Changes

* अन्नमयँहि सोम्य मन आपोमयः प्राणस्तेजोमयी वागिति... । The mind is essentially formed of food, the prana is essentially formed of water and speech is essentially formed of fire. Chandogya Upanishad (6.5.4)<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1983) ''[https://archive.org/stream/ChandogyaUpanishadSwamiGambhiranandaR.K.Mutt/Chandogya%20Upanishad%20%20Swami%20Gambhirananda%20R.K.%20Mutt#page/n479/mode/2up Chandogya Upanisad With The Commentary of Sri. Sankaracarya (English Translation).]'' Calcutta : Advaita Ashrama</ref>

* अन्नमयँहि सोम्य मन आपोमयः प्राणस्तेजोमयी वागिति... । The mind is essentially formed of food, the prana is essentially formed of water and speech is essentially formed of fire. Chandogya Upanishad (6.5.4)<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1983) ''[https://archive.org/stream/ChandogyaUpanishadSwamiGambhiranandaR.K.Mutt/Chandogya%20Upanishad%20%20Swami%20Gambhirananda%20R.K.%20Mutt#page/n479/mode/2up Chandogya Upanisad With The Commentary of Sri. Sankaracarya (English Translation).]'' Calcutta : Advaita Ashrama</ref>

* अन्नं ब्रह्म यतः प्रोक्तमन्ने प्राणाः प्रतिष्ठिताः। Annam brahma, because upon the said anna rests the prana or life : Matsya Purana (83.42) <ref>Matsya Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AE%E0%A5%A9 Adhyaya 83])</ref>

* अन्नं ब्रह्म यतः प्रोक्तमन्ने प्राणाः प्रतिष्ठिताः। Annam brahma, because upon the said anna rests the prana or life : Matsya Purana (83.42) <ref>Matsya Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AE%E0%A5%A9 Adhyaya 83])</ref>

* अन्नं ह्यमृतमित्याहुरन्नं प्रजननं स्मृतम्। अन्नप्रणाशे सीदन्ति शरीरे पञ्च धातवः॥Food is indeed the preserver of life and food is the source of procreation. When there is no food, the five elements constituting the body cease to be : Mahabharata (14.108.38)<ref name=":0" />  

* अन्नं ह्यमृतमित्याहुरन्नं प्रजननं स्मृतम्। अन्नप्रणाशे सीदन्ति शरीरे पञ्च धातवः॥Food is indeed the preserver of life and food is the source of procreation. When there is no food, the five elements constituting the body cease to be. Mahabharata (14.108.38)<ref name=":0" />  

<blockquote>बलं बलवतो नश्येदन्नहीनस्य देहिनः। तस्मादन्नं विशेषेण श्रद्धयाश्रद्धयापि वा॥ (Maha. Asva. Parv. 14.108.39)</blockquote><blockquote>आदत्ते हि रसं सर्वमादित्यः स्वगभस्तिभिः। वायुस्तस्मात्समादाय रसं मेघेषु धारयेत्॥ (Maha. Asva. Parv. 14.108.40)</blockquote><blockquote>तत्तु मेघगतं भूमौ शक्रो वर्षति तादृशम्। तेन दिग्धा भवेद्देवी मही प्रीता च भारत॥ (Maha. Asva. Parv. 14.108.41)</blockquote><blockquote>तस्यां सस्यानि रोहन्ति यैर्जीवन्त्यखिलाः प्रजाः। मांसमेदोऽस्थिमज्जानां सम्भवस्तेभ्य एव हि॥ (Maha. Asva. Parv. 14.108.42)</blockquote>

The following four verses in continuation with the above sloka from Mahabharata, Asvamedhika parva, define the pre-eminence of food in the creation and sustenance of all life. <blockquote>बलं बलवतो नश्येदन्नहीनस्य देहिनः। तस्मादन्नं विशेषेण श्रद्धयाश्रद्धयापि वा॥ (Maha. Asva. Parv. 14.108.39)</blockquote><blockquote>आदत्ते हि रसं सर्वमादित्यः स्वगभस्तिभिः। वायुस्तस्मात्समादाय रसं मेघेषु धारयेत्॥ (Maha. Asva. Parv. 14.108.40)</blockquote><blockquote>तत्तु मेघगतं भूमौ शक्रो वर्षति तादृशम्। तेन दिग्धा भवेद्देवी मही प्रीता च भारत॥ (Maha. Asva. Parv. 14.108.41)</blockquote><blockquote>तस्यां सस्यानि रोहन्ति यैर्जीवन्त्यखिलाः प्रजाः। मांसमेदोऽस्थिमज्जानां सम्भवस्तेभ्य एव हि॥ (Maha. Asva. Parv. 14.108.42)</blockquote>Summary : Without food even a strong man loses all his strength. Therefore, food, whether taken in reverence or otherwise, has a special place in life. Aditya or Surya, through his rays, draws out the vital essences, and Vayu gathers these and places them in the clouds. The vital essences thus collected in the clouds are showered back on the earth by Indra. Suffused with the showers, the Bhudevi, O Bharata! is verily in contentment. Out of the contented earth grow the food-crops, which sustain all life. Flesh, fat, bone, and marrow are formed of these alone.

 

== Anna for Different Beings ==

== Anna for Different Beings ==

Mahabharata, in Anushasana Parva gives the different things that constitute anna for different beings.<blockquote>नीरजातश्च भगवान्सोमो ग्रहगणेश्वरः। अमृतं च सुधा चैव स्वाहा चैव स्वधा तथा॥ 13-67-12 </blockquote><blockquote>अन्नौषध्यो महाराज वीरुधश्च जलोद्भवाः। यतः प्राणभृतां प्राणाः सम्भवन्ति विशाम्पते॥ 13-67-13</blockquote><blockquote>देवानाममृतं ह्यन्नं नागानां च सुधा तथा। पितॄणां च स्वधा प्रोक्ता पशूनां चापि वीरुधः॥ 13-67-14</blockquote>Soma, the devata for grahas, celestial bodies, is born of water and so are Amrta, Sudha, Svaha, Svadha. Oh Maharaja! so are anna (food grains), oshadhis (medicinal plants), and virudhas (grasses). All living beings are born of and live on these various annas that are born of water. Of these, amrta is said to be the anna of devatas, sudha of the nagas, svadha of the pitrus, and virudhas of the animals.

Mahabharata, in Anushasana Parva gives the different things that constitute anna for different beings.<blockquote>नीरजातश्च भगवान्सोमो ग्रहगणेश्वरः। अमृतं च सुधा चैव स्वाहा चैव स्वधा तथा॥ (Maha. Anush. Parv. 13.67.12) </blockquote><blockquote>अन्नौषध्यो महाराज वीरुधश्च जलोद्भवाः। यतः प्राणभृतां प्राणाः सम्भवन्ति विशाम्पते॥ (Maha. Anush. Parv. 13.67.13)</blockquote><blockquote>देवानाममृतं ह्यन्नं नागानां च सुधा तथा। पितॄणां च स्वधा प्रोक्ता पशूनां चापि वीरुधः॥ (Maha. Anush. Parv. 13.67.14)</blockquote>Soma, the devata for grahas, celestial bodies, is born of water and so are Amrta, Sudha, Svaha, Svadha. Oh Maharaja! so are anna (food grains), oshadhis (medicinal plants), and virudhas (grasses). All living beings are born of and live on these various annas that are born of water. Of these, amrta is said to be the anna of devatas, sudha of the nagas, svadha of the pitrus, and virudhas of the animals.

== अन्नदानमाहात्म्यम् || Annadana Mahtmya ==

== अन्नदानमाहात्म्यम् || Annadana Mahatmya ==

<blockquote>ददस्वान्नं ददस्वान्नं ददस्वान्नं युधिष्ठिर ।। (Bhav. Pura. 4.169.2)</blockquote>"Give food! Give food! Give food! oh Yudhisthira" Thus spake Srikrishna to Yudhisthira, while advising him on dana, the discipline of giving, in the Bhavishyapurana. The Parva 4 (Uttaraparva) adhyaya 169 is dedicated to अन्नदानमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् ।

<blockquote>ददस्वान्नं ददस्वान्नं ददस्वान्नं युधिष्ठिर ।। (Bhav. Pura. 4.169.2)</blockquote>"Give food! Give food! Give food! oh Yudhisthira" Thus spake Srikrishna to Yudhisthira, while advising him on dana, the discipline of giving, in the Bhavishyapurana. The Parva 4 (Uttaraparva) adhyaya 169 is dedicated to अन्नदानमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् ।

The danaviras, the ones who give food and water to others, attain the best of lokas after their death and achieve great glory. They also live a long life and obtain great wealth in this world. The Mahabharata, Bhishma describing the greatness of annadana and jaladana to Yudhisthira, says<blockquote>न तस्मात्परमं दानं किञ्चिदस्तीति मे मनः। अन्नात्प्राणभृतस्तात प्रवर्ध[र्त]न्ते हि सर्वशः॥ 13-67-5 (Maha. Anush. 13.67.5)</blockquote><blockquote>तस्मादन्नं परं लोके सर्वलोकेषु कथ्यते। अन्नाद्बलं च तेजश्च प्राणिनां वर्धते सदा॥ 13-67-6 (Maha. Anush. 13.67.6)</blockquote>Meaning : I believe there is no dana greater than the dana of food and water, because all beings are indeed born of anna, and from anna alone they obtain sustenance for living. That is why anna is said to be highest in this world. The bala (strength) and tejas (vitality) of all living beings always depends upon anna.<ref name=":0" />

The danaviras, the ones who give food and water to others, attain the best of lokas after their death and achieve great glory. They also live a long life and obtain great wealth in this world. The Mahabharata, Bhishma describing the greatness of annadana and jaladana to Yudhisthira, says<blockquote>न तस्मात्परमं दानं किञ्चिदस्तीति मे मनः। अन्नात्प्राणभृतस्तात प्रवर्ध[र्त]न्ते हि सर्वशः॥ 13-67-5 (Maha. Anush. 13.67.5)</blockquote><blockquote>तस्मादन्नं परं लोके सर्वलोकेषु कथ्यते। अन्नाद्बलं च तेजश्च प्राणिनां वर्धते सदा॥ 13-67-6 (Maha. Anush. 13.67.6)</blockquote>Meaning : I believe there is no dana greater than the dana of food and water, because all beings are indeed born of anna, and from anna alone they obtain sustenance for living. That is why anna is said to be highest in this world. The bala (strength) and tejas (vitality) of all living beings always depends upon anna.<ref name=":0" />

Srikrisna's exposition of the essence of Bhisma's teachings is presented in just 15 verses. The first ten of these lay down the centrality of annadana, the giving of food, in the life of a householder; and the next 5 celebrate the greatness of food, its emergence out of the vital essences of earth and its intimate connection with all life. Most of the vast classical Indian literature on annadana, some of which we shall have occasion to recall in the following, seems to be in the nature of an elaboration of these 15 verses. Teaching the greatness of annadana to Yudhisthira, SriKrsna  says:

Teaching the greatness of annadana to Yudhisthira, SriKrsna  says:

 

The world, both animate and inanimate, is sustained by food. Life arises from food: this is observed all around, and there can be no doubt about it.  

The world, both animate and inanimate, is sustained by food. Life arises from food: this is observed all around, and there can be no doubt about it.

'''kalatram pidayitvd tu dese kale ca saktitah '''

'''kalatram pidayitvd tu dese kale ca saktitah '''