Frozen Food

Video May 24th, 2006

4 Responses to “Frozen Food”

1. Hari Sauri dasa Says:
   June 23rd, 2006 at 9:43 am

   It was wonderful to hear the recollections of Gopal and Sally Agarwal, Srila Prabhupada’s first sponsors for his trip to America in 1965.
   I was particularly interested in their comments about Srila Prabhupada’s early fascination with frozen food. I can confirm that he was indeed initially impressed with the availability of frozen foods. However before devotees rush off and stock up their freezers, they would probably like to know a few things His Divine Grace said in years later on the topic.
   I several times had discussions with Prabhupada about frozen food in 1976 and I have recorded them in my book, A Transcendental Diary for the pleasure of the devotees:

   August 2, 1976–New Mayapur
   (Srila Prabhupada was taking his evening massage)

   As he lay in the half-light, I mentioned that I had heard some of the temples were using frozen foods for their Deity offerings.
   Prabhupada shook his head and gave a sour look. “Tamasic food, tamasic activities! It is going on simply by Krsna’s mercy!”

   August 10 1976 — Teheran, Iran

   Srila Prabhupada came down into the kitchen today to talk with Nandarani about her efforts to conserve vegetables by bottling and freezing them. I had expressed concern to her when I heard she was doing this because of what Srila Prabhupada said in France about frozen foods being tamasic. She explained to him that in winter no vegetables whatsoever are available. He consented, once again demonstrating his willingness to adjust devotional activity according to time, place and circumstance.

   November 3, 1976 - Vrndavana

   Hansaduta Swami has been several times to Moscow to visit with Ananta Santi prabhu, Prabhupada’s only Russian disciple, and he and Prabhupada shared some observations and realizations about the poor quality of life there. Ananta Santi’s entire family lives in a couple of rooms half the size of Srila Prabhupada’s darsana room, taxi drivers beg money from their clients and the only vegetables available are frozen.
   Prabhupada screwed his face a little in disgust. “That is also nasty. Frozen means nasty. I never take frozen. In the beginning I thought, ‘Oh, it is very nice, you can get fresh vegetable.’ But they are not at all fresh. All rotten. Rather the same vegetable, as we have got in Indian practice, we dry it and keep it. That is tasteful. In season time, suppose this season there is huge quantity of vegetable, so here the system is they cut into pieces during the season and dry it in the sun and keep it. And during out of season it is soaked in water, it revives the old taste, then you can cook.”
   Speaking of vegetables made him reflect once again on the glories of a simple, rural life, devoid of grand material endeavors. “This I want to introduce, let them be satisfied whatever they can produce themselves locally. What is that, little cloth, little food? Any man can produce these things. There is no difficulty at all. They must agree to this simple life. Everywhere you can produce your own food and cloth and cottage. If possible you can construct big buildings but there is no need. And they should be satisfied, happy with Krsna. Then life is successful. This I want to introduce now, anywhere. And it is practical. It is not something bogus. We have already experimented. By God’s grace we can produce everything from the lands, sarva-kama-dugha mahi. You can get everything. If they are satisfied with this simple life, then they save time for Krsna consciousness and happy life.”

   It shows that Srila Prabhupada was always progressive. He was not afraid to try something new, but he retained his sense of judgement at the same time.

   Your humble servant,
   Hari-sauri dasa

2. kalpan mehta Says:
   July 27th, 2006 at 8:39 am

   hare krishna,
   very nice feed from H.G.Harisauri prabhu.thats why srila prabhupad was very much egar to eatblish varnashram dharma even at the time of death.But not understanding properly srila prabhupad we are very busy in developing srila prabhupad’s movement in material way.every indian gruhastha should think how he can develope farm community?
   please excuse me if i have made any philosofical blunder.
   youre humble servant
   kalpan

3. Tarksya dasa Says:
   September 14th, 2006 at 5:46 pm

   “This I want to introduce, let them be satisfied whatever they can produce themselves locally.” So nice, I hope this will happen soon here in Sweden.
   Hare Krishna!

4. m Says:
   October 14th, 2006 at 11:31 pm

   When are you going to post again?

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