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Unity of Faith Prayer | Universal Prayer | Aarthi | Asato Maa | Vibhuti Song

Before partaking food

CzkgE.kiZ.ka czgE.k gfoczZgE.kXukS czgE.kk gqre A
CzkgE.kSo rsu xUrO;a czgE.kdeZlekf/kuk AA

Brahma Arpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmaagnau Brahmana Hutam
Brahamaiva Tean Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samadhina

vag oSJokujks HkwRok izkf.kuka nsgekfJr%A
izk.kkikulek;qDr% ipkE;Uua prqfoZ/ke AA

Aham Vaishvaanaro Bhutvaa
Praaninaam Dehamasritah
Praana Apana Sama Yuktah
Pachamyannam chaturvidham

(Bhagvad Gita)

It is Vedic tradition to recite the above mantra from the Gita before taking food.

Brahman is the oblation; Brahman is the clarified butter etc, constituting the offerings; by Brahman is the oblation poured into the fire of Brahman; Brahman verily shall be reached by him who always sees Brahman in all actions.

Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir
The instrument with which the Offering is given is Brahman.
The Oblation itself is Brahman.

Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam
The Fire itself is Brahman. The very act of giving is Brahman

Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
The Sacrifier is Brahman

Brahmakarmasamaadhina
For all the work done the ultimate goal or aim is Brahman

I, having become (the fire) Vaishvaanara, abide in the body of beings, and associated with Praana and Apaana, digest the four-fold food. 'Praana' and 'Apaana' are the two physiological functions of "perception" and of "excretion". Here, the Eternal Reality is indicated as the mighty life which when pulsating through the body manifests Itself as the "digestive fire" (Vaishvaanara) which assimilates the food taken in. after digesting assimilating and absorbing the nutrition, it is again the same Divine Spark of Life that gives the intestines its capacities to throw out (Apaana) the undigested and unnecessary by-products.

Aham Vaishvaanaro Bhootva
I am the fire of life in every being

Praaninaam deham Aashritah
I take shelter in the bodies of all living beings.

Praanaapaanasamaayuktah
I am united in the in-going & out-going of the breath.

Pachaamyannam Chaturvidham
I digest the 4 types of food.

One omkara

Asato Maa…..should be recited and then start eating.

The four types of food:
1) that which we bite with our teeth and chew.
2) that which we masticate with tongue.
3) that which we gulp (liquids like buttermilk)
4) that which we swallow.

The three types of purities, which are necessary with regard to food, are:
1) Paatra Shuddhi.
2) Paaka Shuddhi.
3) Padaartha Shuddhi.

The inner significance is as follows: -

The food we eat consists of four categories, the type we chew, the type we only taste with the tongue, the liquids we take, and the food, which we just swallow. All four types of food are so offered to Brahman, known as "Brahmarpana'.

Brahman replies as Vaishvaanaro: -

"I dwell in you in the form of Vaishvaanaro - I digest the very food you eat and supply it to various organs of the body. But when do you get such a response? -

Only when you do Brahmarpana (dedicate all actions to God). Therefore when we dedicate all our actions to God in all sincerity, we get a pleasingly fulfilling response from within.

Thus by so offering the food to God, all blemishes or unsacredness which may be present, gets eliminated.