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Understanding Annam Parabrahma Swarupam: Food & The Divine Connection
‘Dana’ is a Sanskrit word that means offering a gift or granting alms in any form. The word ‘dana’, mentioned in various Hindu texts, refers to giving without expecting anything in return. Various forms of ‘dana’ include
- ‘anna’ (donation of food),
- ‘praana’ (donation of organs),
- ‘bhoodana’ (donation of land) and
- ‘godana’ (donation of cows).
Many stories, anecdotes and incidents narrated in the ancient texts highlight the significance of ‘dana.’
The Upanishads, the Mahabharata, the Sivapurana and many other scriptures refer to it. Besides these, the lives of Agastya Maharishi, Sri Sankaracharya and Sri Ramana Maharishi speak volumes about it.
Sri Venkateswara Nitya Annaprasadam Scheme
The T.T. D, Tirupati is considered the biggest ‘dharmic’ organization running many temples. It spreads the message of ‘dharma’ as enshrined in the Vedas and Puranas through its television channels, publications and other public lectures organized occasionally in Tirumala, the abode of Sri Venkateswara and in other places. It has the largest scheme named ‘Sri Venkateswara Nitya Annaprasadam Scheme’.
Through this, it has been providing food to the pilgrims for decades. Meals are supplied all through the day in large quantities in Sri Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam Complex in Tirumala and also in Tiruchanur, the abode of Goddess Padmavati, the consort of Lord Venkateswara. This service extends to the patients in the various hospitals run by the Devasthanams, in Tirupati.
A special feature of the scheme includes the distribution of milk and food packets at many points in Tirumala and also in the queue complexes where pilgrims wait for long hours for the grand ‘darshan’ of the Lord. Another significant scheme introduced recently is donating food to the pilgrims: either breakfast or lunch or dinner for one day alone. This would allow the devotees to offer small amounts of money.
Annam Parabrahma Swarupam
The Upanishads say: ‘Annam Parabrahma Swarupam’. It means food is one form of Lord Brahma. It is the essence of life. One should not waste food. Wasting food is considered a sin. No living creature on earth can survive without food. So, food and life are inseparable. Donation of food is like donating life.
Annadanam
Annadanam, i.e., the offering of food to the needy is commonly followed globally. There are many places of worship in India that have taken up the activity of feeding the hungry on a large scale. Here are some of them:
- Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
- Dharmasthala, Karnataka
- Vaishno Devi Shrine, Jammu
- Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha
- The Golden Temple, Punjab and
- many more.
In households, the women folk offer food to the guests or at least to a cow before they eat. The family invites guests for lunch on special occasions or on a festive occasion and share food with them.
Excerpts from some significant texts
The Sivapurana
An argument once arose between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The former stated that the existence of the whole world is an illusion but the latter defended it claiming that She was Shakti who provided all material wealth and riches to all living beings on the earth. The argument continued for some time.
When Parvati could not reconcile to the answers given by Lord Shiva, she got so angry and disappeared. Life on the earth came to a standstill. There was neither food nor water anywhere. The consequences became very severe. The other Gods soon arrived and calmed her agitated mind. Goddess Parvati also heard the cries of the hungry devotees.
She appeared in Varanasi. She began providing food to all. It is said that Lord Shiva Himself was in disguise and was the first to receive food in His begging bowl from the Goddess. Since then, She has been called Goddess Annapurna.
The Mahabharata
The Mahabharata narrates the harrowing experiences of the Pandavas while in exile and especially the year they lived incognito. One day, the sage Durvasa visited Duryodhana’s palace along with his disciples. Duryodhana welcomed him warmly and offered him a seat and discussed various issues. The sage left a lot satisfied after he was truly honoured with food and gifts. But the vile Duryodhana planned to insult and bring dishonour to the Pandavas.
So, he asked the sage to visit the Pandavas in the forest. His cruel intention was that the Pandavas would not be able to welcome and offer food to the sage as he did. Thus, they would incur the wrath of the sage and suffer a curse.
One day, the rishi visited the Pandavas. When he arrived at their doorstep, he was welcomed with due respect. As was the custom in ancient Indian tradition, the sage and his retinue were asked to go to the riverbed to take a bath and return. Later, food would be served to them. Meanwhile, the Pandavas, including Draupadi took their meals. Draupadi began worrying as there was not a morsel of food left in the house.
Though she had the Akshayapatra with her, it wouldn’t work because all members of the house finished eating. The Pandavas were unaware of Draupadi’s miserable plight. With no other option left, Draupadi prays to Lord Krishna. He came and ate a particle of food sticking to the Akshayapatra. The effect of it was felt by the sage and his men even before they returned to the house of the Pandavas.
Everyone began saying that their stomachs were full. There was no need to take food there. The sage realized the presence of a spiritual power and left the place. She thanked Lord Krishna for rescuing them, otherwise, a curse would have befallen them. The code of Dharma says: If the host doesn’t feed the guests at home, the gods and ‘rishis’ would curse him.
The Upanishads
Sri Sankaracharya was a great saint and philosopher. He visited the places in India moving on foot from north to south and east to west. He preached the philosophy of the Advaita Vedanta to all those whom he met all along his route. An incident in the life of young Sankaracharya acts as an eyeopener and signifies the importance of offering food to those who come seeking alms.
One day, Sri Sankaracharya stopped in front of a house and begged as it was customary for a mendicant The housewife hurried inside and reached a hanging pot in the hope of finding something. To her disappointment, she found only a small ‘amla’ fruit that was sticking to the pot. Her agitated mind was hesitant to offer it and came out with it.
Sri Sankaracharya who was waiting outside grasped the feelings of the woman through his spiritual powers. As the fruit was being put into the begging bowl, he began praying to Goddess Annapurna to bless the lady with riches. As the slokas were being recited, gold coins began pouring down to the ground as a flow.
This stotra is called ‘Kanakadhara Stotram’. ‘Kanaka’ means gold and ‘dhara’ means flow.
The significant thing is that man plays both the role of a giver and a receiver.
Final Word
Let us follow the dictum: Eat to live and not live to eat. Let us all pray to Lord Venkateswara to supply us with enough food to survive and bless us with good health, prosperity and eternal bliss.
