The significance of Naivedyam

It is customary for the Hindus to place daily food preparations before the deities and offer to God. This is called Naivedyam. We do this with dedication and thereafter the food is called prasada.
This is our Hindu way of saying “ thankyou “, to the Lord who gives us our daily food.
Learned people recite the following Gita verses while having meals so that this activity may be changed into sacrifice. This reminds us that food is not merely intended to appease our taste. Thinking of God before taking food makes it a spiritual act. This act also purifies the food.

Brahmarpanam brahma havir brahmaagnou brahmanaayutham
Brahmaiva taena gantavyam brahma karma samaadhina ( 4.24)
The ladle is God , the oblation is God, it is offered by God in the fire, which is God.
God shall be attained by him who is absorbed in God as the act of such sacrifice.
மூலப் பொருள்களுக்கு மூலம் தந்த பொருளை படைத்து, எல்லாம் அந்த மூலவனின் செயலே என்று அமைதியடைந்தால், அந்த மூலவனை அடையலாம்.


Here it is explained how food is digested through the gastric fire.

Aham vais(h)vaanaro bhoothvaa praaninaam daehamaas(h)rithah
Praanaapaana samaayukthah pachaamyannam chathurvidham (15.14)
Becoming the fire of life in the bodies of living creatures and united with Prana (ingoing) and Apana (outgoing) breaths, I digest the four kinds of food. The four kinds of food are
1 – that which is chewed by teeth – rice, vegetables etc
2 – that which is swallowed – milk etc
3 – that which is sucked – mango, sugar cane. The immovable beings such as trees etc receive food this way.
4 – That which is licked – honey etc.
நான் நெருப்பாக இருந்து, ஜீவராசிகளின் உடம்பில் அமர்ந்து, உள்மூச்சு வெளிமூச்சு இவற்றின் துணை கொண்டு நான்கு விதமான உணர்வுகளையும் ஜீரணம் செய்ய வைக்கிறேன். (நான்கு
விதமான உணர்வுகள் - 1-பற்களால் கடிப்பவை 2-கடிக்காமல் விழுங்குபவை 3- நாவால் சுவைப்பவை 4-வாயால் உறிஞ்சுபவை)

We sprinkle water on the food, place a tulasi leaf and chant

Om bhoorbhuvassuvah amrutho(u)pasvaranamasi
Pranaya svaha apanaya svaha vyanaya svaha
Udanaya svaha samanaya svaha brahmane svaha
The three worlds are pervaded by the Lord, the creator.
I offer this to prana (respiratory system)
I offer this to apana (excretory system)
I offer this to vyana (circulatory system)
I offer this to udana (reversal system)
I offer this to samana (digestive system)
So, we offer food to the Lord, the life force who is within us as the five physiological functions.
Chanting the above, we offer food at the feet of the Lord. Since we offer food to god, we know it is pure and best.

To sum up, anything offered to Lord with love becomes naivedyam.

Pathram pushpam phalam thoyam yo mae bhakthyaa prayachchathi
Thadaham bhakthyupahruthamas(h)naami prayathaathmanah (9.26)
Whoever offers me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water, I accept the pious offering offered by him with love.
நீ எனக்கு ஒரு இலையைக் கொடு; அல்லது பூவைக் கொடு; இல்லை ஒரு பழத்தைக் கொடு; அதுவும் இல்லை கொஞ்சம் தண்ணீர் கொடு; எதைக் கொடுத்தாலும் பக்தியோடு கொடு; சுத்தமான மனம் உள்ளவன் பக்தியோடு கொடுப்பதை நான் சாப்பிடுகிறேன்.

Next week, we will see Prasadam.

Love & regards,
Chithra.

 

My dear Sujata !

As usual, a "word-perfect" feed back from you.
As I start writing more & more topics for this thread, I am awed by the depth of every small action, in our religion.
I have always loved to express myself in tamil. Coming from Madurai, famous for Sanga thamizh, I cannot be otherwise. I thought the beauty of the meaning is best expressed in both the languages.
Ahan Vaishvanaro is from the Gita. The other, I know for ages, but do not know the source.
Thanks for your prompt F B, Sujata.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

 

My dear Preethi !

As usual, you are the personification of your loving name.
Besides kalkandu, as soon as you finish cooking & definitely before tasting it ( if you have that habit), just say "Krishnarpanam". This is the easiest form of naivedyam.
Thanks for your nice ffed back, Preethi.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

 

My dear Vandana !

A beautiful F B as usual, my friend.
I too was chanting only the last one. The other two are Gita class influence !
Thankyou, Vandhana.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

 

Your caption is......

just perfect, Meenu !
I just enjoy writing these topics, as much as you enjoy reading them !
Tamil, as our moth tongue does hold a special place in our hearts, hencethe pleasure !
Thankyou for the F B, Meenu.
Love & regards,
chithra.