Importance of Food as mentioned in the Upanishads

Have you ever wondered about 'Food' been given importance apart from just mere eating? But yes, to our wonder, food has been an integral part as described in our scriptures. Please read ahead to know more:-


- Eating is considered as a sacrifice.
-Vaisvanara Agni is the fire that digests food.
-Uttarayana,Dakshinayana,Shuklapaksha, Krishnapaksha,day and night, all have an impact on food
-Food is experienced by consciousness and is identified as matter ( prakriti)


Points that some Upanishads cover regarding food are as below-

1- Maitrayani Upanishad
-Meditate on the Atman before and after having food. This helps in not taking birth again in the material world.
-Adore food as Atman.

2- Taittriya Upanishad
-Dont insult and despise food.
-In bhriguvalli.( a part of Taittriya Upanishad),it is said that food is brahman, don't despise food.
-Provide food for travellers.
- Without food, meditation is not possible.

3- Prashna Upanishad
- Food and life are known as Rayi and Prana respectively

4- Arunika Upanishad
- Regards food as medicine.

5- Chhandogya Upanishad
-Describes assimilation of food and drink
-Mind is influenced by the food we eat.

In another instance ,Svetaketu lost his memory and could not recite Vedas, but later he ate food and regained his memory

Thus we see that food is an important aspect, it not just satisfies our taste buds but also has a more significant role as described in our scriptures. 
That is why it is also said,

यादॄशं भक्षयेदन्नं जायते तादॄशी प्रजा ।।

Our thoughts, words and actions are all dependent on the type of food we eat. What goes inside as food shapes and comes out as one's character.

Therefore we need to focus on the food  that we consume properly.



Comments

  1. UnknownAugust 6, 2020 at 8:10 PM

    I believe in it and also on the time to eat. It shapes our body and thoughts.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownAugust 6, 2020 at 11:04 PM

    Laxmi mam.. very apt article makes us realise the importance of food.
    In today's world food is given least importance rather it is taken for granted hence our farmers are suffering..they don't get back the hard labour put in by them.. We have engineers and doctors but no farmers..no one wants to dirty their hands in soil. We are not in touch with our mother our soil

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownAugust 7, 2020 at 7:55 PM

    Wonderful. This has to be explained to the present generation, who asks for explanation for anything and everything.

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownAugust 7, 2020 at 8:05 PM

    Hare Krishna, Bhagavad Gita chapter 3 verses 14& 15 annad bhavati.....is adding to the mahatvam of food & its brahman aspect, respect for food has always been advocated to us . Ur summarizing & highlighting is very apt & help us see food with a vedic vision.
    Pranaams

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. V RameshAugust 8, 2020 at 8:21 AM

      Before having food we chant the mantra om pranaya, vyanaya, udanaya, Saranaya, on parabrahmane swaha and have food. This leads to purification of our body and take energy and out unwanted things etc.,. We provide food as Neivedyam to God before having it .hope these 2 r in vedhas .To learn vedhas god has sent u as a tool and clarify our inner things By V Ramesh

      Delete
  5. UnknownAugust 9, 2020 at 7:21 AM

    Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 4 – Verse 24) is chanted.
    This mantra is a reminder that eating is a sacred experience, not a casual pleasure.

    This mantra is associated with eating because the symbolism is so apparent… the offerer is Divine… the offering is Divine… the offered to is Divine… the purpose is Divine.

    This mantra is not for reflection just before eating, rather is for reflection before we do everything.


    brahma arpanam (Infinity is the general offering) – i remember, the possibility and propensity to give is by the grace of the Creator

    brahma havih (Infinity is the specific offering) – i remember, the Creator and creation are One

    brahma agnau (Infinity is offered to) – i remember, the receiver is the Creator

    brahmana ahutam (Infinity is the offerer) – i remember, the giver is the Creator

    brahma eva tena gantavyam (Infinity alone they realize) – i remember, I am the Creator

    brahma karma samadhina (Infinity is acted for) – i remember, the only purpose of living is for the Creator


    Bg 15.14

    aham vaisvanaro bhutva
    praninam deham asritah
    pranapana-samayuktah
    pacamy annam catur-vidham

    I am the fire of digestion in the bodies of all living entities, and I join with the air of life, outgoing and incoming, to digest the four kinds of foodstuff.

    Hare Krishna 🙏

    ReplyDelete
  6. TechsavvyAugust 10, 2020 at 7:11 PM

    Food should be taken as medicine, like what medicine you take inside determines the outcome of cure, similarly healthy food would definitely determine our behaviour(physically and mentally).

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownSeptember 9, 2020 at 11:24 PM

    The good we must take as prasad from the Lord! Prasadan let it be tulsi jal, pushp, rice grains, etc. Whatever left after samarpan to Lord we consider as prasad and never bother it's material value. Hence we have tradition first offer food before us to God and pray (with his blessings) we eat. That becomes satwic. It is wonderful. Our modern innocent children are not thought such simple principles by parents because they are victims


    ReplyDelete
  8. Melarkode Krishnan HariharanOctober 13, 2020 at 12:47 AM

    In Bruguvalli annam is saudcto be one of the five khoshams covering atma..
    Annam/pranam/manan/vigyanam/ anandam. Does bruguvalli say food is brahman? Brahmam is that which defies any definition. If you keep on negating this is not brahman, this is not......etc and then what is left at the last is brahman. Please clarify on this.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Rajesh KothariMarch 23, 2021 at 8:44 PM

    I agree that whatever food we get we should offer it to the supreme, thank Him and take it in His remembrance.

    Also, one should consider anything that we take into our consciousness as food because it also shapes our thinking and makes our consciousness. I mean we should be careful about what we consume through our senses. Also going further we should be careful about company we keep, environment in which live and what kind of thoughts, beliefs and faith we harbour. All this contributes to overall well being of our consciousness.

    Consciousness is supreme for a soul. All steps to be taken so that it remains pure and divine.

    ReplyDelete

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