The millions of cells in the body are formed from food and food provides the energy required for the functioning of the body. Hence the Taittiriya Upanishad mentions the body as ‘annamaya kosh’, i.e. the sheath derived from food.
Charakacharya states that the body is derived from food (देहो आहारसंभव). All living beings are formed from food. They sustain and grow on food. Thus food is indispensible for living creatures. Hence the Taittiriya Upanishad mentions that food (anna) itself is Brahma. Hence according to the Upanishads, everyone should realise the importance of food and none should criticise it.
औषधिभ्योr अन्नaम् । अन्नाnत् पुरुष: ।
अन्ना्त् भूतानि जायन्तेt । जातानि अन्नेaन वर्धन्ते: ।
अन्नं् भूतानां श्रेष्ठंत ।
अन्नं् ब्रह्मेति व्यनजानात् ।
अन्नं् न निंद्यात् । – तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद्
The word ‘anna (अन्)’ is derived from the Sanskrut verb ‘ad (अद्)’ which means to eat. Thus anna means that which is eaten. All the substances in the universe are directly or indirectly the food of another, e.g. plants prepare food from the five cosmic elements (panchamahabhutas), namely earth (pruthvi), water (apa), fire (tej), air (vayu) and ether (akash). Plants constitute food for animals and human beings. The human body is formed from food. After death, the body merges into the five cosmic elements, i.e. the body becomes food for the five cosmic elements. Thus the cycle continues.
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