Taittiriya Upanishad states.
1. He realised food is Brahman; for from food even verily are born these things - by food when born they live; food they aproach, they enter having known this.
2. Let no one revile food; it is the vratam or observance. Life verily is food; the body is the consumer of food; the body is founded upon life; life is founded upon body. Food is founded upon food. Whoever knows this that food is founded upon food, gets founded. He becomes rich in food and a consumer of food. He becomes great by offspring, cattle and the splendor of Brahman. He becomes great in renown.
3. Do not abandon food. It is vratam (observance)
4. Do multiply food this is vratam.
5. Do not deny to any one hospitality. This is vratam. Therefore let a person acquire abundance of food by every means sanctioned by the sastras.
The Upanishad stresses the point that food is the foundation of life, of knowledge and culture and of spiritual evolution. It is therefore Brahman itself. Acquire more food in all legitimate ways and feed those who have to be fed. Grow more food.
Periyalvar sang;
"We the servants of god who clothe ourselves with His used up clothes, who eat the food that was offered to Him and who bedeck ourselves with His tulasi garlands."
Food was always of the simplest kind offered in the temples. This was because well to do pilgrims would not go to private houses uninvited and caste and other scruples made it impossible for them to take food from the hands of the sundry. but every body would know and all could depend upon the fact that food offered to the deity was prepared in a scrupulously clean manner. The rules for preparing food are laid down in the agamas. Therefore temple food was acceptable to all.
Cooked food offered to the Deity is called Tirupponakam.
1. He realised food is Brahman; for from food even verily are born these things - by food when born they live; food they aproach, they enter having known this.
2. Let no one revile food; it is the vratam or observance. Life verily is food; the body is the consumer of food; the body is founded upon life; life is founded upon body. Food is founded upon food. Whoever knows this that food is founded upon food, gets founded. He becomes rich in food and a consumer of food. He becomes great by offspring, cattle and the splendor of Brahman. He becomes great in renown.
3. Do not abandon food. It is vratam (observance)
4. Do multiply food this is vratam.
5. Do not deny to any one hospitality. This is vratam. Therefore let a person acquire abundance of food by every means sanctioned by the sastras.
The Upanishad stresses the point that food is the foundation of life, of knowledge and culture and of spiritual evolution. It is therefore Brahman itself. Acquire more food in all legitimate ways and feed those who have to be fed. Grow more food.
Periyalvar sang;
"We the servants of god who clothe ourselves with His used up clothes, who eat the food that was offered to Him and who bedeck ourselves with His tulasi garlands."
Food was always of the simplest kind offered in the temples. This was because well to do pilgrims would not go to private houses uninvited and caste and other scruples made it impossible for them to take food from the hands of the sundry. but every body would know and all could depend upon the fact that food offered to the deity was prepared in a scrupulously clean manner. The rules for preparing food are laid down in the agamas. Therefore temple food was acceptable to all.
Cooked food offered to the Deity is called Tirupponakam.
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