“Take More”

Prabhupada’s open decree that everyone should eat as much prasadam as possible created a humorous mood and a family feeling.  No one was allowed to simply sit, picking at his food, nibbling politely.  They ate with a gusto Swamiji almost insisted upon.  If he saw someone not eating heartily, he would call the person’s name and protest, “Why are you not eating?  Take prasadam.”  And he would laugh.  “When I was coming to your country on the boat,” he said, “I thought, ‘How will the Americans ever eat this food?’ ”  And as the boys pushed their plates forward for more, Keith would serve seconds – more rice, dal, capātīs and sabji. 

After all, it was spiritual.  You were supposed to eat a lot.  It would purify you.  It would free you from maya.  Besides, it was good, delicious, spicy.  This was better than American food.  It was like chanting.  It was far out.  You got high from eating this food.

They ate with the right hand, Indian style.  Keith and Howard had already learned this and had even tasted similar dishes, but as they told the Swami and a room full of believers, the food in India had never been this good.