19 - Daily Duties of a Householder: Mode of taking meals

As purity of mind depends on the purity of food consumed (Chăndogya Up. VII. 26. 2), Bhojana or meals has been one of the most important subject in Dharma Shastra. 

Vyasa said:

1. Facing the east or the sun, one should be seated on a good clean seat with his feet resting on the ground and take food. 

2. One who takes food facing the east, enjoys longevity; facing the south, one enjoys good fame; facing the west, one enjoys glory and prosperity and facing the north, one enjoys truth and orderliness.2 

2. Mbh. Anushasana 104.57 and Manu II. 52. 

3. One should take food with five things wet. The plate should be placed on the ground. Manu, the Prajapati, says that it (such manner of eating) is on a par with the observance of fasts. 

4. One should take food with five things wet as follows: the place should be well smeared (with cowdung) and clean; the hands and the feet should be washed; he should perform Achamana and keep the face wet, and he should not be furious.3 

3. Panchárdra-One whose five limbs (viz. hands, feet and mouth) are wet. This instruction is found in Mbh. Shanti 193-6, Vyasa quoted in SMC. I. p. 221. 

5. He should sprinkle food with water repeating the great Vyahrutis. He should sip water1 ritualistically repeating the Mantra Amrutopastaranamasi (you are the seat of Amruta) 

1. This sipping of water is called aposhana (Yaj. Smr. I. 106) and its purpose is to make food beneficial as nectar and this sipping is taken at the beginning and the end of the dinner. 

6-7. He should then take in particle by particle as oblations repeating (therewith) the Omkara Svahà (as Om Pranaya Svaha). This is the Ahuti of Prana etc. He should then say Apanaya Svaha, Vyanaya Svaha, Udanaya Svaha and finally Samanaya Svaha as the fifth one.2 The Brahmaṇa should know the reality of these and perform Homa offering oblations to the Atman. 

2. These five morsels taken in for different vital airs (like prana, Apana etc.) are called Pranahutis oblations to Pranas’ KP, does not mention that the 6th morsel is taken for Brahman (Brahmane svaha). 

8. He should eat the remaining food as he pleases, mixing it with side dishes, pickles etc. After meditating on the Devas with full concentration. he should meditate on Atman, the Prajapati. 

9. He should then sip water ritualistically repeating the Mantra Amrutapidhanam asi. You are the cover of the Nectar). After performing Achamana rite, he should perform the rite once again, repeating the Mantra Ayam gauḥ etc. 

10. Or he should repeat the Drupada Mantra three times. It is destructive of all sins. He should then stroke his belly repeating the Mantra Prananaṁ granthirasi (you are the knot of vital airs). 

11. (Defective verse). After performing the Achamana rite, he should let go some water on the of the right foot from the thumb of the right hand held up. (He should do this) with concentration. 

*12. With the Mantra Shandhyayam he should perform the the Krutanumantrana rite. He should then unite his self with the imperishable Brahman with the Mantra Brahmana. 

*The Venkt. Text is corrupt. The verse in the Crt. Text reads:

hutanumantrana kuryat Shraddhayam iti mantratah/

With the mantra Shraddhayam’ one should perform the post sacrificial recitation.’

13. Among all Yogas, Atmayoga is the greatest. He who shall perform everything in accordance with these injunctions is himself a wise sage. * 

*v.l. sa yati Brahmanaḥ kṣhayam “He goes to the abode of Brahma.’ 

14. One shall take food with the sacred thread on (his left shoulder-Upavita fashion) and embellished with scented garlands. He should not take food in the twilights of the morning and evening especially at dusk. 

15. One should not take food immediately before the Solar eclipse.1 If there is a lunar eclipse, he should not take food in that evening. In the course of the duration of the eclipse also, one should not take food. After the liberation (i.e., close of the eclipse), he should (first) take bath and take food. 

1. VV. 15-23 give a number of rules about taking food. We find similar rules in Smrutis like Manu VI. 207-223, Yajnavalkya I. 167-181. 

16. When the moon is liberated, one may take food unless it happens in the second or the third watch of the night. If the sun or the moon sets before liberation (i.e., if the eclipse is not over when they set), he should take food only the next day after seeing the liberated sun or the moon as the case may be). 

17. One should not be wicked-minded enough to take food without giving anything to the lookers-on. He should partake of the remainder after the Yajna. One should not take food while one is angry or when the mind is elsewhere. 

18. Indeed, one’s life is in vain, if the food is solely taken only by oneself, if the intercourse is solely for sexual pleasure, if the sole purpose of learning is to take up an avocation. 

19. If one takes food with the head covered with a cloth, or facing the north or with the shoes on, it is an Asuraic (demonic) practice. 

20. One should not take food at midnight or midday or when the food taken before is not digested. One should not eat food wearing a wet cloth, or sitting in a moving vehicle 

21. One shall not take food from a broken vessel or from the ground or in the hands (keeping the foodstuffs in the hands). If one is defiled by Ucchishta one should not take in ghee, nor should he touch his own head then. 

22. (If one is defiled by Ucchishta) one should not glorify (repeat) the Vedic passages. One should not take food without leaving something behind. One should not take food along with one’s wife. One should not take food in darkness, or in the twilight periods or in temples (and similar places). 

23. One should not take food with a single garment on; one should not take food in a moving vehicle or lying down in the couch; one should not take food without slipping off the sandals nor one should take food while laughing or crying. 

24. After taking food, one should rest comfortable so that the food is well digested. One should elaborately ascertain further the meanings of the Vedic passages through (or with the help of) Itihasas (Epics) and Puranas. 

25. Then he should perform the worship of the Sandhya in accordance with the procedure mentioned before. He should be pure. Seated and facing the west, one should perform Japa of the goddess Gayatri. 

26. He who does not worship either the morning Sandhya or the evening Sandhya is on a par with a Shudra in this world. He is devoid of all holy rites. 

27. After performing the Homa duly, repeating the requisite Mantras after partaking of the remainder of the Yajna, one shall retire to sleep along with the attendents and kinsman. At that time his feet should be dry. 

28. One should not sleep facing (i.e., with the head in that direction) the north or the west.1 Nor should he lie under the open sky. One should not sleep in the nude, nor unclean (in body), nor should one sleep on a seat. 

1. Vishnu Dh. S. ch. 70; Manu IV, 175-176; VP. III. 11. 107-109. 

29. One should not sleep in a tottering cot nor in a deserted house; one should never lie down on a bed of Palasha (wood) or of bamboos. 

30. Thus the various daily activities and duties of the Brahmanas have been wholly described by me. They bestow the benefit of Apavarga (salvation). 

31. If any Brahmana does not practise his duty either due to atheism or due to lethargy, he falls into the terrible hells and is reborn as a crow. 

32. There is no other way for liberation excepting performance of the duties of one’s own Ashrama (stage of life). Hence one should perform the holy rites for the satisfaction of Parameshthin (god Brahma).