Srila Prabhupada on some considerations of Prasadam

Kåñëa Prasäda: Cooking, Distributing and Honoring (Iskcon viddhi) (very nice basic guidlines)

Partaking of Prasadam - Nectar of Devotion 9th chapter:
Drinking Charanamrita - Nectar of Devotion 9th chapter:
Everyone get's maha-prasadam
Charan-amrita - the Lord's bathing nectar:

Tadiya
Wearing Prasadam - Tadiya

Asaucham - rules for ritual impurity (sutakam - mritakam)

Çréla Prabhupäda: I am always well... in the sense that even if there is suffering, I know Kåñëa will protect me. But this suffering is not due to my sinful activities.
Bob: But let us say when I—in the town I live in, I take boiled water because some of the water has disease in it. Now, why should I drink boiled water if I have been good enough not to get a disease? Then I may drink any water. And if I have been not acting properly. then I shall get disease anyway.
Çréla Prabhupäda: So long as you are in the material world, you cannot neglect physical laws. Suppose you go to a jungle and there is a tiger. It is known that it will attack you, so why should you voluntarily go and be attacked? It is not that a devotee should take physical risk so long as he has a physical body. It is not a challenge to the physical laws: “I have become a devotee. I challenge everything.” That is foolishness.

anäsaktasya viñayän
yathärham upayuïjataù
nirbandhaù kåñëa-sambandhe
yuktaà vairägyam ucyate

The devotee is advised to accept the necessities of life without attachment. He’ll take boiled water, but if boiled water is not available, does it mean he will not drink water? If it is not available, he will drink ordinary water. We take Kåñëa prasäda, but while touring, sometimes we have to take some food in a hotel. Because one is a devotee, should he think, “I will not take any foodstuffs from the hotel. I shall starve”? If I starve, then I will be weak and will not be able to preach.

Bob: Does a devotee lose some of his individuality, in that—
Çréla Prabhupäda: No, he has full individuality for pleasing Kåñëa. Kåñëa says, “You surrender unto Me.” So he voluntarily surrenders. It is not that he has lost his individuality. He keeps his individuality. Just like Arjuna—in the beginning, he was declining to fight, on account of his individuality. But when he accepted Kåñëa as his spiritual master, he became çiñya [a disciple]. Then whatever Kåñëa ordered, he said yes. That doesn’t mean he lost his individuality. He voluntarily accepted: “Whatever Kåñëa says, I shall do it.” Just like all my disciples—they have not lost their individuality, but they have surrendered their individuality. That is required. For example, suppose a man does not use sex. It does not mean he has become impotent. If he likes, he can have sex life a thousand times. But he has voluntarily avoided it. Paraà dåñövä nivartate: he has a higher taste. Sometimes we fast, but that does not mean we are diseased. We voluntarily fast. It does not mean that I am not hungry or cannot eat. But we voluntarily fast.
Bob: Does the devotee who surrenders keep his individual taste?
Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes, in full.
Bob: Taste for different things?
Çréla Prabhupäda: Hm?
Bob: Does he keep his individual likes and dislikes?
Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes, he keeps everything. But he gives preference to Kåñëa.
Suppose I like this thing but Kåñëa says, “No, you cannot use it.” Then I shall not use it. It is for Kåñëa’s sake.

nirbandhaù kåñëa-sambandhe
yuktaà vairägyam ucyate

Kåñëa says positively, “I like these things.” So we have to offer to Kåñëa what He likes, and then we’ll take prasäda. Kåñëa likes Rädhäräëé. Therefore all the gopés, they are trying to push Rädhäräëé to Kåñëa. “Kåñëa likes this gopé. All right, push Her.” That is Kåñëa consciousness. To satisfy the senses of Kåñëa, not to satisfy my senses. That is bhakti. That is called prema, love for Kåñëa. “Ah, Kåñëa likes this. I must give Him this.”
Bob: There is some prasäda [food offered to Kåñëa]. It’s offered, and then we go and eat, and different prasädams are served. Some I like, and some I find the taste not at all to my liking.
Çréla Prabhupäda: You should not do that. The perfection is that whatever is offered to Kåñëa you should accept. That is perfection. You cannot say. “I like this, I don’t like this.” So long as you make such discrimination, that means you have not appreciated what prasäda is.
A devotee: What if there is someone speaking of likes and dislikes? Say someone is preparing some prasäda...
Çréla Prabhupäda: No disliking, no liking. Whatever Kåñëa likes, that’s all right.
A devotee: Yes. But say someone prepares something, like some prasäda for Kåñëa, but he does not make it so good, and it is—
Çréla Prabhupäda: No, if made sincerely with devotion, then Kåñëa will like it. Just like Vidura. Vidura was feeding Kåñëa bananas, but he was so absorbed in thought that he was throwing away the real bananas and he was giving Kåñëa the skin, and Kåñëa was eating. [All laugh] Kåñëa knew that he was giving in devotion, and Kåñëa can eat anything, provided there is devotion. It does not matter whether it is materially tasteful or not. Similarly, a devotee also takes Kåñëa prasäda, whether it is materially tasteful or not. We should accept everything.
A devotee: But if the devotion is not there, like in India...
Çréla Prabhupäda: If devotion is not there, He doesn’t like any food, either tasteful or not tasteful. He does not accept it.
A devotee: In India... Somebody—
Çréla Prabhupäda: Oh, India, India. Don’t talk of India! Talk of philosophy. If there is not devotion, Kåñëa does not accept anything, either in India or in your country. Lord Kåñëa is not obliged to accept anything costly because it is very tasty. Kåñëa has very many tasteful dishes in Vaikuëöha. He is not hankering after your food. He accepts your devotion, bhakti. The real thing is devotion, not the food. Kåñëa does not accept any food of this material world. He accepts only the devotion.

patraà puñpaà phalaà toyaà
yo me bhaktyä prayacchati
tad ahaà bhakty-upahåtam
açnämi prayatätmanaù
 [Bg. 9.26]

[“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.”] “Because it has been offered to Me with devotion and love”—that is required. Therefore we do not allow anyone to cook who is not a devotee. Kåñëa does not accept anything from the hands of a nondevotee. Why should He accept? He is not hungry. He does not require any food. He accepts only the devotion, that’s all. That is the main point. So one has to become a devotee. Not a good cook. But if he is a devotee, then he will be a good cook also. Automatically he will become a good cook. Therefore one has to become a devotee only. Then all other good qualifications will automatically be there. And if he is a nondevotee, any good qualifications have no value. He is on the mental plane, so he has no good qualification. [There is a long pause in the conversation.]
Çréla Prabhupäda: And the time?
Çyämasundara: Six o’clock.
Çréla Prabhupäda: Questions and answers are required. They are beneficial to all.
Bob: I still have a question on the prasäda.
Çréla Prabhupäda: Süta Gosvämé says:

munayaù sädhu påñöo ’haà
bhavadbhir loka-maìgalam
yat kåtaù kåñëa-sampraçno
yenätmä suprasédati
 [SB 1.2.5]

[“O sages, I have been justly questioned by you. Your questions are worthy because they relate to Lord Kåñëa and so are relevant to the world’s welfare. Only questions of this sort are capable of completely satisfying the self.”] Kåñëa-sampraçnaù, that is very good. When you discuss and hear, that is loka-maìgalam, auspicious for everyone. Both the questions and the answers.
Bob: I still do not understand so much about prasäda. But if you like I’ll think about it and ask you again tomorrow.
Çréla Prabhupäda: Prasäda is always prasäda. But because we are not elevated sufficiently, therefore we do not like some prasäda.
Bob: I found specifically that what I mean—that some are too spicy, and it hurts my stomach.
Çréla Prabhupäda: Well... That is also due to not appreciating, but the cook should have consideration. Kåñëa must be offered first-class foodstuffs. So if he offers something last class, he is not performing his duty. But Kåñëa can accept anything if it is offered by a devotee, and a devotee can accept any prasäda, even if it is spicy.
    Hiraëyakaçipu gave his son poison [and the son offered it to Kåñëa], and the son drank it as nectar. So even if it is spicy to others, taste, it is very palatable to the devotee. What is the question of spicy? He was offered poison, real poison. And Pütanä Räkñasé—she also offered Kåñëa poison. But Kåñëa is so nice that He thought, “She took Me as My mother,” so He took the poison and delivered her. Kåñëa does not take the bad side. A good man does not take the bad side—he takes only the good side. Just like one of my big Godbrothers—he wanted to make business with my Guru Mahäräja [spiritual master], but my Guru Mahäräja did not take the bad side. He took the good side. He thought, “He has come forward to give me some service.”
Bob: Business with your—what was that? Business with who?
Çréla Prabhupäda: I am talking about my Guru Mahäräja.
Bob: Oh, I see. I have another question on prasäda, if I may. Let us say some devotee has some trouble and does not eat a certain type of food—like some devotees do not eat ghee because of liver trouble. So these devotees, should they take all the prasäda?
Çréla Prabhupäda: No, no. Those who are not perfect devotees may discriminate. But a perfect devotee does not discriminate. Why should you imitate a perfect devotee? So long as you have discrimination, you are not a perfect devotee. So why should you artificially imitate a perfect devotee and eat everything?
Bob: Oh.
Çréla Prabhupäda: The point is, a perfect devotee does not make any discrimination. Whatever is offered to Kåñëa is nectar. That’s all. Kåñëa accepts anything from a devotee. “Whatever is offered to Me by My devotee,” He accepts. The same thing for a devotee. Don’t you see the point? A perfect devotee does not make any discrimination. But if I am not a perfect devotee and I have discrimination, why shall I imitate the perfect devotee? It may not be possible for me to digest everything because I am not a perfect devotee. A devotee should not be a foolish man. It is said:

kåñëa ye bhaje se baòa catura

So a devotee knows his position, and he is intelligent enough to deal with others accordingly.

One should respect the prasada of the Lord by first offering one's obeisances to it, then singing its glories, then chanting the maha-mantra and uttering the prema-dvani to the spiritual master, acaryas, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Radha-Krsna and all the assembled Vaisnavas.

The Glorification of the Lord's Prasada

naivedyam jagadisasya
anna-panadikam ca yat
bhaksyabhaksya-vicaras ca
nasti tad-bhaksane dvijah

brahmavan-nirvikaram hi
yatha visnus tathaiva tat
vikaram ye prakurvanti
bhaksane tad dvijatayah

kustha-vyadhi-samayuktah
putra-dara-vivarjitah
nirayam yanti te vipras
tasman navartate punah

"O brahmanas, in the eating of food such as rice and water, etc., which has been tasted by the Lord of the universe, Sri Krsna, there is no consideration of whether it is eatable or uneatable.  Just as Lord Visnu is spiritual and is not subject to mundane transformation, so in the same way His prasada is spiritual and untransformable.  Those brahmanas, who consider that in the eating of visnu-prasada there is some mundane transformation of its spiritual qualities and thus it can become contaminated by contact with someone's mouth or hands, become afflicted with leprosy, become bereft of their sons and wife, and go to hell, never again to return from that place."
(Visnu Purana)

maha-prasade govinde
nama-brahmani vaisnave
svalpa-punya-vatam rajan
visvaso naiva jayate
(Mahabharata)

"O king, for those who have amassed very few pious activities, their faith in maha-prasada, in Sri Govinda, in the Holy Name and in the Vaisnava is never born."

Prasada-sevaya
(from Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Gitavali)

1) bhai-re!
sarira abidya-jal,  jodendriya tahe kal,
  jibe phele bisaya-sagore
ta'ra madhye jihva ati,  lobhamoy sudurmati
ta'ke jeta kathina somsare

2)   krsna baro doyamoy,  karibare jihva jay,
swa-prasad-anna dilo bhai
sei annamrta khao,   radha-krsna-guna gao,
preme dako caitanya-nitai

"O brothers!  This material body is a place of ignorance, and the senses are a network of paths to death.  The senses throw the soul into this ocean of material sense enjoyment and, of all the senses, the tongue is most voracious and uncontrol-lable;  it is very difficult to conquer the tongue in this world.  O brothers!  Lord Krsna is very kind to us and has given us such nice prasada, just to control the tongue.  Now let us take this prasada to our full satisfaction and glorify Their Lordships, Sri Sri Radha and Krsna and, in love, call for the help of Lord Caitanya and Prabhu Nityananda."

1) bhai-re!
ek-dina santipure, prabhu advaitera ghare,
dui prabhu bhojane bosilo
sak kori' asvadana, prabhu bole bhakta-gana,
ei sak krsna asvadilo

2)  heno sak-asvadane,  krsna-prema dise mane,
sei preme koro asvadana
jada-buddhi pari-hari', prasada bhojana kori',
'hari hari' bolo sarva-jan

"O brothers!  One day at Santipura, in Sri Advaita's house, Lord Caitanya and Nityananda were seated at prasada.  When Lord Caitanya tasted the green vegetables, He said, 'My devotees, this sak is so delicious!  Lord Krsna has definitely tasted it.  At the taste of such sak as this, love of Krsna arises in the heart.  In such love of God you should take this prasada.  Giving up all materialistic conceptions and taking the Lord's prasada, all of you just chant 'Hari! Hari!'"

1) bhai-re!
sacir angane kabhu, madhavendra-puri prabhu,
prasadanna koren bhojana
khaite khaite ta'ra, ailo prema sudurbar
bole, suno sannyasirf gana

2) moca-ghanta phula-bari, dali-dalna-caccari,
saci-mata korilo randhana
ta'ra suddha bhakti heri', bhojana korilo hari,
sudha-sama e anna-byanjana

3) joge jogi pay jaha, bhoge aj ha'be taha
'hari boli' khao sabe bhai
krsnera prasad-anna, tri-jagat kore dhanya,
tripurari nace jaha pai'

"O brothers!  Whenever Madhavendra Puri took prasada in the courtyard of Mother Saci, uncontrollable ecstatic symptoms of love of God overwhelmed him while he ate.  O assembled sannyasis, just listen to this.  Mother Saci cooked and prepared semi-solid preparations made with banana flowers, a special dahl preparation, baskets of fruits, small square cakes made of lentils and cooked-down milk and many other varieties of prasada.  Seeing her pure devotion, Lord Krsna personally ate all these different vegetable preparations, which were just like nectar.  All the results the mystic obtains in the execution of yoga will be obtained today in the taking of the prasada of the Lord.  O brothers!  Everyone simply eat the prasada of Lord Hari and chant His holy name.  The entire universe glorifies and praises the prasada of Lord Krsna.  Obtaining that prasada, Lord Siva dances in great joy."

1) bhai-re!
sri-caitanya nityananda, srivasadi bhakta-brnda,
gauridasa panditer ghare
luci,cini khir, sar,  mithai, payas,ara,
pitha-pana asvadan kore

2) mahaprabhu bhakta-gane,  parama-ananda-mane
ajna dilo korite bhojana
krsnera prasad-anna, bhojane ho-iya dhanya
'krsna' boli' dake sarva-jan

"O brothers!  Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, along with all Their devotees headed by Srivasa Thakura, relish and taste different varieties of prasada at the home of Gauridasa Pandita.  They are taking puris made with white flour and sugar, khir, solid cream collected over yogurt, sweetmeats, sweet rice and many kinds of cakes and condensed milk preparations.  Mahaprabhu, Sri Krsna Caitanya, gave the order to all His devotees, in whose minds there was transcendental bliss, to eat the prasada of the Lord.  Becoming very ecstatic by eating the prasada of the Lord, everyone chanted 'Krsna!  Krsna!'"

1) bhai-re!
ek-din nilacale,   prasad-sevana-kale,
mahaprabhu sri-krsna-caitanya
bolilen bhakta-gane, khecaranna suddha-mane,
seva kori' hao aj dhanya

2)  khecaranna pitha-pana  apurba prasad n(?)a,
jagannatha dilo toma sabe
akantha bhojana kori', bolo mukhe 'hari (?),
abidya-durita nahi ra'be

3)  jagannatha-prasadanna, birinci-sambhur m(?)a,
khaile prema ho-ibe udoy
emana durlabha dhana,   paiyacho sarva-jana
jaya jaya jagannatha jaya

"O brothers!  One day in Jagannatha Puri, at the time of honouring the Lord's prasada, Lord Caitanya said to all the devotees, 'Honouring the khichuri of the Lord with a pure mind, may you become blessed on this day.  Lord Jagannatha gave to all of you varieties of extraordinary and wonderful prasada, such as khichuri and many kinds of cakes and condensed milk preparations.  Therefore, take all of this prasada till you are filled up to the neck and chant 'Hari! Hari!'  In such a transcendental atmosphere ignorance and sin will not remain.  This prasada of Lord Jagannatha is even worshipable for Lord Brahma and Lord Siva.  Upon eating it, love of God will certainly arise within the heart.  All of you have obtained such a rarely obtained treasure.  All glories, all glories, all glories to Lord Jagannatha.'"

1) bhai-re!
rama-krsna gocarane,  jaiben dura bane,
eta cinti' jasoda-rohini
khir, sar, chana, nani, du'jane khaowano ani',
batsalye ananda mane gani'
bayasya rakhala-gane, khay rama-krsna-sane,
nace gay ananda-antare
krsner prasad khay, udara bhoriya jay,
'ara deo' 'ara deo' kare

"O brothers!  One day Mother Yasoda and Mother Rohini were thinking:  'Today our two boys Balarama and Krsna will go to a forest to tend Their cows.'  Thus contemplating in such ecstasy of parental affection, they prepared a wonderful feast for the two boys consisting of khir, solid cream collected over yogurt, curd and fresh yellow butter.  All the cowherd boyfriends took lunch with Balarama and Krsna and danced and sang in ecstasy within their hearts.  They all ate the remnants of Krsna's lunch and filled up their bellies saying, 'Give us more, give us more!'"

Dress:
One should take his meals in a clean state, with peaceful mind.One may wear prasada garlands of the Lord and sandalwood paste.The grhastha may wear rings on his fingers.One should wear two pieces of cloth.Ones cloth should not be damp.One should not have ones head covered.One should not be wearing shoes.Sikha should be tied.Five parts of the body should be damp (washed with water): two hands, two feet, and the mouth.

Place:
One should eat in a place which is clean and spacious.one should not eat in a vehicle.One should sit on an asana, but the asana should not be broken.One should sit with legs crossed, not spread out.One should not receive foods directly in the hands and place it in the mouth, nor place food directly on the floor, but should take his meal from a plate.One should not eat off a broken plate.One Should not keep the plate on the lap.

Direction:
One should sit facing east, or north, according to the Visnu Purana. By eating facing east, ones duration of life increases; by eating while facing south one gains fame; by eating facing west one gains wealth; and by facing north all of ones desires are fulfilled (Kurma Purana).Or one may face in the direction of the sun.One should not face northeast, northwest, southeast or southwest.

Time:
One should not eat at the sandhyas: sunrise, noon and sunset.One should not et until food form the previous meal has digested.One should not eat before having performed sandhya vandana (chanting gayatri at the sandhya) or daily morning puja.One should not eat for four praharas before an eclipse of the sun or three praharas before an eclipse of the moon.Sitting Arrangement;Those of similar rank should sit in the same row.According to the rules, the moment one person in a row finishes his meal and rises to go, the meal has ended, and the rest of the people in the row are forbidden to continue eating. All of the remaining food is considered ucchista (leftovers) and untouchable. Therefore, out of respect, all persons in the row should wait for the senior ranking person in the row to finish before rising to go. When the senior person rises, then all others in the same row should also rise and leave. the senior person may sit separately, so that he is not affected by anyone else rising and leaving.

Respects:
Mahaprasad is nondifferent from Krsna. Therefore instead of eating mahaprasada one should honor it. It is said here, karila vandana he offered prayers. When taking mahaprasada one should not consider the food ordinary preparations. One should consider mahaprasad a favor of Krsna. CC Antya v.4. p.10Before beginning the meal, one should glance over the prasadam and pay ones respects to it remembering that it is he mercy of the Lord.One should always seek the permission of the Lord to act or eat or speak and by the blessing of the lord everything done by devotee is beyond the principle of the four defects typical of the conditioned soul. SB2.4.11One should recite;sarira avidya jal jodendriya tahe kaljihve phele visaya sagaretar madhya jihva ati lobha maya sudurmatitake jete kathina samsarekrsna boro doya moya koribare jihva jayasva prasadanna dilo bhaisei annamrta pao radha krsna guna gaoprema dako sri caitanya nitaiOne may also recite jayadhvani prayers.According to Hari Bhakti Vilasa one should chant the Gayatri mantra, then chant ones mula mantra seven times over the prasadam.

Prana Ahutis:
According to the Vedic tradition, there is a prescribed way to begin the meal, which is taught to all twice born persons when they accept the sacred thread in the upanayanam ceremony. At that time the brahmacari vows to chant the Gayatri mantra at the sandhyas daily for the rest of his life and offer his food to the pranas or life airs before beginning his meal. this system is still followed by brahmanas in many parts of India. The procedure is given in the practical manual.

Rules for Eating:
People seated should not touch each other while eating.One should eat in silence, not discussing material affairs.One should use the five fingers of the right hand only to touch and place food in the mouth.one should not make noises while eating or drinking foods or liquids.One should tear large items with the fingers of the right hand and then place the small pieces in the mouth. One should not tear a large item by taking it in the mouth and tearing it with the teeth.After finishing the meal, one should take the plate (if disposable) in the right hand and discard it.

Rules for Drinking water:
One should avoid drinking water out of ones hands.One should not sip water directly from a water source.If one has a clean right hand (before a meal) the right hand should be used to hold the cup. One should pour the water into the mouth so that the cup does not touch the lips.During a meal the right hand touches the mouth. Therefore at that time one should take the cup in the left hand and pour water into the mouth without touching the lips.If the cup cannot pour properly, then one should use the right hand and drink using the lips.While drinking water during a meal, no water should fall upon the food, otherwise the food becomes ucchista (leftovers).The water cup should be kept to the right hand side of ones plate, otherwise ones food and water both becomes impure.

Amount of Food:
One should not overeat, because that is the cause of sickness, and decrease in lifespan. It stops ones spiritual advancement, generates sin, and becomes the subject of criticism for all people.In Kali yuga the duration of life is shortened not so much because of insufficient food but because of irregular habits. By keeping regular habits and eating simple food, any man can maintain his health. Overeating, too much sense gratification, over dependence on another's mercy, and artificial standards of living sap the very vitality of human energy. Therefore the duration of life is shortened. SB1.1.10Sometimes it is found that an initiated person, in the name of prasada, eats very luxurious foodstuffs. Due to his past sinful life he becomes attracted by Cupid and eats food voraciously. It is clearly visible that when a neophyte in Krsna consciousness eats too much he falls down. SB4.26.13One should fill half the stomach with food one quarter with water and one quarter with air.

Order of Foods:
Hari Bhakti Vilasa mentions that one should start by eating a little sweet food, then take salty and sour items, and then pungent and bitter items. Liquid foods should be taken at the beginning and end of the meal and solid foods should be taken in the middle. This system is still followed in South India.In Bengal the custom is to take bitter foods first and end with sweet. Different styles of cooking require that the foods be eaten in different order.

Serving the Meal:
The grhastha should serve in the following order:Guests, especially spiritually qualified persons such as sannyasis, should be treated as like the Lord himself, and should be offered the finest food first.One should then feed married daughters, pregnant women, elders, children and sick persons.One should also feed tied up cows and horses before taking ones meal.The householder and his wife should eat last.An initiated Vaisnava should serve and initiated Vaisnava. The server should pure in mind, body, habits and dress, who can perform his duties quickly, quietly, and efficiently. Loud noises and talking should be avoided.Neither the server nor the serving utensils should ever touch the plates or hands of the people who are eating, for this will contaminate the server and the serving utensil. If this happens, the server should wash his hands and the utensil before serving further. The prasadam should be dropped on the plate in a free area (not on the salt etc.)Except for sweets or water, or dry items, spoons should be used to serve food.The server should us only his right hand to offer prasadam.The serving vessels should not touch the feet.The server should not touch anything impure (his mouth, feet, hair, lower body) nor should he yawn, sneeze or spit.Servings may be small, and when the guest finishes an item, the server should be alert to offer more of it. The server should br generous in giving the guest as much of an item as the guest desires. The guest should never be left with an empty plate except at the end of the meal.The server or host may describe the wonderful qualities of an item as he offers it, to encourage the guest to eat more.All persons in a group should be offered the same items.The food should be hot if possible.

Washing:
By eating one become contaminated. Before performing any activity one must purify himself.After rising from ones meal, one should wash ones hands without delay.One should then wash mouth at least three times.After the meal:One should not take rest immediately after a meal.One should not perform strenuous labour directly after a meal.One should maintain a tranquil mind, as during the meal, by remembering the Lord, chanting his name and discussing the Lord's pastimes with ones associates.

Digestion Mantras:
One should rub the belly and chant the following verses, remembering the Supreme Lord who digests ones food so that the body becomes nourished and so that one can perform devotional service.

agastir agnir vadavanalas cabhuktam mayannam jarayan tv asesamsukha ca me tat parinama sambhavamyac chantvarogam mama castu dehevisnuh samastendriya deha dehipradhana bhuto bhagavan yathaikhahsatyena tenannam asesam etadarogya dam me parinamam etu

May Agasti the fire of digestion and the digestive salts digest the food I have eaten. May digestion, happiness and healthy body be mine.Since Visnu presides over all the senses, the body and the soul, may he assist me so that my food will digest and so that I will remain without any sickness.

Regarding Leftovers (uncontaminated):
Regarding prasadam, leftovers should always be taken if they have not spoiled or if they have not been touched by diseased persons. We should never waste Krsna prasadam. Best thing is to cook only what is required and then give each person only what he wants. In this way nothing is wasted and everyone is satisfied. letter from Srila Prabhupada Kirtiraj Nov.27, 1971

Leftovers (contaminated):
You may not be so advanced that you will take the karmi remnants as prasad. The karmis should not be given so much that there is waste. letter from Srila Prabhupada Vedavyasa Aug.4, 1975

Cleaning the Eating Area:
Directly after the meal, the eating area must be thoroughly cleansed with water, since the area has become impure by the act of eating.One thing is that you should keep everything very clean. That is the first business. Every room should be as clean as a mirror. The prasadam room should be immediately cleaned after taking prasadam, otherwise you are inviting rats. letter from Srila Prabhupada Mukunda, Oct.20, 1973

Drinking Caraëämåta
Caraëämåta is obtained in the morning while the Lord is being washed before dressing. Scented with perfumes and flowers, the water comes gliding down through His lotus feet and is collected and mixed with yogurt. In this way this caraëämåta not only becomes very tastefully flavored, but also has tremendous spiritual value. As described in the Padma Puräëa, even a person who has never been able to give in charity, who has never been able to perform a great sacrifice, who has never been able to study the Vedas, who has never been able to worship the Lord—or, in other words, even one who has never done any pious activities—will become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God if he simply drinks the caraëämåta which is kept in the temple. In the temple it is the custom that the caraëämåta be kept in a big pot. The devotees who come to visit and offer respects to the Deity take three drops of caraëämåta very submissively and feel themselves happy in transcendental bliss.

Nectar of Devotion chapter 9.