When a person visits a temple or attends a puja or any other rituals, at the end is been offered "prasad". The word, though it is very common, the concept of prasad holds a central place. The word prasad has various meanings*, well-being, tranquility, welfare, settlings, serenity of disposition, kindness personified as son of dharma, the remnants of food left by spiritual teacher, kindness, gratuity, and so on. However, the most common understanding is "food presented to deity or idol" In Vrindavan, there is a common practice of calling food as bog or prasad. The difference is, when food is offered to deity it is called bog, when offering is done, post pujas, rituals it is called as prasad. It is a sacred medium that represents divine blessings. It can be as simple as a leaf of tulsi to the grand mahaprasad of Puri Jagannath Temple.

The tradition of offering food or symbolic items to deities has been present since the earliest Vedic times. The Rigveda mentions havis (oblations offered into fire) and naivedya (food offerings), which were believed to please the gods and bring prosperity. Over time, these offerings evolved into prasad— the sanctified food returned to devotees after being touched by the divine.

Prasad also holds deep psychological meaning. When devotees consume prasad, they believe they are taking in divine energy, which fosters positivity, inner peace, and spiritual strength. Modern psychology also supports this idea— the symbolism enhances faith, reduces stress, and provides a sense of connection to something greater than oneself. Following are few examples of offering various deities:

Charnamrit

One of the most common form of prasad. The word charanamrit comprises two words, charan and amrit. Charan means feet and amrit the celestial nectar that makes one immortal. Together the words mean nectar of God's feet. In all temples after the morning and evening arti, charanamrit is given. Even after a religious ceremony, charanamrit is served to all present. In the Ranvir Bhaktiratanakar Brhnna, it is said:

पापव्यािधिवनाशाथर् िवष्णुपादोदकौषधम् ।

तुलसीदलसिम्मश्र जलं सषर्पमात्रकम् ॥

[To absolve oneself of sins and get rid of disease God's charanamrit is like medicine. If tulsi leave are added the qualities are enhanced.]

In the Ranvir Bhaktisagar it is said:

अकालमृत्युहरणं सवर्व्यािधिवनाशनम् ।

िवष्णुपादोदकं पीत्वा पुनजर्न्म न िवद्यते ॥

[Charanamrit protects one from untimely death. It destroys all kinds of diseases. It breaks the chain of death and rebirth.]

The intension behind cooking and its impact

Temples in bharata, has various offerings offered to the deity, some are prepared within the temple some are made somewhere else and brought to the deity. According to the likes and dislikes of deity, the offering also changes. What does not change is the intension. It is mentioned in the classical texts of ayurveda that, food once taken, post digestion the gross part becomes the body and subtle part becomes the mind. Even the intension to cook also matters. When something is prepared to offer to the deity with utmost devotion, the food is different from regular food. Possibly that was the reason, our forefathers used to tell not to taste the food while cooking and prepare to offer to the Bhagwan and then only consume.  Aacharya Vagbhata in his book, Ashtanga Hridayam says, one must consume food only after offering to deity, guests, pets, elders, guru, ancestors and children at home.

Navratri and Prasad

Navaratri, the nine days of worshipping Devi in various forms. It is celebrated in various parts of the country. But if we notice closely, we will find that thought the deity and beliefs are uniform, but not the prasad. Few examples are given hereunder,

Prasad Offered to Devi During Navaratri in Different Regions

What devi likes?

There are various offerings which is offered to Devi, but among the as it is mentioned in Lalita Shastranama, Devi is पायसान्निप्रया . She who is especially fond of sweet rice.

The importance of season and understanding of doshas

This Navaratri, falls in sharad ritu, and thus it is also called as shardiya navrratri. Sharad ritu falls right after the rains (usually it is true, but it changes according to geography). The classical texts of Ayurveda opines that, in rainy season there is increase of Vata dosha and accumulation of Pitta dosha. We understand pitta dosha with properties like sasneha (along with snigdha), teeksha (sharp), ushna (hot), laghu (lite), visram (bad smell), Sara (fluidity) and dravam (liquidity). Post rains, the environment is rich with jala tattva and when the sun reappears strongly, this is the time when pitta dosha aggravates significantly.

The prasad during the navaratri and after that is usually something which reduces the pitta dosha. Also when a devotee does the fasting, it helps to improve the digestion, regulate the digestive fire and prasad helps to rebalance pitta. Though in northern part of bharata, poori, kala chana and halwa is standard offering, author believes that it must be a different scenario in ancient times and this change has come due to various influences.

Conclusion

Bhartiya tradition had strong understanding of seasons and its impact on health. Our ancestors have understood and blend the knowledge with tradition, which literally helped the masses. Giving tulsi water as charnamrit ( prasad) or panchamrita, or various offerings in different seasons, or various offerings according to the season has immense impact on our health. Prasad is far more than a ritualistic distribution of food. It is a philosophy—a sacred bond between the divine and the devotee, between individuals and the community. It teaches us gratitude, humility, equality, and the importance of sharing. It sanctifies not just what we eat but also how we perceive life’s gifts. In a world that often prioritizes material possessions, the Indian concept of prasad gently reminds us that true abundance lies not in receiving, but in offering, sharing, and sanctifying life itself. Whether it is the simple tulsi leaf, the grand mahaprasad of Puri, or the sweet laddu of Tirupati, each prasad is a unique embodiment of divine grace, nourishing both the body and the soul. Thus, prasad remains one of India’s most profound contributions to human culture—a unique tradition that continues to inspire faith, unity, and gratitude across generations.