sakti, if he eats the food he falls in the hell called kalasiWa. 

The same food is turned into the insects and they eat up his body bit by bit. Therefore, that person consuming refuse and urine spends the time in hell for the longevity of the age of fourteen Indras. Similarly, the person who consumes food on Janmastami, Ramanavami and Shivaratri, meets with the same fate. 

If one is unable to maintain the fast he should consume fruits and roots besides the water, otherwise if the body is destroyed the human invites the sin of self-killing. 

The one who consumes the food of the homa, offering the same to lord Vishnu, he does not attract any sin and on the other hand, he earns the merit of performing the fast. 

Therefore, the house-holder Brahmanas perform the Ekadasi-vrata while fasting in the Bharatvarsha, as a result of which they enjoy the Vaikuntha up to the life of Brahma. 

The same process has been prescribed for the house-holder, whether he believes in Shiva, sakti or is a Vaishnava or is a Yati and Brahmachari. 

The one who consumes the food after offering it to Vishnu he is considered to be a Vaishnava and earns the merit of performing hundred fasts and achieves ultimately the salvation. 

All the gods and the sacred places get desirous of meeting, touching and talking with him. 

The food which is cooked twice or the Chiura (half fried rice) which is considered to be pure in some regions are not considered quite appropriate for offering to the lord and for the consumption of the Brahmanas. 

О Brahmana, a recluse, widow and Brahmacarls are prohibited from consuming the betels.

О best of the Brahmanas, the widow, the Yati, Brahmacarls and Tapasvls are strictly prohibiting from consuming the betels. 

О Narada, the things which are prohibited for consumption of the Brahmanas as ordained in the Samaveda by lord Hari, are now going to be described by me, you Therefore, listen to it. 

One should not consume milk in a copper vase, one should not consume ghee which is left over and the milk with salt. All these tantamount to consuming the flesh of the cow. 

The coconut water should not be taken in the copper vase or the vase of a copper alloy bronze. If one takes honey or the juice of sugarcane in a copper vase, it turns into wine, there is no doubt about it. A Brahmana, who drinks water with his left hand, is treated like a drunkard and he should be discarded for all the religious rites. 

О sage, if one takes food without first offering to lord Vishnu and the food or water that is left over, such food or water is prohibited from consumption. 

Similarly, in the month of Kartika, the fruit of egg-plant, the radish in the month of Magha and in the four rainy months, the cabbage¹ should not be taken. The white palm tree, the small grained pulses, the fish of any country is prohibited and should not be taken by a Brahmana. If a Brahmana willingly consumes the fish, he will have to fast for three days and thereafter perform the repentance. Only after that, he gets purified. 

1.Costus speciosus.

The consumption of Kusamanda is prohibited on the first day of moon, because it results into the loss of riches. On the second day of moon, the forest fruit is prohibited and if one does so, he should recite the name of Vishnu. On the third day of the moon, cucumber should not be taken and in case one does so, his so, the enemies are increased. Therefore, it should not be eaten on that particular day. On the fourth day of the moon the radish should not be taken which results into the lose of money. By consuming the wood-apples on the fifth day of the moon one earns blemish. If one consumes Nima on the sixth day of the moon, he is reborn as a bird. 

On the seventh day of the moon if one consumes date-palm he attracts ailments, it also is injurious for the body. 

On the eighth day of the moon the wisdom is lost by consuming the coconut. If the guard is consumed on the ninth day of fortnight it is sinful and the vegetable of Kalambi prohibited to be taken on the tenth day of the fortnight. 

The beans are prohibited to be taken on the eleventh day of the fortnight and the fried rice on the twelve day of the fortnight. The fruit of egg plant is prohibited for the thirteenth day of the fortnight which might result in the loss of the sons. 

О sage the black-grams are prohibited to be taken for fourteenth day of the fortnight. On the moonless dark night the consumption of meat is prohibited for the house-holder. 

For the rest of the days a house-holder is allowed to take meat available from the yajha. О Narada one should get up early in the morning, take a bath and on the day of performing the vrata and sraddha the use of sea-same oil or fried oil has been considered to be useful. On the moonless day, full moon day, first day of the month, fourteen day of the fortnight, eighth day of the fortnight Sundays and the days on which sraddha are performed, the co-habitation with the wife is strictly prohibited. Similarly, on these days the consumption of meat, vegetables of red colour and the consumption of food in the copper alloy or bronze is strictly prohibited. 

Sleeping in the day is prohibited for all the people of the four varnas. Besides by eating of the meat of the tortoise and enjoying of the conjugal pleasures with wife, one vies hell. By consuming curd during the night, sleeping in the morning and evening and enjoying the company of a lady in the period one attracts sin. 

The food cooked by a woman in period, a wicked woman, a Sudras woman and the food offered by a priest and the food offered by a Sudra is strictly prohibited from consumption. О best of the Brahmana, the food of the Sudra is prohibited from consumption in the Hasta and Chitra constellations. Oil should not be applied on the body or consumed as such days. The food of the Brahmana and of Vaishya should not be taken. 

In the Mula and Mrugashira constellations, in the month of Bhadrapada, the consumption of meat is strictly prohibited. О Narada the one who со-habits in the Kruttika and Uttara constellations, he falls in the terrific hell. The shaving of the head in the Rohini, Visakha, Anuradha, Uttratrya and Kruttika constellations besides on the moonless day, is strictly prohibited. The one who performs tarpana for the gods and the manes, the water so offered by him turns like blood and he ultimately achieves the hell; О Narada I have explained to you the deeds which are to be performed and those which are prohibited, for a householder. I have also told you the eatables and those which are not to be eaten. “Now what more do you want listen from me”?