| In the Taittriya Brahmana of the Krishna yajurveda we hear annadevata, the devata residing in food, himself speaking about the importance of food and of the inviolability of the discipline of giving before eating, in words that are often reminiscent of the teachings of Bhiksu Angirasa. The eighth anuvaka of the eighth prapathaka of the second astaka of the brahmana quotes the annadevata proclaiming thus:<blockquote>अहमस्मि प्रथमजा ऋतस्य । पूर्वं देवेभ्यो अमृतस्य नाभिः । यो मा ददाति स इदेव माऽऽवाः । अहमन्नमन्नमदन्तमद्मि । (Tait. Brah. 2.8.8) <ref>Taittriya Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_(%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%83)/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AE Kanda 2 Prapathaka 8])</ref></blockquote>I, the annadevata, am the first progenitor of yajna: the first yajna born of me. It is I who, at the earliest times, become the nucleus of amrta for the devas. The one who gives me is in fact the one who obtains me. On the other hand, the one who does not give is consumed by me. I am the annadevata, I eat the one who does not give anna.<blockquote>अन्नं प्राणमन्नमपानमाहुः । अन्नं मृत्युं तमु जीवातुमाहुः । अन्नं ब्रह्माणो जरसं वदन्ति । अन्नमाहुः प्रजननं प्रजानाम् । (Tait. Brah. 2.8.8)</blockquote>Anna is said to be both prana and apana, the two forms of the breath of life that permeate the body. Anna is the giver of life, and also the extinguisher of it. It is said that anna is the cause of aging. Anna is said to be the progenitor of all progeny.<ref name=":0" /> | | In the Taittriya Brahmana of the Krishna yajurveda we hear annadevata, the devata residing in food, himself speaking about the importance of food and of the inviolability of the discipline of giving before eating, in words that are often reminiscent of the teachings of Bhiksu Angirasa. The eighth anuvaka of the eighth prapathaka of the second astaka of the brahmana quotes the annadevata proclaiming thus:<blockquote>अहमस्मि प्रथमजा ऋतस्य । पूर्वं देवेभ्यो अमृतस्य नाभिः । यो मा ददाति स इदेव माऽऽवाः । अहमन्नमन्नमदन्तमद्मि । (Tait. Brah. 2.8.8) <ref>Taittriya Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_(%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%83)/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AE Kanda 2 Prapathaka 8])</ref></blockquote>I, the annadevata, am the first progenitor of yajna: the first yajna born of me. It is I who, at the earliest times, become the nucleus of amrta for the devas. The one who gives me is in fact the one who obtains me. On the other hand, the one who does not give is consumed by me. I am the annadevata, I eat the one who does not give anna.<blockquote>अन्नं प्राणमन्नमपानमाहुः । अन्नं मृत्युं तमु जीवातुमाहुः । अन्नं ब्रह्माणो जरसं वदन्ति । अन्नमाहुः प्रजननं प्रजानाम् । (Tait. Brah. 2.8.8)</blockquote>Anna is said to be both prana and apana, the two forms of the breath of life that permeate the body. Anna is the giver of life, and also the extinguisher of it. It is said that anna is the cause of aging. Anna is said to be the progenitor of all progeny.<ref name=":0" /> |
| There arises many an occasion in Indian traditional literature to celebrate the centrality of the grihastha ashrama amongst the four ashramas, the four stages of life that a person is expected to follow sequentially in a lifetime. | | There arises many an occasion in Indian traditional literature to celebrate the centrality of the grihastha ashrama amongst the four ashramas, the four stages of life that a person is expected to follow sequentially in a lifetime. |