Hinduism and Food: Hindu view on Food

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Hinduism and Food: Hindu view on Food

"The saintly persons get relief from all kinds of sins by partaking the food that has been first offered to gods as sacrifice. But those who prepare food for their selfish ends eat but only sins.

Bhagavad gita 3:13

"All beings come into existence from food. Food comes from rains. Rains originate from the performance of sacrifices. And sacrifice is born out of doing prescribed duties.

Bhagavad gita 3:14

I speak the truth, it is indeed his death. He who nourishes neither the god nor a friend, he who eats alone, gathers sin.

Rig Veda X. 117

From earth herbs, from herbs food, from food seed, from seed man. Man thus consists of the essence of food.

Taittiriya Upanishad

'From food are produced all creatures which dwell on earth. Then they live by food, and in the end they return to food. For food is the oldest of all beings, and therefore it is called panacea. Taittiriya Upanishad

According to Hinduism, food is verily an aspect of Brahman (annam parabrahma swaroopam). Because it is a gift from God, it should be treated with great respect. The gross physical body is called annamayakosh or the food body, because it is nourished by food and grows by absorbing the energies from the food. Orthodox Hindus offer food to God mentally before eating. 

In the Bhagavad gita Sri Krishna declares that food is of three types as are sacrifices, austerity and charity. Sattvic (pure) food is that one which increases longevity, purity, strength, health, happiness and taste and which is juicy, oily, durable in nature and liked by sattvic people. Rajasic (hot) food is that one which is bitter, sour, salty, hot and spicy, burning and which gives unhappiness, sorrow and disease. Tamasic (intoxicating) food is that one which is stored and devoid of any juices, dried, foul smelling, decomposed, left over and indigestible. 

Vegetarianism

According to Hinduism we have to be careful about our food, because what we eat decides our physical well being as well as our mental makeup. Eating very gross foods like animal meat and heavy or intoxicating food, may lead to the strengthening of animal qualities and lethargic nature in us. This is one reason why Hindus do not prefer to eat non- vegetarian food. Another reason is their belief that killing innocent and helpless animals for the purpose of filling ones stomach is a bad karma with harmful consequences. 

Apart from non vegetarian food, orthodox Hindus also avoid eating spicy food, onions, garlic, mushrooms, intoxicating juices, very sour food and some bulbs and tubers.

The following are a few quotations from the Manusmriti. 

á  The eater who daily even devours those destined to be his food, commits no sin; for the creator himself created both the eaters and those who are to be eaten (for those special purposes). ( 5:30)

á  Meat can never be obtained without injury to living creatures, and injury to sentient beings is detrimental to (the attainment of) heavenly bliss; let him therefore shun (the use of) meat. (5:48)

á  There is no sin in eating meat, in (drinking) spirituous liquor, and in carnal intercourse, for that is the natural way of created beings, but abstention brings great rewards. (5:56)

Not all Hindus avoid eating meat. A great majority of Hindus eat it. In ancient India even the Brahmins were said to be eating certain types of sacrificial meat. Hindu law books do not prohibit the eating of meat in general, but only certain types of meat. Jainism and Buddhism influenced the food eating habits of the Hindu community during the Gupta and post Gupta period, although we cannot say definitely that the concept of non violence and avoiding meat eating were alien to them before. As early as the rig Vedic period, ancient Hindu sages who spent their lives in meditation and seclusion subsisted on roots and tubers and plant food only to gain control over their minds and bodies and attain self-realization.

Charity

Hindus believe that serving food to the poor and the needy, or to a begging mendicant is a very good karma. Food is also associated with a lot of religious activity. Food is invariably offered to God during most of the religious ceremonies. On specific days in a year food is offered to departed souls. Food is also distributed to people at the end of many religious ceremonies. Many Hindu temples distribute food freely every day to the visiting devotees. 

Fasting

Devout Hindus observe fasting on special occasions as a mark of respect to their personal gods or as a part of their penance. At certain times in a year like the Durganavami festival they do not take food for days together. Mention may also be made of annapransana ceremony which is performed when a baby is ready to start eating solid food.

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