I've read that if you visit an Indian temple a stranger may offer you a garland known as a 'prasad', for which he may later expect you to pay. Is this true? And is a prasad a present FROM the gods, or a present FOR the gods, something you should offer up at the temple?
2007-06-26 06:28:51 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ India ➔ Other - India
Garland is not the Prasad in actual meaning.
Prasad actually means something given to the devotee by the god from god's own used materials. It may be garland, fruits or any thing.
However the people who wants money is not doing it in right way. You and me are not suppose to pay for it. One can pay if he wishes and what ever amount he wishes. But those people most of the time forces to pay a lot especially in famous temples. I never pay them and please you also do not pay them a single buck.
2007-06-26 06:37:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Parsad is actally a blessing from the god, usually it can be a garland, fruit or some kind of eatable. Genrally you go to a temple with some kind of offering (fruits, some eatable, garland or just flowers but not nessesory to go with the offering) and the priest will perform some rituals on your offering and may give to back partialy/completely or entierly different parsad. Even if you have not taken anything you still get the parsad from the priest. If anybody other then preist offers u a parsad in exchange of $$$ then its not parsad but he is selling you the offering which you can take inside the temple as your offering to God. Usually there are lot of vendors outside the temple doing this. In short parsad is a blessing from the god in form of genrally some eatable which have been offered to god from somebody. Hope this helps.
2007-06-26 13:53:22 · answer #2 · answered by Jupiter 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
PrasÄd is both a mental condition of generosity, as well as a material substance that is first offered to a deity (in Hinduism) and then consumed (Hinduism and Sikhism). Literally, a gracious gift. Anything, usually edible, given by a saint, Perfect Master or the Avatar to their followers. Anything, usually edible, that is first offered to a deity, saint, Perfect Master or the Avatar and then distributed in His name.
For more information, please check the following link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasad
2007-06-27 23:02:04 · answer #3 · answered by vakayil k 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I Appreciate your thoughts that you have read that if you visit an indian temple. You can find more information here.
2007-06-27 04:12:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋