Dwitiya - Food
Food is not just a necessary resource for survival, but also a reason for enjoyment, for happiness. Many regard food as a necessity and never even go to the level of enjoyment. Some others only give importance to the taste and the feel of the food and forget to give it the respect that it deserves.
But, a wise person will find a balance between the two, respect and enjoyment. One should appreciate the smell, texture, taste and share the experience with others. All this should be done keeping in mind the respect that we need to give to the food we eat.
Yet another interesting thing about food is that it brings people together. Just as a mother brings all her children together despite all their internal conflicts and gets them to play with each other.
Indians have seen this motherly aspect of food from ancient times. The Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas all speak of this. This is more prominent in the city of Varanasi where Goddess Annapoorna is considered as the wife of Vishwanath and the Queen of the city. There is much much more to tell about food. We all can. But we will end the blog with a verse from the Rig Veda to Soma, the deity who represents all that is nourishing. ‘O Soma, they give you. O Soma, your (food), is most sweet to taste. May those who taste your rasa by themselves (without sharing) move like stiff-necked people’.