"That System Should be Introduced"

Prabhupāda: Now there should be one rule that unless they are husband-wife, man and woman should not worship together.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: On the altar.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Strictly prohibited.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: On the same altar.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Different altars is all right, but not the same altar.

Prabhupāda: No, different quarters... They should not go to the...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They should not be brought before the Deities.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Alone.

Hari-śauri: In the kitchen or...

Prabhupāda: Man and woman together should not worship unless they are husband and wife.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Never be alone. So just because they are married to someone else, that is not... They must be married to each other.

Prabhupāda: No, no, they must be together, the man and the woman. The husband-wife can go, not others.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In most temples that is not the system right now.

Prabhupāda: No, that system should be introduced. The husband-wife together can go to worship the Deity. If they are not related as husband, they should not go.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What about a situation like this, where the husband and wife are worshiping but also some other brahmacārīs are also worshiping?

Prabhupāda: Still, that is some protection. The husband is there. The woman means her husband must be there. 

Consequentialism Defeated

(Getting philosophical here. :))

On at least two occasions in the past, while attending morning Srimad Bhagavatam classes at a nearby temple given by two well-known sannyasi gurus, the term "consequentialism" was being explained. Basically, it was said that if we know that an action will produce unfavorable results, we should not act on it. Or as Wikipedia puts it:

"The ethical philosophy, consequentialism is a class of normative ethics, teleological ethical theories that holds that the consequences of one's conduct are the ultimate basis for judgement about the rightness or wrongness of that conduct. Thus, from a consequentialist standpoint, a morally right act (or omission from acting) is one that will produce a good outcome."

The prime example given in both classes was a criticism of Mahajan Bhismadeva for not breaking his vow of perpetual bachelorhood when Satyavati requested he unite with his late brother's wives and later on when Amba requested him to marry her. 

But how can one really know whether the result of an action will be good or bad? And if Bhisma had not kept his vow, would he still be as memorable today?  Would the battle of Kuruksetra between the Kauravas and the Pandavas really have been avoided? These are some of the questions that arose after the lectures.

And finally answered, for me at least, when this purport came up during my daily reading at home:

"Although Vrtasura was on the verge of defeat (in fighting Lord, Indra), he was not at all affected. He knew that he was going to be defeated by Indra, and he voluntarily accepted that, but since he was supposed to be Indra's enemy, he tried his best to kill Indra. Thus he performed his duty. One should perform his duty under all circumstances, even though one may know what the result will be"

Sattvik Sambar

Over the years cooking has been quite a challenge for me, not only to make something nice for offering Krishna at home, but also something that my discriminating husband will honor. He cannot eat nightshades, among other things such as vegetable oils, and toor dahl (what is used in this recipe) itself has a flavor disagreeable to him unless it is masked with things like coconut, molasses, tamarind, etc, 

So this recipe does not include chilies. And that's probably what stands out the most compared to the usual sambar recipes cooked by Indian chefs. So this version could be considered a little more sattvik. Thus the title.

(For those who desire a little more zing, however, you can always keep a shaker of cayenne pepper handy. :))

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c toor dahl, washed and soaked overnight.
• water
• 1 T salt
• 1/2 t turmeric
• 1 T butter
• 1/2 c coconut, soaked overnight then finely ground
• 1 T fresh tamarind pulp
• 2 T molasses
• 2 t sambar masala powder (see recipe below)

For tempering:

• 2 T ghee
• 1 T mustard seeds
• 1 T fresh ginger, minced
• 1/4 t hing (the yellow kind)
• 1/4 t black pepper 
• 1/4 t fenugreek seeds
• 10 curry leaves (if available)

To make the sambar masala powder:

Roast in a hot skillet the following until some slight smell comes out and or slightly browning:

• 1 T chana dahl 
• 1/2 t urad dahl
• 1 T coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 t cumin seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
• 3/4 t black mustard seeds 
• 3/4 t sesame seeds
• 1/8 c fresh curry leaves tightly packed

Add these next and keep roasting a few seconds more:

• 3/4 t white poppy seeds 
• 1/4 t black pepper

Turn off the heat. Immediately pour the contents into a cool pan. Then add and stir well: 

• 1/2 t cinnamon powder

Garnish finished dahl with:

• 2 t fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped (or parsley)

NOTE:

Nowadays, fresh tamarind may be available at your local Walmart, as well as fresh coconut. If not available, you can opt for the types of tamarind available in Indian groceries and prepare as required. 

Also Walmart has organic, unsweetened, dried coconut as a substitute for freshly grated.

To finely grind dried coconut, a spice (coffee) grinder can do the job. If it's fresh coconut, use the fine side of a grater.

To prepare the fresh tamarind, just remove the outer shell in each pod and let the fruit inside soak overnight. Next morning, push the fruit through a sieve to easily remove the seeds, etc., So that all your left with is pulp.

PREPARATION:

1. Cover the soaked toor dahl with water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that collects on the surface and discard. 
2. Add the salt and the coconut and bring to a boil again. Then cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the dahl has broken apart and looks well cooked.
3. Add the molasses and the tamarind pulp. Continue to cook on low.
4. In a small pot, heat the ghee.
5. Add the mustard seed. 
6. When the mustard seed finishes popping, add the ginger and stir it around a little until it's browning.
7. Add the remaining ingredients in quick succession and pour the contents into the cooked dahl.
8. Stir in the sambar powder. And about a quarter teaspoon more salt or as desired.
9. Garnish with the fresh coriander
10. Offer to Krishna. Traditionally this is served in South India with iddli or rice. Breaking tradition, goes well with chapatis with avocado salad.