Vitamins not in Srimad Bhagavatam
Posted March 10, 2005
I read both the articles by Harer Nama das and Elise Boyd. I have to say, I put my money on Elise. There seems to be a common misunderstanding that, because foodstuffs are offered, they are healthy.
As Harer Nama prabhu mentioned, vegetables and fruits should be fresh for offering. I have to admit that, while I was serving in the kitchen in a couple of temples, I personally had to remove sometimes three-quarters of a piece of vegetable or fruit and keep the remaining 'good part' for bhoga. I also had two serious food poisonings over a short period of time. I doubt it was because the prasadam was fresh.
I don't think we need to discuss the links between dairy and cancers; there are studies enough. The links between sugar and diabetes -- also studies enough. The links between fatty foods and heart diseases --plenty. As I see it, Elise has a genuine concern for devotees' health. After all, a diseased devotee cannot serve Krishna to the fullest capacity.
Believe it or not, putting a plate of foodstuffs in front of a picture doesn't miraculously fill it with vitamins and nutrients. Isn't that mind-boggling?
Maybe we're not ready for such common sense. After all, the word
'vitamin' doesn't appear once in Bhagavad-gita, nor in Srimad
Bhagavatam, so it must be -- what's that word again? -- bogus... That's right.