What Exactly Is The Purpose Of Prashad?
Related discussion: Origins Of Kara Prasad
Good morning RD1 Ji
Traditionally, the word "prasad" comes from the Sanskrit family, denoting devotional offering of food made to God, residue of which is then dispersed amongst the congregation. The ideology underpinning this ritual [Hindu] has divine connotations, which I think is worth remarking here because Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the preamble to Japji Sahib [Gur Prasad] exploits it favourably to advance his monotheistic find.
From a ritual perspective prasad is seen and believed to be an offering in the form of an outer display coordinating to an inner intention to make contact with the invisible world, meaning, God. Guru Nanak Ji accepted the concept but switched the perspective, in that, karah prashad distributed amongst Sikh congregation at religious ceremonies is godsend, meaning, God is offering. So really, karah [sweet desert] a food and prasad an offering from God, conceptualised beautifully to effect spiritual ascent of the ordinary Sikh into an "extra-ordinary" Sikh. Remarkable transformation from a mere ritual to a systematic belief.
More another time - but groundbreaking evidence for "prasad" can be discussed within Japji Sahib. That is the motherboard which gave rise to the prasad at gurdwaras.
Take care -
...without raiding the archives for extensive research to answer your question, I'd like to offer an explanation that is plausible and consistent with wider Sikh belief.
Traditionally, the word "prasad" comes from the Sanskrit family, denoting devotional offering of food made to God, residue of which is then dispersed amongst the congregation. The ideology underpinning this ritual [Hindu] has divine connotations, which I think is worth remarking here because Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the preamble to Japji Sahib [Gur Prasad] exploits it favourably to advance his monotheistic find.
From a ritual perspective prasad is seen and believed to be an offering in the form of an outer display coordinating to an inner intention to make contact with the invisible world, meaning, God. Guru Nanak Ji accepted the concept but switched the perspective, in that, karah prashad distributed amongst Sikh congregation at religious ceremonies is godsend, meaning, God is offering. So really, karah [sweet desert] a food and prasad an offering from God, conceptualised beautifully to effect spiritual ascent of the ordinary Sikh into an "extra-ordinary" Sikh. Remarkable transformation from a mere ritual to a systematic belief.
More another time - but groundbreaking evidence for "prasad" can be discussed within Japji Sahib. That is the motherboard which gave rise to the prasad at gurdwaras.
Take care -
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