Pujya Ramsukhdasji Maharaj

[Guest guest]

An Important Thought Over Food and Eating - Gita 17:11

 

In the Upanishads, it is mentioned " As is the food, so is the mind " . So a man

should eat pure food, because it purifies his mind. The place, seat, scene and

atmosphere where he eats the food should also be pure and holy, as these also

affect the mind. Moreover, feelings

and thoughts of the person cooking the food should also be pure and

divine.

 

Before having a meal, a person should wash both his hands, and feet and mouth.

Sitting on a clean and pure seat, facing the East or North,

offering food first to the Lord, by reciting verse -

 

" Patram pushpam, phalam, toyam, yo me bhaktah prayacchati;

tadaham bhaktyupahrtamasnaa mi prayataatmanah " (Gita 9:26)

 

" Whosoever offers to Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water that

offering of love, of the pure of heart I accept " (Gita 9:26).

 

After this he should take a little water in his palm and recite the

following verse -

 

" Brahmaarpanam brahma havirbrahmaagnau brahmanaa hutam

brahmaiva tena gantavyam brahmakarmasamaadhi naa. " (Guta 4:24)

 

" The act of offering is God, the oblation is God. It is offered by

God, into the Fire of God. God is verily to be attained by him who is

absorbed in God in the act of such sacrifice (yagna) " (Gita 4:24).

 

Then he should drink the water. While putting his first morsel into his mouth,

he should recite the sacred mantra (hymn) of sixteen words-

 

" Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare,

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare "

or chant your favorite mantra (two times).

 

Thus he chews a morsel 32 times, as there are sixteen words in the

sacred mantra. This food then becomes digestible, nourishing and

purified at the same time one remains absorbed in adoration of the Lord by

reciting His name.

 

If while having your meal, the mind is dwelling on evil propensities

such as hatred, envy, jealousy, fear and greed, the food will not be

digested well, and person will suffer indigestion. Therefore while

eating food, one should be free from all evil propensities, and should

remain calm and pleased.

 

As good and evil feelings, have their effect on food, so have looks. If an evil

person or a hungry dog, looks at food it becomes impure. So what to do? If his

eyes fell on the food, then seeing him we should become happy that Bhagwaan

Himself has come to eat the food in that form! So, first we should offer a part

of the food to Him, and then eat the remaining food. By doing so, the food is

purified.

 

Secondly, those who extract all the milk of the cow without first satisfying the

calf, that milk becomes impure, as it is taking away from what is rightfully

belonging to the calf. That milk is pure, which comes from milking the cow after

the calf is well-fed.

 

The sentiments and feelings (bhaav) of the person who is eating, and of the

person, who is offering the food, also have an effect on food.

 

(i) Food which is offered with great pleasure, is of superior quality.

 

(ii) Food offered with pleasure, but the partaker thinks that he has saved some

money, by receiving free food is considered of medium quality.

 

(iii) Food offered with a feeling of compulsion, that he has been forced to

offer the food, because someone has arrived, and the partaker eats the food

having the feeling of selfishness- that food is, of an inferior quality.

 

On this topic, the perspective of the principles of Gita indicate, that good

persons are devoted to the welfare of all beings. " Sarvabhoota hiterataah. "

(Gita 5:25, Gita 12:4). It means that - The greater the sentiments that the

other person has towards the welfare of others, that person's things and actions

etc., will become that much purer.

 

The following verses, should be recited when a meal is over ­-

 

" All beings come forth from food, food is produced from rain, rain ensues from

sacrifice and sacrifice is born of action. Action has its origin in Brahma

(Vedas), and the Vedas spring from the Imperishable (Paramatma, God); therefore

the all-pervading (Brahma), ever rests in sacrifice " (Gita 3:14-15).

 

" annaabhavanti bhootaani parjanyaadannasambh avah

yajnaadbhavati parjanyo yajnah karmasamudbhavah

karma brahmodbhavam viddhi brahmaaksarasamudhb havam

tasmaatsarvagatam brahma nityam yajne pratisthitam. " (Gita 3:14-15)

 

Then, in order to digest food he should recite -

 

" As the fire of life dwells in the bodies of living beings, and united with the

praana (upward) and apaana (downward) breaths, I digest the four kinds of food'

(Gita 15:14)

 

" aham vaishvaanaro bhootvaa praaninaam dehamaasritah

praanaapaanasamaayu ktah pachaamyannam caturvidham. "

 

and move the navel, with the middle finger slowly. (Gita 15:14)