|| योग: कर्मसु कौशलम् ||
Another important aspect Mananeeya Eknathji tells us is the conquering of the palate is essential. With palate - taste as well talk - controlled, many more things come under control and so, all efforts are needed to see into this advise of Eknathji. First, TASTE.
The greatest stumbling block is food. Even Sannyasis have a taste for a particular type of food; if it is served to them, they are in their mood. Otherwise all their Gita and Upanishads go to waste-paper baskets. There must be peaceful control over the palate. We dislike certain things instinctively but this is wrong. We must win over this instinct, and not only we must suffer the un-liked food gladly, but we must start to like and even relish it. Tobacco and alcohol are not very tasteful things, but people get addicted to them. We must relish simple food prepared in a simple manner, whatever our host can afford. Ours is a poor country. If somebody tells us that the food should have so many carbohydrates and proteins and fats and so many calories should be eaten etc., it is all vain. All carbohydrates and proteins are provided by the cheerfulness with which you take food. Simple food becomes rich and vitaminized if eaten in a cheerful mood. Rich food becomes not only poor but even harmful if taken in a sullen mood. Be cheerful, receive any food with pleasure and relish it and you are more than a yogi. A rigid food habit is a weakness. One who is not fastidious about food has won half the battle.
People get easily upset over food of a kind different from what they like. But they forget that 80% of the people who are depressed, downtrodden and poor, not only do not get this food, but they have not even seen the food that one fortunately gets. We are lucky that we get some food and do not belong to the above 80%. Do not have an aversion for any simple food.
Annanam Brahmetivyajanat….Annam na nindyat…Annam bahu Kurvit
The greatest stumbling block is food. Even Sannyasis have a taste for a particular type of food; if it is served to them, they are in their mood. Otherwise all their Gita and Upanishads go to waste-paper baskets. There must be peaceful control over the palate. We dislike certain things instinctively but this is wrong. We must win over this instinct, and not only we must suffer the un-liked food gladly, but we must start to like and even relish it. Tobacco and alcohol are not very tasteful things, but people get addicted to them. We must relish simple food prepared in a simple manner, whatever our host can afford. Ours is a poor country. If somebody tells us that the food should have so many carbohydrates and proteins and fats and so many calories should be eaten etc., it is all vain. All carbohydrates and proteins are provided by the cheerfulness with which you take food. Simple food becomes rich and vitaminized if eaten in a cheerful mood. Rich food becomes not only poor but even harmful if taken in a sullen mood. Be cheerful, receive any food with pleasure and relish it and you are more than a yogi. A rigid food habit is a weakness. One who is not fastidious about food has won half the battle.
People get easily upset over food of a kind different from what they like. But they forget that 80% of the people who are depressed, downtrodden and poor, not only do not get this food, but they have not even seen the food that one fortunately gets. We are lucky that we get some food and do not belong to the above 80%. Do not have an aversion for any simple food.
Annanam Brahmetivyajanat….Annam na nindyat…Annam bahu Kurvit
– Taittiriya Upanishad 3.2-7-9
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