ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF VEDIC STUDIES, Vol. 3 (1997), issue 3 (Oct) ================================================================= Editor-in-Chief: Michael Witzel, Harvard University Managing Editor: Enrica Garzilli, University of Perugia Technical Assistance: Ludovico Magnocavallo, Milano Editorial Board: Madhav Deshpande University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Harry Falk Freie Universitaet Berlin Yasuke Ikari Kyoto University Boris Oguibenine University of Strasbourg Asko Parpola University of Helsinki email: ejvs-list@shore.net witzel@fas.harvard.edu www.shore.net/~india/ejvs (C) With the authors and the editors -------------------------------------------------------------------------- EJVS Vol. 3, Issue 3 (October 1997) CONTENTS ======== Article: Carlos Lopez, Harvard University Food and Immortality in the Veda: A Gastronomic Theology? ===================================================================== Carlos Lopez Food and Immortality in the Veda: A Gastronomic Theology? 0 It is well known from the work of Wilhelm Rau[1] that the Veda uses the opposition of the eater (attR) and the eaten (adya) as a conceptual frame through which Vedic social ideology is articulated. As (*1*) puts it, the brahmins and the kSatriyas unite to 'eat' the people (viz). Food as a conceptual tool may be seen in its most basic form in the statement of taittirIya upaniSad (TU) 3.10 which identifies food (anna),as prathamajA Rtasya, the first born of Rta. That anna is thought of as more than just everyday, edible goods is clear from the fact that in this very statement, food is being personified as the first born progeny of the most important abstract idea in the Veda, namely, Rta, the active power of truth which underlies all cosmic, divine and human action. In this passage, food is clearly placed at the center of the eschatological vision of Vedic culture. Immortality, an unending existensc in the next world, is articulated in terms of food. This paper will begin to explore how the category of food, in general, plays a role in the Vedic expression of concepts and ideas which form part of the eschatological vision of Vedic religion. We will focus on the notion of immortality and the vision of heaven and its opposite, which for lack of a better words we can call 'hell,' to illustrate that these eschatological concept are construed within "nutritionally fixated" world-view. A world view which at every turn sees ideas, concepts and processes, both human and cosmic, from the point of view of food or, rather, nutritional necessity. These does not mean that this is the only world-view present in the Vedic texts but rather that this gastronomic world view can be gathered from various hints and suggestions which are scattered throughout the corpus of vedic literature. 1 As an important aside, it should be noted that the usage of the formula, X is the first born of Rta, may provide us with a better understanding of the nature of abstract concepts and ideas such as zraddhA, tapas, vAc, etc. Although the formula is theoretically open to an infinite number of permutations, it is interesting to note that there is, in fact, only a limited number of permutations of this formula in the texts. Only a handful of concepts are identified as prathamajA Rtasya in the texts, and these generally tend to be concepts of an abstract nature such as anna, zraddhA and apAM yonir; or those which are seen as first principles, required for creation and the continued development and sustenance of the cosmos, agni, prajApati, brahman (and brahmA). The locution 'first born of Truth ' prathamajA Rtasya provides the starting place to explore a conceptual understanding that uses food as an analogue for articulating other ideas. taittirIya upaniSad 3.10 provides a snapshot into the unique Vedic understanding and fixation with food. hA3vu hA3vu hA3vu aham annam, aham annam, aham annam aham annAdo3, aham annAdo3, aham annAdaH ahaM zlokakRd, ahaM zlokakRd, ahaM zlokakRd aham asmi prathamajA RtA3sya pUrvaM devebhyo 'mRtasya nA3bhAyi yo mA dadAti sa id eva mA3vAH aham annam annam adantam A3dmi ahaM vizvaM bhuvanam abhyabhavA3m suvarna jyotIH. Ha u! Ha u! Ha u! I am Food, I am Food, I am Food. I eat food, I eat food, I eat food. I am a fame-maker! I am a fame-maker! I am a fame-maker I am the first born of Truth, born before the gods in the navel of what is immortal. The one who gives me he indeed has aided me I am food I eat him who eats the food I have conquered the whole universe I am like the light in the firmament In this passage, there seems to be no reference to food as particular item such as a rice-dish or cake, but rather food, anna, is in this passage presented in the guise of a human being. Food is hypostatized; it is being given human qualities: it is an I, self referent entity as well as something which is born. This personification[3] of anna as the first born hints that there may something more to food that just simply being an edible substance. As we see from this passage, and the preceding ones in this upaniSad, food is conceived as being part of the whole cosmic and human process. Food is seen as the immortality granting agent because of its primary relationship to Truth, Rta. The first born of Rta is before the gods; before creation. It is the pre-requisite not only for the living cosmos but for heavenly life. Food stands at the beginning of all and it is essential for all existence. The transactions of food are seen as the transaction of immortality; it is by means of food that immortality is achieved. Food, in an abstract sense, is a code substance [4] used to articulate ideas about immortality and the world after. This image of food being at the navel of immortality immediately reminds of the (later) image of viSNu lying on the serpent zeSa (the remnant), in the cosmic ocean. brahmA, the creator, is born from the navel of viSNu. Like Rta, viSNu is "undying" as he (and zeSa, which is understood to be viSNu as well) remain "alive" in between yugas and from him the cosmos is once again reborn through the agency of brahmA. The same idea seems to be expressed here in TU 3.10: Rta, the source of all, 'grants' immortality through the agency of anna, food. This is also corroborated by kAThaka-brAhmaNa- saMkalana 7: a'tho annA'dyaM vA' amR'tam / amR'taM evA'smiMs ta'd dadhAti Moreover, indeed, immortality is proper food / Into him (the student), he puts that which is immortal. In the context of the initiation ceremony (upanayana), the guru instills his student with the essence of immortality which is clearly seen as food. 2 The concept of immortality in the Veda is expressed, not exclusively, by the term amRta, it is used in the texts to refer to the idea immortality in heaven - more specifically RV 9.113.10 expresses this most clearly: ya'tra kA'mA nikAmA'Z ca ya'tra bradhna'sya viSTa'pam / svadhA' ca ya'tra tR'ptiZ ca ta'tra mA'm amR'taM kRdhI'ndrAyendo pa'ri srava // Where wish and inclinations [are fulfilled], where the zenith of the sun [is found], were food of the spirits and satisfaction/fill [is found], there make me immortal. (following Geldner) The place where one will not die is called by different names. RV 10.14.8 states that it is 'in the highest heaven' (parame' vyo`man) as well as the place where the Father and Yama are located which is called home (astam). Immortality is equated with a permanent stay in yonder world (amuSmin loke), referred to by several terms, where one does not die. There are several substances which result from ritual which play a significant role in determining the length of the one's stay in yonder world. TS 1.7.3.4 speaks about yonder world as a place where it is hoped that food would be imperishable. kSI'yate vA' amu'SmiM loke' nnaM, ita'H-pradAnaM hy a`mu'SmiM loke' prajA' upajI'vanti, ya'd eva'm abhimRZa'ty a'kSitim eva'inad gamayati nA'syAmu'SmiM loke' nnaM kSIyate Food perishes in yonder world, for given hence in yonder world people live upon it; in that he touches thus, he makes it imperishable; his food perishes not in yonder world. (Keith) This passage shows that food, here the word anna, and its availability in yonder world, heaven, is an issue of concern for the Vedic thinkers. The implication is that without food, and in this case, imperishable food, amRta, not dying, in heaven is not possible. Heaven (svarga) is also understood to be supported by food offerings. Furthermore, one who cooks a particular rice-dish assures his stays with Yama. AV 4.34.3,5,8 [5] says that having cooked the viSTAri'n rice-dish one stays with the gods; one enters heaven. This rice dish is also full of svadhA',[6] another substance which is stored and with which one hopes to be united with upon coming to heaven (in order to create the new body). There are other passages which hint at heaven being full of food. AV 11.1.19-20 [7] which deals with the heaven-going brahmaudana which is thousand backed, hundred streamed and inexhaustible. Here there is a vision of cornucopia of the overflowing abundance of this particular dish which fits nicely with the vision expressed in ts 1.7.3.4 - heaven as place endless food is found. This food or nourishment is needed for the new body in heaven. RV 10.14.8 speaks directly to this point: sa'M gachasva pitR'bhiH sa'M yame'neSTApUrte'na parame' vyo`man / hitvA'yAvadya'm pu'nar a'stam e'hi sa'M gachasva tanvA` suva'rcAH //8// Unite with the Fathers, with Yama, unite with [that which you] have offered and other good works in the highest heaven/ having left behind flaws - come home, unite with your [new] vigorous body. (following Geldner) Although, of course, the texts never tell us directly, we are safe, I think, in assuming that nourishment of some sort, is what maintains the new body in heaven. If this was not the case, then how could we possibly understand the statement in ts 1.7.3.4 about imperishable food in heaven. 3 From the above discussion about the concern for food in heaven, the implication follows, to some degree, that there is some connection between food and other food-like substances, the new body and the stay in heaven. The most often discussed ritual by-products which play an important role in determining the length of the stay in yonder world are sukRta, (that which is well done) and iSTApUrta (that which is offered and given away). iSTApUrta signifies the unseen result, which is stored in heaven, of goods given to the priests and poets (dakSinNA) acting in the ritual on behalf of the sacrificer. sukRta similarly refers to something which well done in ritual: the result of the well done ritual actions. These are the indirect effects of ritual, the remnant of the ritual offering stored in heaven, different from the remnant which is visible on earth. Vedic ritual in its most general scheme follows the paradigm of guest worship. The gods are invited to attend. A food offering is made through the fire. The analysis of what the offering is changed into during the ritual is seen in vAdhula brAhmaNa 4.19a. The burning of the offering in the fire transforms or rather trans-substantiates, the nature and character of what is being offered. Every offering is transformed or trans-substantiated into medha (juice, essence) and asu (the life force) which is then available to the gods for eating. The gods, it seems, cannot eat our 'normal' food as they a rather different bunch of folks: as the mahAbhArata tells us they do not blink, they do not walk on the earth but rather float a few inches off the ground, and they cast no shadows. The medha and asu are transported by the fire and it is on these transubstantiated products which the gods feast. KaThA 2.143 tells us that smelling is a form of eating in ancient India. In a discussion about what to do with the remnant of the ritual offering the question of how to properly use this leftover portion ensues. The conclusion is that the offering must be smelled at in order to prevent waste. Furthermore, not eating the remnant of the offering would cancel its value as an offering. Eating the remnant is not allowed for humans. Therefore, smelling the remnant completes the cycle of offering. If the remnant is not consumed there is no offering. Thus the gods do the same since they cant really eat normal food. The transubstantiated offering leads to the creation of several remnants or by-products, both in heaven and on earth. At a physical level which one can see the result is the ucchiSTa,the remnant, that is returned. The prasAd on the Hindu pUjA ceremony is clearly nothing more than a theologized ucchiSTa. At the unseen level, in heaven (the main concern of the mImAMsakas!), the already mentioned remnants are produced, namely sukRta and iSTApUrta. These remnants of the offering are said to be stored in heaven and are never lost there. RV 6.28.2,3 speak about Indra protecting that which the sacrificer has offered (ya'jvane) and has given away (pRNate)- iSTApUrta. The result of that is never lost, it is not destroyed. This concern over the fate of these ritual by-products which are associated with how long one can stay in heaven (without dying) is reflected in TB 3.10.11.3 [8] This text speaks of the 'treasure' in heaven which is related to that which has been sacrificed and offered, which is protected by Indra. The treasure can be sucked out by the days and nights. Here the only way to prevent the depletion of the store (and thus the implied fall) is by means of the sAvitra fire-altar. ZB 2.3.3.11 also calls attention to this concern. ahorAtre' ha vA' amu'SmiM loke' paripla'vamAne / pu'ruSasya sukRta'M kSiNuto 'rvAcI'NaM vA ato'hotrAtre' ta'tho hAsyAhorAtre' sukRta'M na' kSiNutaH //11// Now, day and night, revolving, destroy [the fruit of] man's righteousness in yonder world. But day and night are on this side [of the sun] from him [after he has gone up to heaven]; and so day and night do not destroy [the fruit of] his righteousness. (Eggeling) It however makes it clear that this treasure in heaven is sukRta, the result of a well done ritual, which is essential for the stay in heaven supposedly because it nourishes the new body in heaven. This again is not made explicit by the texts but the understanding of immortality as non-dying in heaven and that being associated with a new body, which must be sustained, hints at sukRta and food being analogized; sukRta as well as other ritual by-products working like food to sustain the body in heaven. This fits perfectly the idea often expressed in the Veda that we must feed the gods: they are dependent on our food offerings because there is no food in the abode of the gods (and similarly for the pitR-s). Anxiety about the nature of the other world (heaven) and the condition of our store of 'goodies' in heaven is seen early in the Vedic texts. The supply of goodies is diminished immediately upon entrance into heaven. AV 3.29.1 mentions that upon entrance to heaven, our store of merit is already reduced by a 1/16th fee which must be paid upon entering heaven. TB 3.10.11.3 corroborates the notion that which is treasure which one has carried (abhi-vah) to heaven during the ritual can potentially be 'sucked' from heaven (dhayati). ZB II 3.3.11 also corroborates the concern for the reduction of the 'heavenly nourishment' that sustains the new body in heaven after one is born there: Now, day and night, revolving, destroy man's righteousness (sukRta) in yonder world. - ZB leaves not doubt that it is the results of the well done ritual, sukRta, which are destroyed. The depletion of sukRta is generally associated with the idea of punarmRtyu. It is only talked about in terms of what happens - the running out of sukRta (or puNya in some places). Although the texts never make clear what happens upon punarmRtyu, the repeated death or the second death, (whether one returns to this world or not), we can be fairly sure that the only way to guarantee a continued stay in yonder world is by having a sufficient supply of nourishment for the new body, sukRta and iSTApUrta. The only way such a supply is obtained is, of course, via ritual. Thus, we would not be too far off to maintain that punarmRtyu [9]involves death in yonder world and a re-birth in this world in order to replenish the supply of sukRta. MS 1.8.6. already hints at this when it speaks of pitRs falling back to earth like shooting stars! iSTApUrta is not as clearly discussed in the texts. This old term, as can be seen from the -A ending of the first member of the compound (paralleled in mitrAvaruNA), appears only once in the Rv (according to Grassman). Like sukRta, iSTApUrta is also stored in heaven. This is clear from TS 5.7.7.2 : pathi'bhir devaya'jJair iSTApUrte' kRNutAd Avi'r asmai By the path which is the sacrifice to the gods, make visible for him that which is sacrificed/offered and brought up [to heaven]. (Keith) TS IV 7.13.5 tell us: u'd budhasvAgne pra'ti jAgRhy enam iSTApUrte' sa'M sRjethAm aya'M ca Awake, O Agni! Watch (?) for him; unite this one to that which [he] has sacrificed and given away. 4 Food imagery/language is also used to articulate a vision of the opposite of heaven, namely an extra-cosmic realm where there is an absence of everything which there is on earth, including food. Already, 'equivalent of hell' as described in RV and AV is imagined in stark contrast to this world, the here and now, earth. RV 7.104.1,9-11 [10] describes the realm of nirRti as an endless pit without light, cold, a place of silence - a place reserved for those who act against the most basic ideals of Vedic society. AV 6.63.1 [11] sees nirRti in further opposition to this world, the here and now, and uses food as a key point of distinction between the two realms. In other words, to be taken out of the extra-cosmic realm of nirRti means to have access to food. This realm is thus outside of the system of contingent exchange and re-circulation of the universe according to Rta; it is outside the sphere of ritual. Those in the realm of nirRti are cut off from their own store of ritual by-product (if they had any) as well as their progeny (and the food which they may provide for them in ritual). In other words, they do not receive nourishment from the offerings of the descendants. The use of food to make clear this eschatological picture is seen even more clearly in AV. Here, use of food is taken one step further. Rather than talking about a place that is without food, the place reserved for those people to act against Vedic society (brahmin killers, cow killers, (male) embryo killers) is taken one step further. Hell is replete with the most unsuitable things to eat: blood and fingernail clippings! Hell is presented in this hymn as a place of extreme pollution. Here we already have a glimpse at the what may be said to be the most characteristic theme of Hinduism: pollution. Evil people in the vision of the AV are destined to go to a place of extreme pollution. The vision expressed in this AV hymn is quite similar to that expressed in description of heaven offered at the of the mahAbhArata when yudhiSThira joins his brothers in hell. The text describes a scene reminiscent of the vision offered in AV 5. Anxiety of one's fate as well as the nature of yonder world [present already in KS 8.8: vidma vA imaM lokaM, vidmemaM, nAmuM; we know this world: we know this one (here) not that (world over there); and TS 6.1.1.1: nA'smA'l lokA't sve`tavyam ive'ty AhuH ko' hi' ta'd ve'da ya'dy amu'SmiM loke' sti vA na' ve'ti: It is not easy to go from this world," they say, "to go from this world; for who knows if he is in younder world or not." (Keith)] is further developed in the JB and ZB. In the bhRgu Story, JB 1.43, the vision of a 'hell' as a place where food is unavailable is developed by introducing the idea of a 'reverse world' or 'inverted food chain' into the conception of hell.[12] Now, instead of 'hell' being a place devoid of food, it becomes the place where humans become the food of that which they ate in their lifetime. In this new vision hell, one becomes the food of those whom one ate in this world. The ecosystem is turned on its head: the predator becomes the prey. Man becomes the food of animals, plants and grains. Anxiety about the very nature of what the next life beyond this world may be like is expressed in terms of food. It is, however, this anxiety which becomes a turning point in the development of the idea of rebirth in Indian thought. The Hindu idea of rebirth and its correlative, Karma, find their earliest expression in the ritualistic transaction of food. What we see in the Vedic texts is a movement from an understanding of immortality as permanent stay in yonder world which is eternally filled with food and where the body is free from any defects. At the same time, we see the emergence, here and there, of an general angst about the possibility of such an eternal stay - "food" does run out and when it runs out the body dies. Both of these visions are clearly expressed in terms of a proper understanding of the physiology of the body: food is essential to the survival to the continuing existense of the body. This physiological understanding is the lense used by Vedic seers to talk about eschatology. It is thus not surprising that food, which plays such a central role in human survival, comes to be seen as the agent of immortality which is the first born of Truth (Rta). ------ ANNOTATIONS [1] W. Rau, Staat und Gesellschaft im alten Indien. Wiesbaden 1957 [2] Olivelle, Patrick. The Upanishads. Oxford University Press 1996 [3] An example of this well known literary device is seen in Jewish Apochryphal literature's personification of Wisdom in the Song of Salomon and Letters of Aristeas, where she put in the position of teaching the king. Wisdom as a concept or idea is said to have been present at the beginning of time, at the time of creation, according some interpretations. [4] Following McKim Marriott's terminology. [5] AV 4.34.3,5,8 viSTAri'Nam odana'M ye' pa'canti na'inAn a'vartiH sacate kadA' cana' / A'ste yama' u'pa yAti devA'nt sa'M gandharva'ir madate somye'bhiH //3// eSa' yajJA'nAM vi'tato va'hiSTho viSTAri'NaM paktvA' di'vam A' viveza / ANDI'kaM ku'mudaM sa'M tanoti bi'saM zAlU'kaM za'phako mulAlI' / etA's tvA dhA'rA u'pa yantu sa'rvAH svarge' loke' ma'dhumat pi'nvamAnA u'pa tvA tiSThantu puSkari'NIH sa'mantAH //5// ima'm odana'M ni' dadhe brAhmaNe'Su viSTAri'NaM lokaji'taM svarga'm / sa' me mA' kSeSTa svadha'yA pi'nvamAno viZva'rUpA dhenu'H kAmadu'ghA me astu //8// Whoso cooks the viSTArin rice mess, ruin (a'varti) fastens not on them at any time; [such a one] stays (As) with Yama, goes to the gods, revels with the soma-drinking (somya') Gandharvas. //3// This, extended, is of sacrifices the best carrier; having cooked the viSTAri'n, one has entered the sky; the bulb-bearing lotus spreads (sam-tan), the bi'sa, zAlU'ka, za'phaka, mulAlI'; let all these streams (dhA'rA) come unto thee, swelling honeyedly in the heaven (svarga') world; let complete (sa'manta) lotus-ponds approach thee. //5// This rice mess I deposit in the brAhmans, the viSTAri'n, world conquering, heaven going (svarga'; let it not be destroyed (kSi)for me, swelling with svadhA'; be it a cow of all forms, milking my desires. //8// (Whitney's translation) [6] svadhA' is a difficult term which requires further investigation. For the purposes of this paper I have followed Geldner's understanding of the term. [7]AV 11.1.19,20 uru'H prathasva mahatA' mahimnA' saha'srapRSThaH sukRta'sya loke' / pitAmahA'H pita'raH prajo'pajA'haM paktA' paJcadaZa's te asmi //19// saha'srapRThaH Zata'dhAro a'kSito brahmaudano' devayA'naH svarga'H / amU'Ms ta A' dadhAmi praja'yA reSayainAn balihArA'ya mRDatAn ma'hyam eva' //20// Spread thyself broad, with great greatness, thousand backed, in the world of the welld one/ grandfathers, fathers, progeny, descendants (upajA'); I am thy fifteen-fold cooker //19// Thousand-backed, hundred-streamed, unexhaused [is] the brahma'n-rice-dish, god-traveled, heaven-going/ them yonder I assign to thee; lessen (?) though them with progeny; be gracious then to me [as] bringer of tribute.//20// (Whitney's translation) [8] TB 3.10.11.2 sa' sva'M loka'M pra'tipra'jAnAti / eSa' u caiva'inaM ta't sAvitra'H svarga'M loka'm abhi'vahati / ahorAtra'ir vA' ida'M sayu'gbhiH kriyate ... tA'ni hA'neva'M vidu'SaH / amu'SmiM lloke' zevadhi'M dhayanti / dhIta'M haiva' sa' zevadhi'm a'nu pa'raiti / a'tha yo' haiva'ita'm agni'M sAvitra'm ve'da / ta'sya haivA'horAtrA'Ni / amu'SmiM lloke' zevadhi'm na' dhayanti / a'dhitaM haiva' sa' zevadhi'm a'nu pa'raiti He recognizes his own world / and then the sAvitra (fire) carries him to the heavenly world / Verily this (rite) is performed with the days and nights as companions. ... If a man does not know them thus, they (the days and nights) suck his treasure (i.e., the treasure of his meritorious deeds) in yonder world, and he finds a treasures that has been sucked. But if a man does know the sAvitra (fire-altar), the days and nights do not suck his treasure in yonder world and he finds a treasure that has not been sucked. (after Dumont) [9] On punarmRtyu see Bodewitz, Redeath and its relation to Rebirth and Release in Studien zur Indologie und Iranistik, Band 20, 1996. [10] RV 7.104,1,9-11 i'ndrAsomA ta'pataM ra'kSa ubja'taM ny a`rpayataM vRSaNA tamovR'dhaH / pa'rA ZRNItam aci'to ny o`SataM hata'M nude'thAM ni' ZiZItam atri'NaH //1// ye' pAkaZaMsa'M viha'ranta e'vair ye' vA bhadra'M dUSa'yanti svadhA'bhiH / a'haye vA tA'n prada'dAtu soma A' vA dadhAtu ni'rRter upa'sthe //9// yo' no ra'saM di'psati pitvo' agne yo' a'ZvAnAM yo' ga'vAM ya's tanU'nAm / ripu' stena' steyakR'd dabhra'm etu ni' Sa' HIyatAM tanvA` ta'nA ca //10// para'H so' astu tanvA` ta'nA ca tisra'H pRthivI'r adho' astu vi'ZvAH / pra'ti ZuSyatu ya'So asya devA yo' no di'vA di'psati ya'Z ca na'ktam //11// Indra and Soma, burn the bad spirit, catch him. Put down/beat those who have become strong in darkness; You, O bulls, break the unsuspecting ones, burn them down, kill them, chase them away, pierce the lowly devours. //1// Those who intentionally twist simple speech or who intentionally make the good [speech] along with the spirit food bad, those, Soma, must abandon either to the snake or take them into the lap of total annihilation. //9// Who want to spoil for us the juice of food, O Agni, the one of our horses, of our cows, of our bodies , that low man/scoundrel, the thief who commits theft must fade away. He must whither away with his body and children. //10// May his own body and his children be away; may he sink under the three earths; may his reputation, O gods, whither, who in the night or in the day who search to destroy us. //11// (following Geldner) [11] AV 6.63.1 ya't te devI' ni'rRtir Ababa'ndha dA'ma grIvA'sv avimokya'M ya't/ ta't te vi' SyAmy A'yuSe va'rcase ba'lAyAdomada'm a'nnam addhi pra'sUtaH// The tie that the divine NirRti [perdition] bound upon thy neck, [and] that was unreleasable, that do I untie for thee, in order, to long life (A'yus), splendor, strength; do thou, quickened (pra-sU), eat uninjurious (?) food. (Whitney) [12] ZB 12.9.1.1 eta'smAd va'i yajJate pu'ruSo jAyate / sa' ya'd dha vA' asmi'M loke' pu'ruSo ' nna'm a'tti ta'd enam amu'SmiM pra'yatti Verily from this sacrifice the man is born; and whatever food a man consumes in this world, that [food], in return, consumes him in yonder world. (Eggeling). Carlos Lopez Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies Harvard University --------------------------------------------------------------------------- (C) COPYRIGHT NOTICE: A COPY OF THIS ARTICLE MAY BE MADE FOR PRIVATE STUDY. ALL COPIES MADE FOR WHATEVER PURPOSE MUST INCLUDE THIS COPYRIGHT NOTICE. THE TEXT MAY NOT BE MODIFIED IN ANY WAY NOR MAY IT BE REPRODUCED IN ELECTRONIC OR ANY OTHER FORMAT WITHOUT THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF. THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF VEDIC STUDIES. ALL INQUIRIES ARE TO BE SENT TO THE EDITORS, EJVS-LIST@SHORE.NET ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF VEDIC STUDIES, Vol. 3 (1997), issue 2 (May) ================================================================= Editor-in-Chief: Michael Witzel, Harvard University Managing Editor: Enrica Garzilli, University of Perugia Technical Assistance: Ludovico Magnocavallo, Milano Editorial Board: Madhav Deshpande University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Harry Falk Freie Universitaet Berlin Yasuke Ikari Kyoto University Boris Oguibenine University of Strasbourg Asko Parpola University of Helsinki email: ejvs-list@shore.net witzel@fas.harvard.edu www.shore.net/~india/ejvs (C) With the authors and the editors --------------------------------------------------------------------------