अन्नम् - Food

What constitutes "अन्नम्" (Food) ??

Everything is indeed food... for everything else. This is the cyclical "prakṛti" "प्रकृति" (nature) - the 'ṛta' "ऋत" (cyclic /seasonal /repetitive) of "Life" - precisely the "expressions of life".

We become what we eat - this can also be looked at as we become what we "absorb" everything through our sensory organs including the edible stuff, therefore everything is food in a way... food for hunger (edible), food for pleasure (entertainment), food for the ears (music), food for thought (knowledge), etc. Yet still the food (edible) that we consume influences everything in "our worlds". 

The primary source of food (edible) on Earth is "vṛkṣa" "वृक्ष" (plant). The primary source of energy on earth is also "vṛkṣa" "वृक्ष" (plant). If everything that we perceive is indeed energy, then everything is indeed food.

If energy, is food then food indeed is "The Absolute". "विद्युत् ब्रह्म" (energy is verily the "brahman") - "bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad"

"॥ अद्यते अत्ति च भूतानि तस्मादन्नं तदुच्यते ॥" - This clear definition for "अन्नम्" in "nirukta" states, that which eats lifeforms (recycles), and also eaten by lifeforms is "annam". Bhagavadgita proclaims "अन्नाद् भवन्ति भूतानि..." - Life(forms) exist due to food.

Only recently through the glass of "Systems biology", scientists are getting glimpses of the complex multi-dimensional inter-related "Food-web". Doctors and psychologists are now getting to know more and more about the complex relationship of food and thought.

Thus, food protection - safety, security and sovereignty is of paramount importance for the humankind 

The holistic health science  of "Āyurveda" (science of life) is not just limited for the well being of human beings, it also has branches for the well-being of animals (Cow, Horse and Elephant). In addition the most important branch of "Āyurveda" is “Vṛkṣāyurveda”. Which is for the well-being of all plant lifeforms.

अन्नरक्षणं वृक्षायुर्वेदलक्ष्यम्

“Vṛkṣāyurveda” - what is it ?

• “Vṛkṣāyurveda” is a complete integrated branch of Science that covers Agronomy, Botany, Ecology and Agro-meteorology, etc.

• “Vṛkṣāyurveda” is the branch of 'plant life science' (which also includes plant science /botany, agriculture and ecology) originated from “Atharva Veda”.

• “Vṛkṣāyurveda” as a twin of Ayurveda, is part of the 18 "vidyāsthānāni" (branches of education)

• “Vṛkṣāyurveda” is an important form of 'Art/Science' among the 64 essential “kalā” (Art/Science).

• “Vṛkṣāyurveda” as the integrated poly-culture, chrono-biological, positive-allelopathy supportive (inter-cropping), biodiversity-protective, holistic agricultural science has been in practice in India since 5000 years. 

The purpose of "Āyurveda" is 'the protection of well-being, of the healthy and correction of the illness of the ill'. ("स्वस्थस्य स्वास्थ्य रक्षणम् । आतुरस्य  विकार प्रशमनम् ॥"). 

In a similar way the purpose of “Vṛkṣāyurveda” is 'total protection of "annam" through the protection of its source, the plants, with their essence of life promotion' ("अन्नं सरसं तस्य परिरक्षणं वै वृक्षायुर्वेदलक्ष्यम्")

More to come in this space...