Why do Hindu break coconut?

[Chetan Parekh]

Hindus believe that the coconut is the purest form of offering that one can
render unto God. The fruit is unique in many respects. The sweet, nectar-like water that it holds, is pure and untouched by the human hand. It is drawn by the tree from its very base to its highest level. The coarsely-knit outer fibres of the coconut represent the jealousy, greed, lust, selfishness and other vices of man, which must be broken up and removed if one is to penetrate and reach the white inner purity and thereafter taste the sweet untouched nectar of spiritual purity and bliss. No other fruit has the three distinct, eyes of the coconut. These symbolise the Trinity of Evolution - Creation, Preservation and Dissolution. The eyes also represent the three eyes of man - the two physical eyes plus the third or 'inner eye' which is the mind's eye or conscience. Only this 'inner eye' can penetrate the false, outer facade and reach the ultimate truth. It alone istinguishes right from wrong. The composition of the coconut is characteristic of the three elements of man. The hard, outer shell, with its course fibres, represent the physical composition. The inner white fruit represents man's psychological element, and the untouched water signifies his spiritual composition. Having been offered to God, by way of prayer, the coconut is then eaten by the people as blessed food or prasadh in the belief that it has now received divine vibrations from God and will therefore give them good health and prosperity.

[Mani Ram]

Originally posted by Chetan Parekh:
Why do Hindu break coconut?

Mainly to make coconut chutney

[Chetan Parekh]

Originally posted by Mani Ram:


Mainly to make coconut chutney

There is more than Chutney to do with Coconut

[Arjunkumar Shastry]

How many people eat the coconut without breaking it?

[Chetan Parekh]

Originally posted by Arjunkumar Shastry:
How many people eat the coconut without breaking it?

You are alone to do so

[sunitha reghu]

You dont have to break the coconut to drink coconut juice!!!

Originally posted by Chetan Parekh:


You are alone to do so

[sunitha reghu]

Originally posted by Mani Ram:


Mainly to make coconut chutney

[Jayesh Lalwani]

If Hindu don't break coconut, coconut break Hindu

[Anjali S Sharma]

Originally posted by Jayesh Lalwani:
If Hindu don't break coconut, coconut break Hindu

??
Could you please elaborate on this.
[ October 25, 2005: Message edited by: Anjali S Sharma ]

[Jayesh Lalwani]

If you don't take the coconut from the tree and break it, it might fall on your head

[Deepak Kaimal]

Originally posted by Sunitha Raghu:
You dont have to break the coconut to drink coconut juice!!!

Nope, you have to. Coconut juice/milk is made by grating the coconut and squeezing the juice out of it. You need to break the coconut to get at the coconut water too. Wayy too many reasons to break a coconut.

Anyone have any ideas why you would NOTbreak a coconut?

[Chetan Parekh]

Originally posted by Deepak Kaimal:

Anyone have any ideas why you would NOTbreak a coconut?

I don't know why, but in my vilage people don't break coconute on Sundays and Tuesdays, in temple.

But for eating purpose they do.

[Nanhesru Ningyake]

My theory: every coconut comes pre-packaged with a benign spirit. When you break the coconut, you release the spirit and it blesses you.

For a more prosaic explanation look here: http://www.saranam.com/Rituals/coconut.asp