Srila Prabhupada on Cooking Krishna Prasadam

"When we cook foodstuffs in the kitchen for eating ourselves, it is a different thing from the foodstuff
which is prepared and offered to Krishna. The same dahl, rice is material for one purpose but the
same thing becomes spiritual when it is dovetailed with Krishna. So on the higher platform, there is
nothing material when everything is accepted in relationship with Krishna or the Supreme Spirit."
- Srila Prabhupada Letter to Bhagavan, 01-10-70

Before starting cooking

 Chant all rounds before cooking for Krishna
 Offer obeisances to Krishna, Radharani and guru-parampara and pray to get the ability to
prepare something for Krishna’s pleasure.
 Wash their hands before beginning cooking
 Before cooking utensils, cooking platform, stove, sink, floor etc. even utensils that are free
from any spot must be cleaned and purified.
 Cook must follow the highest level of consciousness because the cook’s consciousness
influences the consciousness of those who eat preparations made by him.

Basic etiquettes of kitchen

 The kitchen should not be messy during cooking, devotees should do parallel clean-up.
 No one should put anything in their mouth while in the kitchen, rinse their mouth or spit in
the kitchen sink
 Not smell, taste, look upon or even think of bhogas with a desire to enjoy it later.
 Wash their hands again if they touch the dustbin, floor, lower part of the body, any hole of
the body or any other contaminated substance.
 Anything that has fallen to the floor cannot be put on the counter or table without being
washed
 Prepared food fallen on the floor cannot be offered
 Eating utensils used by devotees should be kept outside the kitchen.
 No devotee should be in the kitchen without a specific service to perform there.
 Other devotees in the kitchen should not ask about the menu or comment on the menu
 Non-devotees and children should not be allowed in Krishna’s kitchen
 Bhoga while taking from kitchen to Deity room should be covered
 Krishna’s kitchen is meant only for cooking for Krishna.
 Animals should not be allowed to enter the kitchen.
 Kitchens should ideally be fully cleaned after each offering.
 Devotee’s attitude in the kitchen
 Maintain a very friendly and humble atmosphere in the kitchen.
 Engage only in the bare minimum conversation needed for the preparation of bhoga. They
should preferably chant or hear lectures or kirtan in the kitchen.
 Concentrate on their service and should not judge or comment on others’ contributions or
services.
 Devotees should cooperate while cooking.

Devotee’s appearance in the kitchen

 Dress: After bathing, devotees should put on clean, uncontaminated Vaishnava clothes for
kitchen service. All should apply tilaka.
 Hair: Women devotees should keep their hair well tied while cooking and men devotees
should have very short hair.
 Fingernails should be clean and clipped.
 Ideally, devotees can cover their mouths using a mask

Standards for Cooks

 The cook should know what is pure and impure, how contamination spreads, and the
proper methods of purifying different articles.
 Cook’s hands should always be clean, and he should not have the habit of touching any
holes of the body.
 Devotees chanting sixteen rounds and not eating onion/garlic are allowed to cook on the
fire.
 Other devotees who are chanting at least 4-8 rounds can help in other ways, such as by
cutting vegetables or washing pots.
 Non-vegetarians are not allowed to enter the kitchen.
 Non-devotees and children should not be allowed in Krsna’s kitchen
 Anyone can engage in cleaning and dishwashing services.
 Only devotees should cook and paid cooks are not desirable.
 Temple Deities should be offered bhoga cooked by only authorized devotees.
 Never eat within the kitchen
 Devotees should not enter the kitchen in a contaminated state:
a. Women devotees should not cook during their menstrual period.
b. Anyone with babies in the diaper stage (up to ten months of age) should abstain from
cooking service.
c. Anyone who has not taken a regular daily bath or bath after defecation should not enter
the kitchen.