20/03/2013
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्महवि ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्माणाहुतम् ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना
ऊँ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः
Brahmarpanam, Brahmahavih, Brahmagnou, Brahma-nahutam, Brahmaiva tena gantavyam, Brahmakarma Samadhina, Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantih.
I offer everything to Brahman, the fire is Brahman, the offering is Brahman, the person doing the Yagna is Brahman, the goal is Brahman and the whole act of Yagna is Brahman”. The act of eating is a Yajna or offering to the universal consciousness, which is referred to as the Brahman.
The mood of divine love which is the joy of sharing and accepting that is experienced when the mother feeds the child is brought out in the next prayer to mother of the universe’ Annapurna’. You become a child requesting your mother to feed you. Imagine how enjoyable it was when you slept off in the lap of your mother who fed you with love when you were small. Now you are in the lap of that divine universal mother whom you are requesting for food as in this sloka
अन्नपूर्णे सदापूर्ण शंकरप्राणवल्लभे
ज्ञानवैराग्यसिध्दयर्थं भिक्षां देहि च पार्वती ।।
Annapurne, Sadapurne, Sankara prana vallabhe, Jnana Vairagya siddhyartham bhiksan dehi ca parvati.
Oh mother parvati, the spouse of father Sankara, the personification of food, eternal fullness, please feed me this meal that leads me to a state of true knowledge and freedom from likes and dislike in my life.
Tamasik foods.
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् ।
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेघ्यं भोजन तामसप्रियम् ।।
Yatayamam gatarasam puti paryusitam ca yat,
Ucchistamapi camedhyam bhojanam tamasapriyam.
(Gita 17. 10)
That which is stale, tasteless, stinking, cooked overnight, refuse and impure is the food liked by the Tamasiks.
Those foods which are ‘dead’, partially spoiled, have lost their essence, have been processed a great deal, have been preserved in some way having no spark of life about them, are the foods that lack vitality and energy. These are the ones liked by the Tamasik persons. Meat is considered Tamasik especially when it is not fresh. Once the animal cells die, the process of degeneration and decay begins and hence Tamasic. Fermentation is essentially a process of decomposition, especially when it is poorly controlled and overdone. Hence alcoholic drinks, especially the poorer quality ones, belong to this category.
The innate personality structure of the Tamasik is reflected in their liking for such foods. These foods may add ‘matter’ to the physical body, may nourish the grossest aspect of the body but they create a feeling of heaviness and lethargy. Due to external circumstances like busy work schedule, high-tech advertisements etc, when Sattvik man consumes such foods his taste also changes and he grows Tamasik. Energy and Vitality are almost absent in such foods and hence the functioning gets sluggish. Disease of degeneration due to accumulation of excessive toxic matter are likely to occur. Eating Tamasik food makes you less alert. One way vacillate between an irritating restlessness and a tendency to fall asleep.
Rajasik Foods.
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्ण तीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।
आहाराः राजसस्येष्टाः दुःख शोकामयप्रदाः ।।
Katvamlavanatyusna tiksna-ruksavidahinah,
Aharah rajasasyestah duhkhasokamayapardah.
(Gita 17. 9)
Foods that are Katu-bitter, Amla-sour, saline, ati Usna-steaming hot, Tiksna-burning, Ruksha-fried, Vidahinah-generating thirst, are the ones like by Rajasiks.
Food whish stimulates the nervous system, speeds up metabolism and activates the entire system is called Rajasik. Green chilli and pepper are considered Rajasik but dried red chilli tend to be more Tamasik.
These Rajasik foods will energise but not in the sense of yielding a clear balance energy. They tend to stimulate and push the activity, sensual pleasures and comforts. Spiced and cooked to perfection with lots of rich sauces, it tempts one to eat more and leads the attention to the savour of the food and sway from internal signals.
Rajasik food is rich and tasty and meant for the Kings (Rajas). It is recognized that a pushing, aggressive worldly kind of activity is appropriate for rulers, for the military forces and for those who concern themselves with political matters-who deal in the area of domination, forcefulness and warfare. Such a diet, no doubt, creates in an individual brilliant energies and keeps all vigorous men restlessly striving to fulfill their uncontrolled passions and desires; hence, they lead to pain, grief and disease.
Sattvik Foods
आयु सत्वबलारोग्य सुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः ।
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिराः हृद्याः आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ।।
Ayuh satvabalarogya sukhapritivivardhanah,
Rasyah snigdhah sthirah hrdyah aharah sattvikapriyah.
Those foods whish increase the Ayuh-life and vitality, Sattva-purity, Bala-strength & stamina, Arogya-health, Sukha-happiness and Priti-cheerfulness, are termed satvik. These foods are Rasyah-savoury, Snigdhah-oleaginous, Sthirah-substantial, hrdyah-agreeable and are likded by the Sattviks.
Those foods which are fresh, wholesome, natural, of good quality, mild in spices, neither over cooked nor undercooked, experienced as lending a calm alertmess and energy are called Sattvik. Fresh fruits, wholesome grains and fresh milk of cow are Sattvik foods. They are said to nourish the consciousness.
They not only provide nourishment for the body, but they do not adversely affect the overall energy state. They add vitality to the total system by bringing a perfect, harmonious balance of energy states in the food itself. Such ffods that give the body lightness, alertness, energy and create a clear consciousness are the Sattvik foods. They give strength from within, in contrast to Rajasik foods which supply strength to the muscles and give a feeling that his energy is coming from the food his has eaten.
In describing the natural taste of particular types of food that is accepted and liked by good men of spiritual urges(Satva), it is which will augment joy(priti) and inner cheerfulness(Sukha). In short, such creative men, by their own choice, enjoy only those foods which are clean and wholesome.
आहार निद्रा भय मैथुनं च सामान्यमेतत् पशुभिः नराणाम् ।
बुद्धिर्हि तेषां अधिको विशेषः बुद्धिर्विहीनः पशुभिः समानः ।।
Hunger, sleep, fear and procreative instincts are common to man and animals. The discriminating faculty or the capacity to master these instincts is the factor that distinguishes human race from animals. A person who does not develop and nurture this mastery is no different from animals.
