Achars related to usage of vegetables in meals

Hindu Dharma has taught us how to perform various achars associated with cooking such as making chapatis, cutting vegetables, boiling vegetables, serving each item at the appropriate place in the plate, sitting in the correct manner for eating, washing the plate in a correct manner after eating, etc. All these acts are an attempt by the Hindu Dharma to free the common man from the attacks of negative energies. Let us understand achars related to usage of vegetables in the meals through this article.

1. Benefits of including vegetables in meals

Capacity of the body cells improves.
Physical strength and beauty increase.
Mind and intellect function systematically and adequately.
The sattvikta (Purity) of an individual can increase by 5%, meaning, it can reach 30%.

2. Correct method of cutting vegetables

Wash the vegetables before cutting. While washing, add a little vibhuti (Sacred ash) of sattvik(Sattva-predominant) incense-stick to it. Soaking a vegetable for a prolonged period in water leads to reduction in its Vitamins B and C.

A. Standing and cutting vegetables with a knife

Dragging a knife forward and backward while cutting amounts to cutting in the reverse direction. Cutting vegetables thus with a knife results in emission of distressing vibrations in the environment, and the vegetable also gets charged with Raja-Tama-predominant waves. Similarly, while cutting vegetables with a knife in the standing position, no protective mudra of the body is formed. As a result, the distressing vibrations emitting from Patal (Hell region) begin to dissipate in the body of the individual on the strength of speed of the Raja-Tama-predominant thoughts in its mind, and the individual’s touch charges the vegetable too.

B. Cutting vegetables by
using a traditional vegetable cutter

Vegetables should be cut sitting on the wooden platform of a cutter with the right knee pulled up towards the stomach. The posture so formed, controls the flow of Raja-predominant thoughts in the individual. As a result, the process of cutting vegetables remains free from generation of distressing vibrations. The mudra formed while sitting thus at the time of cutting vegetables activates the Panchapran(Five vital energies) at the navel. This in turn helps in controlling the Raja component in the body. Thus, contamination of vegetables due to Tama-predominant contact of the hand while cutting can be avoided. As a result, the nutritious & complimentary subtle juices in the vegetables necessary for the growth of triguna-predominant body organs at the respective levels are not destroyed.

2 C. Subtle benefits of cutting
vegetables using a traditional vegetable
cutter with bhav (Spiritual emotion) and chanting

3. Aspects to keep in
mind while cutting vegetables

A. Stalk

When the stalk of a vegetable is removed while cutting it, the subtle-gas that is concentrated there and is conducive for the augmentation of the Tama component is expelled into the environment.

B. The direction to be followed while cutting

A vegetable should always be cut from the stalk downwards. It helps in immediate dissipation of the downward-moving grossness indicating waves, which are generated by the sound of cutting, into the earth.

C. Leafy vegetables

Do not cut them very fine. Cut them into medium sizes, so that the juice from the leaves does not ooze.

D. Size of the pieces

Cut the vegetables proportionately into medium size pieces, neither too big nor too small. Ladyfinger pieces should be 1-1.5 inch long, while for larger vegetables like bottle gourd, the size should be 2-3 inches.

A. Very small pieces : When the pieces are very small, the process of emission of the nutritious juice is accelerated, and the nutritious juices dissipate into the environment. Eating such vegetables, which are devoid of nutritious juice, does not impart the expected benefit to the body.

B. Medium-size pieces : A vegetable cut in medium-size pieces appears proportionate and shapely. It also emits the nutrients in it very slowly into the environment through its subtle-pores. Medium-size pieces help preserve the source of nutritious juice, and this subtle source is then absorbed into the body through the medium of the prayer at the time of meals. This also explains the importance of praying during meals. As a result of the prayer, the individual is enriched with the Sattva component and hence, it can easily imbibe natural subtle source of nutritious juice in the food and keep himself healthy.

C. Large pieces : When the pieces are large, nutritious subtle-gas congregated in juice form in the vegetable does not get transformed into a state where it can be emitted. Therefore, while being cooked it disintegrates within. When this nutritious gas gets emitted into the environment to a little extent, it forms a subtle-ring around the vegetable, and as per the need this environment is assimilated in voids of the body of individual through the Panchapran-predominant energy.

3 E. Shape

A. Round or vertical and straight pieces : A vegetable should always be cut in these shapes. It stops the generation of Raja-Tama-predominant vibrations through the process of cutting the vegetables.

B. Artistic shape : Do not cut vegetable artistically in an oblique manner or in the form of rings because the oblique pieces generate distressing vibrations and negative energies get attracted to the subtle friction-predominant sound emitting from them.

4. Harmful effects of
cutting vegetable with a machine

The ingredients that make life healthy with the help of the Sattva component are called ‘Vitamins’. Every creation of nature has God’s hidden energy associated with the subtle cause-effect relationship that is rich in Chaitanya. Hence, every natural aspect can give the spiritual experience of Chaitanya. That is why, vegetables are called ‘donors of essential nutrients’.

A vegetable cut on a machine is devoid of chetana

Electric machines generate large amounts of Raja-Tama-predominant energy due to their speed, and this energy destroys the particles of nutrients in the respective food item. A machine cuts vegetables into pieces with great speed in a very short time.As a result, the subtle-effect imparting contact with the friction-predominant waves in the speed brings about localized disintegration of the subtle-voids containing nutritious juices. Hence, a machine-cut vegetable appears lifeless just like a corpse. When this vegetable is cooked on a gas stove, the energy attains further momentum and later this disintegrating energy congregates in the food while it is being cooked. This creates a subtle-environment of distressing vibrations that are being emitted around us.

Science that leads not towards modernization but towards destruction !

The scientists who call the ancient method of cutting vegetables on a cutter devised by Sages and Seers (who studied Creation) barbaric, are themselves backward; for, by their invention of the cutting machine, they have pushed mankind towards destruction! Everyone should understand that greater the attachment to Spirituality, happier human beings will be.

5. Effect of cutting chili vertically

A vertical cut in a chili expels maximum of Tama component into the environment at the level of kriya-shakti (Energy of action). When it is cut horizontally, the Tama component congregated in the chili is awakened only as much as is required for the body, and helps the body benefit. The Tama component expelled into the environment through the vertical cut attracts many negative energies. Therefore, a chili is cut horizontally to restrict the Tama component to an adequate level and thereby, give us benefit to the expected level.

6. Precautions required while cooking vegetables

Many times, baking soda is used while cooking to retain the colour of the vegetable; however, it destroys Vitamin B and alters its taste. Therefore, do not use baking soda while cooking vegetables.
Do not preserve cooked vegetables for long. It destroys the nutrients greatly.
Do not peel the skin of vegetables that can be cooked with skin intact; for example potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc. We can prevent the loss of soluble Vitamins.
Use a peeler (if it is necessary) to use vegetables and fruits.
Do not use excess water while boiling vegetables. Greater the quantity of water means longer the time for cooking and more the destruction of Vitamins. Use warm water to cook vegetables to save time.
If excess water is taken for boiling vegetables, use the water for cooking rice or for making curry too.
Do not boil vegetables more than required.
Avoid repeated warming of vegetables.
Boil vegetables in utensils with lids.
Use of sour substances like tamarind, kokam or pomegranate seeds reduces the loss of Vitamins B and C during cooking.

8. Purify the food-grains, fruits, vegetables,
etc. purchased from shops, only then use them !

Today, almost all the foodstuff purchased from shops has a covering of black energy around it. Therefore, distress could be felt while handling them. Always purify things spiritually before using them.

Purify food-grains, fruits and vegetables brought from the market with water or gomutra.
Sprinkle vibhuti on the food-grains.
If it is not possible to purify the items with vibhuti or gomutra, wave sattvik incense-sticks around them.