Offerings:
Which flowers, which scent, what prasad to be offered to Bhagavan Nityananda?
Different things are prescribed for different gods and saints. For example:
1. Lord Dattatreya Jasmine – Parijat flowers and chaffha fowers are recommended for flowers. A henna scent is recommended. Dhoop is recommended. Kesar Goda Bhaat- saffron-infused rice is made as offering
2. Swami Samartha, Heena scent is offered. Besan laddoos are offered. He smoked hookah. Chaffa flowers or Son Champa, Son Chafa, – Michelia champaca, are offered. Devotees offer him Tulsi leaves, Bel leaves too.
Bhagavan Nityananda had no such specific offerings. He did not allow anyone to garland Him. He ate food offered by specific people. He did not partake in offerings made by visiting devotees. He distributed to everyone, especially children, whatever was offered.
However, devotees often offered Him garland made of Tulsi leaves. A thick garland of fresh Tulsi leaves was handmade. Very rarely He allowed to place it around His neck, that too, for a few minutes. Otherwise, it was placed on His Feet.
He liked Suji Seera as an offering so that it could be distributed to village children. Early days beaten rice with jaggery was distributed to the children. He ate rice and sambar. Pickles, papad, vegetables seasoned with mustard seeds, and curry leaves were often made. Maharashtrian and Konkani devotees offered their specialties, which He ate in small quantities. He often mixed with His hand everything into one irrespective of whether the items were sweet, spicy, sour, etc. He ate it as a Krishna Kaala. Sometimes He ate rice kanji with mango pickles or lemon marinated with salt, ginger, and green chilies.
Among scents, we offered Him sandalwood oil. In those days pure oil was available. My father brought from Masjid Bundar from one devotee, Shri Khanolkar, whom I have talked about in my Blog – Duty First.. It came in a long aluminum bottle with the typical cork (a light soft material that comes from the outside of a type of tree.) He kept the bottle in his pockets. Whenever he got the opportunity he took some oil on his palm and delicately applied it to Bhagvan’s Feet and massaged His legs. The room used to be filled with the sweet aroma of sandalwood oil.
The Tulsi leaves with Manjari, represent pristine love.
Tulsi Manjari, rice and sambhar, and sandalwood oil were offered to Him. He was okay with anything offered with devotion. There was nothing to say about His favorite, though.
