Chapter 3, Anuvakas 7 to 9
Mantra 3-7-1
annam na nindyat |
tadvratam | prano va annam |
sariramannadam | prane sariram
pratisthitam |
sarire pranah pratisthitah
|
tadetadannamanne pratisthitam
|
sa ya etadannamanne pratisthitam
veda pratitisthati |
annavanannado bhavati |
mahanbhavati prajaya pasubhirbrahmavarchasena
|
mahan kirtya || 1|| iti
saptamo’nuvakah II
Do not insult food; that is a vow. The Prana
is, verily, food; the body is the eater of food. The body rests on the Prana;
the Prana rests on the body. Thus food rests on food. He who knows this
resting of food on food is established (in Brahman); he becomes a possessor of
food and an eater of food. He becomes great in offspring and cattle wealth and
in spiritual radiance. He becomes great in fame. End of seventh anuvaka.
In the following anuvakas, the Upanishad is going to prescribe certain meditations or upasanas. All these meditations are meant for those who are attached to the worldly matters in order to develop one-pointedness of mind to ultimately enable them to concentrate on Brahman. These also prepare the mind for self-knowledge by reflecting about the interdependence of objects in creation and gain the perspective that the whole universe is like the body of one cosmic organism i.e Virat Iswara sareeram or Hiranyagarbha Iswara sareeram. Further the interdependence shows that that they do not have independent existence, which means they are Mithya. This prepares the mind to accept the mithyatvam of the world as and when one acquires Brahma Vidya. Along with these meditations, the Upanishad gives certain disciplines or vratams as well. “Annam na nindyat” (Don’t insult food) is the vow prescribed in this anuvaka. Insulting means rejecting, refusing, criticising, placing no value on food. Since it is with the help of food that an individual is able to sustain and only if an individual sustains he is able to attain enlightenment, one should not insult food. Further Annam as Brahman was the first stage of discovery of Bhrighu in his meditation to reach Aanandha as Brahman.
The meditations prescribed in this anuvaka are in respect of the pair, Prana and Sareeram and the meditations are on the interchangeable consumer – consumed relationship (anna-annada sambandha) between the two and on the mutually supportive relationship (pratishta-pratishtitha sambandha) between the two. In breathing-in, Sareeram is the consumer and Prana sakthi is the consumed. In physical activity Prana is the consumer and Sareeram as fat is consumed. In the second meditation, Prana needs Sareeram to function and so Sareeram is the supporter and Prana is supported. Also as Annamaya kosa resolves in Pranamaya kosa, Prana is the supporter and Sareera is the supported. Whoever meditates upon the mutual dependence of Prana and Sareeram, that meditator will gain full satisfaction in all the three areas of Vittesena, desire for wealth; Putresana, desire for progeny; and Lokesana, desire for fame and name. He will be blessed with abundant wealth, good health to enjoy it, bright progeny and great fame with a good name. He will shine with spiritual radiance. With this assurance this anuvaka ends.
Mantra 3-8-1
annam na paricaksita | tadvratam | apo va annam |
jyotirannadam | apsu jyotih pratishthitam |
jyotisyapah pratishthitah |
tadetadannamanne pratishthitam |
sa ya etadannamanne pratishthitam veda pratitishthati |
annavanannado bhavati |
mahanbhavati prajaya pasubhirbrahmavarchasena |
mahan kirtya || 1|| iti ashtamo’nuvakah II
Do not abandon food; that is the vow. Water is, verily, food; fire is the eater. Fire rests on water and water rests on fire. Thus food rests on food. He who knows this resting of food on food is established; he becomes a possessor of food and an eater of food. He becomes great in offspring and cattle and in spiritual radiance and great in fame. End of eighth anuvaka.
The vratham here is that one should not abandon or waste food given to him. The meditations prescribed here are in respect of the pair Agni and Jalam and the meditations are on the interchangeable consumer – consumed relationship (anna-annada sambandha) between the two and on the mutually supportive relationship (pratishta-pratishtitha sambandha) between the two. At the internal level, when one drinks water, the water is consumed by the digestive fire, Vaiswanara Agni. That internal fire is the consumer, and water is consumed. And when externally one quenches the fire by pouring water, water consumes the fire. Fire looks as though eaten by water. Thus externally water is consumer, fire is consumed; and internally fire is consumer, water is consumed.
When there is rain bearing clouds, lightning is experienced. The rain bearing cloud, Jalatatvam, is the cause for lightning, Agnitatvam. Therefore, from that angle, Jalam is pratishta and Agni is pratishtitham. Further Agni is the supporter of Jalam, based on the description of Creation by sastras. It says - agneh apaha i.e. from Agni, Jalam is born; Agni is karanam, Jalam is karyam. As karanam is the support for karyam, Agni is pratishta, Jalam is pratishtitham. Thus they have got mutual pratishta - pratishtitha sambandha. Whoever meditates upon the mutual dependence of Agni and Jalam, that meditator will have the full satisfaction in all the three areas of Vittesena, desire for wealth; Putresana, desire for progeny; and Lokesana, desire for fame and name. He will be blessed with abundant wealth, good health to enjoy it, bright progeny and great fame with a good name. He will shine with spiritual radiance. With this assurance this anuvaka ends.
Mantra 3-9-1
annam bahu kurvita | tadvratam | pṛthivi va annam |
akaso'nnadah | pṛthivyamakasah pratishthitah |
akase prthivi pratishthita |
tadetadannamanne pratishthitam |
sa ya etadannamanne pratishthitam veda pratitishthati |
annavanannado bhavati |
mahanbhavati prajaya pasubhirbrahmavarchasena |
mahan kirtya || 1|| iti navamo’nuvakah II
Prepare food in plenty; that is the vow. The earth is, verily, food; the akasa is the eater. The Akasa rests on the earth and the earth rests on the Akasa. Thus food rests on food. He who knows this resting of food on food is established; he becomes a possessor of food and an eater of food. He becomes great in offspring and cattle and in spiritual radiance and great in fame. End of ninth anuvaka.
The vratham here
is that one should prepare food in plenty so that one would be able to feed any
unexpected guest or the poor who come to his door seeking food. The
meditations prescribed here are in respect of the pair Prithvi (Earth) and
Akasa (Space) and the meditations are on the interchangeable consumer –
consumed relationship (anna-annada sambandha) between the two and on the
mutually supportive relationship (pratishta-pratishtitha sambandha)
between the two. Firstly, viewed from
the standpoint of Earth, Earth is lodged in Space. Thus, Earth becomes
food for Space; Space is its eater. Secondly,
from the point of view of Space, Space is seen as lodged in Earth. Space
now becomes the food for Earth; Earth is its eater. Thus Space and Earth have
interchangeable anna-annada sambandha.
Since, as per scriptures, Akasa is the karanam for the
other four elements, Akasa is the karanam and Prithvi is the karyam. As karanam is the support for karyam, Akasa
is pratishta, Prithvi is pratishtitham. Further Prithvi tatvam as an enclosure
(walls) supports Akasa tatvam to make the Akasa useful and
transactable (as a building). Here Prithvi is pratishta and Akasa
is pratishtitham. Thus they
have got mutual pratishta - pratishtitha sambandha. Whoever meditates upon the mutual dependence
of Prithvi and Akasa, that meditator will have the full
satisfaction in all the three areas of Vittesena, desire for wealth; Putresana,
desire for progeny; and Lokesana, desire for fame and name. He will be blessed with abundant wealth, good
health to enjoy it, bright progeny and great fame with a good name. He will shine with spiritual radiance. With this assurance this anuvaka ends.
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