A. Items prohibited on hygienic and prophylactic grounds (like our not using tooth brushes used by others)

  1. Spittle and food contaminated with spittle
  2. Food contaminated by flies, worms, hair, fingernails etc.
  3. Food contaminated by excreta
  4. Food contaminated by cloth, thread, sneeze etc.
  5. Food that has been `smelt' by anybody
  6. Food `that has been tasted' by humans, rodent, crow, hen, cat, dog etc.
  7. Food that has been partially `bitten' by others
  8. Morsel of food partially remaining after eating a portion of it.
  9. Vegetables cooked without first being washed
  10. Fruits, vegetables etc. cut with finger nails
  11. Food prepared by persons who are not clean
  12. Food cooked in other people's homes (Parannam)
  13. Food that has been found fault with
  14. Foods that have been prohibited specifically
  15. Food cooked along with prohibited items
  16. Foods known to be harmful to vital air and the functioning of sense organs


B.ITEMS PROHIBITED ON `SOCIAL' GROUNDS
( LIKE THE `TABLE MANNERS' WE FOLLOW THESE DAYS DURING FORMAL GATHERINGS.) AS DRESS REGULATIONS ARE IMPOSED ON US DURING FORMAL DINNERS, CERTAIN NORMS AND DISCIPLINES ARE PRESCRIBED BY OUR TRADITIONS. SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS ARE:

  1. One should not take for self food intended for all
  2. Food meant for others (especially a sick person)
  3. Food kept apportioned for self and guests
  4. Food remaining after feeding a woman in menstruation*
  5. Food prepared specifically for a woman who has just delivered*
  6. Food that has not been offered to `Bhagavan' in the first place (during Aradhana)*
  7. Food before offering to guests (Atiti Satkara)
  8. Food offered to lesser deities (Devatantara)
  9. Food set apart for offering to such deities as per Sastric injunctions
  10. Products (grains, pulses etc.) not offered to God after the harvest
  11. Food offered by Sanyasis directly
  12. Food taken out from the vessel of Sannyasis
  13. Food offered without love and affection
  14. Vegetables, fruits etc. cultivated in dirty places *
  15. Those that are known to affect concentration and meditation
  16. Those that have been specifically advised against by Acharyas and such others
  17. Mixed food distributed by hand
  18. Ghee should not be served after one commences eating
  19. Foods cooked more than once (Punar Pakam)
  20. Cooked food served with iron ladles or bare hands
  21. Salt served directly by hand
  22. Food should not be eaten using left hand
  23. Food should not be eaten holding the plate by hand
  24. Food should not be placed on a seat
  25. Food should not be eaten keeping them on the lap (22 to 25 are precisely what we do during buffet)
  26. Should not eat edibles sitting on the bed
  27. Food should not be eaten without a lamp burning
  28. Moonlight / Fire are no substitutes for a burning lamp
  29. Lime used for making chunnam out of seashells
  30. Bubbles and foam arising from liquids (as while drinking coke, pepsi, coffee etc)
  31. No food can be taken without taking bath and washing hands, and completing ablutions (Parishechanam)
  32. Should not leave without completing the final Parishechanam
  33. Should not eat out of a broken plate or other vessels that are not clean

Note: Items marked * are referred to in Srimad Ramayana (Balakanda) also.

C.SWAMI SRI DESIKAN HAS DRAWN UP AN ELABORATE LIST OF VEGETABLES / PRODUCTS THAT SHOULD NOT BE EATEN. WE GIVE BELOW THE TAMIL AND POPULAR AND / OR BOTANICAL NAMES OF THESE FOR GENERAL GUIDANCE"

But, please do not be put off by this list. He has given another list of exceptions and relaxations under which even some of the prohibited items could be consumed as also yet another list of items that can be consumed freely without restrictions. (Vide Sections (D) and (E).
TAMIL NAME POPULAR AND/ OR BOTANICAL NAME
1. Athi Varieties - Ficus Racemosa
2. Perarku Bauhinia Racemosa
3. Irali Ficus Virens
4. Vellai Kathari White egg plant | white brinjals
5. Aal Banyan -
6. Arasu Peepal Ficus Religiosa
7. Ayil Chittagong wood Chickrasia Tabularis
8. Aarai Masculia Quadrifoli a
9. Naruvili Cordia Obliqua/M onoria
10. Pungu Dalbergia
11. Thigaipoondu A plant that causes confusion in mind
12. Kurinji A shrub Maruthonr i Terminaw a
13. Tanri Bellenica
14. Kusumbai Carthamus Tinctoriu m
15. Velai Cleone Pentaphytt a
16. Sivappu/Nattu Murungai Drumstick - Hyperanth era Muringa
17. Sukam Sukampal
18. Tamarai Kizhangu Lotus bulb Nelumbo Nucifera
19. Ulli Garlic
20. Siriya Avarai Beans
21. Thummatti Callous Leaved Bryonia
22. Therar Kai Clearing nut Strychnoo Patatatura
23. Panai Palmyra palm
24. Nayuruvi Achyranth us Aspera
25. Kadambu Eugenica Racemosa
26. Naikkudai Mushroom
27. Suraikkai A variety of gourd
28. Peerkku Ridge gourd
29. Sanar Keerai Hemp
30. Siru Keerai Amaranth us Gangeticu s
31. Sivanda Agathi Cormilla Grandi Flora
32 Purasu Balia Frundosa
33. Pasala Portulaca Obracora
34. Vilvakkai Crataeva Religiosa
35. Madulankai Unripe Pomogranate
36. Varagu Paspalum Frumentac eum
37. Mullangi Radish Raphenus Sativus
38. Vengayam Onion Allium Cepa
39. Punnakku Oil cake
40. Pannai keerai ! celosia s.p. ! Exact equivalents not
traceable |Yeast. Dried brew|
41. Noyyir keerai
42. Seenkadan
43. Oovaikkai
44. Rammananthal
45. Khadi

D. THE FOLLOWING CAN BE TAKEN AS EXCEPTIONS TO GENERAL PROHIBITIONS
:-
  1. The remnants of food partaken by father, preceptor and eldest brother.
  2. The remnants of soma juice tasted through the soma vessel during Somayaga.
  3. The remnants of food eaten by wife / husband even if hair, worm, thread etc are found in such remnants, they can be thrown away and the remnants eaten.
  4. In times of danger to life, even prohibited items can be consumed.
  5. During fasting days one can take water, roots, ghee, milk, sacrificial remnants, medicines - these will not spoil the fast.
  6. If it becomes necessary to eat totally prohibited items in order to save life, a bit of ghee or honey could be mixed with them and taken.
  7. Even those foods that had become rotten can be taken after mixing with ghee. Even other impurities like hair if noticed therein can be removed and thrown away.
  8. Of items that have turned sour, the following can be taken - curds, butter, fruits that became sour due to contact with water, roots, flowers and pickles made out of these (vide Manu Smriti and Srimad Ramayana).


swami Desika Thiruvadikalae saranam

to be continued...2