📌What kind of food should we eat?
“We are not the body; we are knowledge.” – These are the words of Sri Narayana Guru. This means that all beings in this universe—is not merely an object or a body, but is knowledge.
📌 The food we consume is not just something to fill our stomachs; rather, it is knowledge. For example, when we eat rice, we understand that it is the result of countless people’s hard work and a blessing from the universe. The land was ploughed, seeds were sown, and the earth and sky provided the space for it to grow. The universe itself contributed sunlight, air and water in the right proportions. Once grown and ripened, it was harvested, threshed, boiled, dried, milled, and finally purchased, cooked and served on our plate.
In just a matter of minutes, we finish our meals often while watching TV, talking on the phone, or criticizing politicians, companies or management and so on, rarely taking the time to appreciate the taste, aroma, or beauty of the food.
A mango, for instance, has a unique shape, taste, fragrance, and color—all of which are knowledge. When we consume food, it becomes part of our body. This is where Sri Narayana Guru’s words hold true: “We are not the body; we are knowledge.” Everything in this universe, living and non-living, is knowledge.
Without the blessings of the universe, even a blade of grass cannot grow. For a seed to sprout, it requires the support of Pancha Bhuthas —the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space). We can only sow the seed; it is nature that decides whether it will grow. If nature blesses it, we get a harvest. But if there is too much rain, drought, or a natural disaster, all our plans collapse. Only when we realize such truths at an experiential level and integrate them into our actions can we build a better future generation.
📌 The food we consume transforms into our bone marrow, flesh, blood, semen, cells, and even our character. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that we are not merely bodies but knowledge itself.
A person who consumes alcohol exhibits the nature of alcohol. Similarly, if someone ingests poison, its effects will manifest in them. So, it is undeniable that whatever food we eat influences our nature. Now, imagine what happens when we consume chicken and beef!
It is not just food—everything we perceive through our five senses becomes part of our memory. Thoughts are food for the intellect. For intelligence to develop, our thoughts must be pure. And for our thoughts to be pure, everything we see, hear, breathe, eat, and touch must be pure. Otherwise, the intellect becomes constricted. You can look around the world today to see what that results in.
📌 All the food we eat carries memory. This means that when food is being prepared, the thoughts and emotions of the maker get embedded in it. Think about how carefully one must prepare food! In many homes, mothers cook while watching TV shows, movies, news or discussions. Naturally, children absorb this culture too. It is a curse of our society that television rarely offers anything good to see or hear. “Through the food we eat, a culture enters us.” Should we eat food from prisons? From hotels? Or the food lovingly prepared by our mother, wife, sister or daughter at home? This is something we must evaluate for ourselves.
Many wonders why children develop bad personalities despite growing up with great parents. If we reflect on it, we realize that people who constantly eat outside food inevitably absorb the nature of those who prepare it.
📌 A person who cooks food must do so with complete dedication, respect, and selflessness. They should be fully aware that the ingredients are gifts from the universe and feel gratitude towards both the ingredients and the universe. They should selflessly pray, “May this food bless everyone who eats it, allowing them to live as per the universe’s will.”
Women are naturally more attuned to the universe, which is why cooking with selflessness and dedication has traditionally been considered their duty—not in a burdensome sense, but as a sacred responsibility. Since women are deeply connected to the universe’s creative force, they must possess a level of spirituality (not selfish devotion/ bhakti). After all, the next generation is created through them—whether male or female, every child comes into this world through a mother.
📌 According to Sanatana Dharma, food should be offered to Brahma before being served. Therefore, when cooking, one must do it with the awareness that it is an offering to the universe. This should be done selflessly, without tasting the food (because we are offering it to the universe, not for our personal gratification), and with utmost purity.
When we offer food to the universe, the universe accepts it at a subtle level. Even if there are deficiencies or selfishness in the preparation, the universe corrects it at a subtle level and transforms it into prasadam (blessed food) that satisfies whoever eats it. This is why we never find fault with or criticize the prasadam from temples. This is the significance of the Brahmārpaṇa mantra.
When we receive food (knowledge) as a blessing from the universe, we offer our gratitude to the universe and consume it (the knowledge) with respect.
Brahmārpaṇa Mantra:
“Brahmārpaṇam Brahma Havir
Brahmāgnau Brahmaṇā Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samādhinaṁ”
(Meaning: Food is Brahmam (Knowledge). The one consuming it is also Brahmam. The fire in my stomach that digests it is Brahmam. The process of digestion and assimilation is also Brahmam. I offer this to Brahmam, and I receive it as the universe’s blessing.)
NB: Here, “corpse curry” cannot be offered, because it is not Brahmam.
📌 Reflect on the state of our lives today. We eat either to fill our stomachs or to satisfy cravings. In our busy lives, we rarely even savor what we eat. Because we lack mindfulness, no matter how much we eat, we never feel satisfied.
However, if we eat with the awareness that food is knowledge, we will find satisfaction even with a small quantity. We won’t feel the urge to eat more because it’s not the stomach that gets filled—it’s the mind.
“The soul’s food is knowledge.”
When we are fulfilled in knowledge, we can lead a truly content life. Once we achieve inner fulfilment, desires disappear—not just for food, but for anything.
Have you ever noticed that after cooking a feast, the person who prepared it often doesn’t feel like eating? Many who cook regularly have experienced this. This happens because they absorb everything at a sukshma level while cooking. It’s not physical satiety; it’s satisfaction at a sukshma level. Ultimately, our sukshma sharira is what experiences true bliss.
When we align our lives with universal laws, we free ourselves from complicated memories and the universe itself will guide us. We will begin to understand what true self-satisfaction (aatmasamtripti) means. Desires and cravings will fade away, and we will finally be able to live in peace.
The only thought that will remain is the desire to know this universe more and more.
SMS Meditation helps us rise to such a state. Right now, we humans derive energy from food. However, through SMS Meditation, when our Sukshma shariras are activated, we can directly absorb energy from the Sun and immunity from the Moon. As a result, lifestyle diseases fade away, leading us to a life filled with happiness and peace. Eventually, we will reach a state where only one-third of our current food intake is sufficient.
