In praise of Family Institution

In praise of Family life
AV4.34 & AV4.35 गृहस्थ जीवन
Importance of PROPER FOOD
1.ब्रह्मास्य शीर्षं बृहदस्य पृष्ठं वामदेव्यमुदरमोदनस्य |
छन्दांसि पक्षौ मुखमस्य सत्यं विष्टारी जातस्तपसोSधि यज्ञ: || AV4.34.1
PROPER FOOD for humans provides the wisdom to our head; it provides the physical strength to our spine, to protect our interests like a warrior defends the nation. It provides the ability to our stomach to nurture our body like the Vaishya nurtures the community by agriculture & business activities. On the sides our PROPER FOOD enables the poet in us, creative imagination to fly high with wings like birds. It is (quality of) our PROPER FOOD only that endows us with articulate speech ability to spread the word of truth and wisdom in the world.
अदनेनान्नानि- ओदन अन्न ही है . अन्न ही हमारे शीर्ष को – मस्तिष्क को ब्रह्मत्व देता है, अन्न ही हमारी रीढ़ को क्षत्रिय का पौरुष देता है, अन्न ही हमारे उदर को वैश्य के रूप में समाज को कृषि , कृष्टि , व्यापार द्वारा समाज की सेवा करने में सक्षम बनाता है. रेतो वा ओदन: - यह अन्न ही है जो ऊर्ध्वरेता हो कर मस्तिष्क
कल्पना की उड़ान भर कर पक्षी की तरह अंतरिक्ष में उड़ कर एक कवि बन कर छन्दादि बनाता है, मुख से सत्य पर अधारित वाणी द्वारा यज्ञों के अनुष्ठान से ऊत्तम परिस्थितियों का सृजन करता है.
On Pranayaam & Incest
2.अनस्था: पूता: पवनेन शुद्धा: शुचय: शुचिमपि यंति लोकम्‌ |
नैषां शिश्नं प्र दहति जातवेदा: स्वर्गे लोके बहु स्त्रैणमेषाम्‌ || AV 4.34.2
By pranayam one attains purity of mind, a healthy nervous system and better body resistance to degeneration by wear and tear of human body. Better mind control over negative emotions, equanimous peaceful temperament, anger, greed, and control over temptations follows from purification of pranic air by pranayam and PROPER FOOD.
Thus purified pranic atmosphere in household will make it easier, while living in a household with many females than wife around other, to exercise self control of carnal desires and avoid incest.
हृष्ट पुष्ट शरीर-(अनस्था: - अस्थि पंजर नहीं मांसल शरीर), पवित्र वायु द्वारा शुद्ध वातावरण की शुद्धि –अग्निहोत्र द्वारा, शरीर की शुद्धि पवित्र प्राणायाम साधना द्वारा गृहस्थ के आचार और वातवरण को शुद्ध रखे ( जिस से सात्विक वृत्तियों का विकास होता है, काम,क्रोध,लोभ,)
इस शुचिता का परिवार में वास होने पर ‘मातृवत पर दारेषु’ पतिव्रत और एक पत्निव्रत वैदिक परम्परा का पालन होता है.
Cultured life
3.विष्टारिणमोदनं ये पचन्ति नैनानवर्ति: सचते कदा चा |
आस्ते यम उप याति देवान्त्सं गन्धर्वैर्मदत्व सोम्येभि: || AV4.34.3
Living by the rules of Yam and Niyam, in life style & PROPER FOOD provide with healthy happy living that is free from deprivations. They devote themselves to cultivate interests and activities that are mark of cultured society leisure activities, such as swadhyaaya- स्वाध्याय, enhancing their knowledge base, fine arts, music, dance, poetry, sculpture etc. to enhance their enjoyment of life by total harmony.
Sublimation ऊर्ध्वरेत:
4. विष्टारिमणोदनं ये पचन्ति नैनान्‌ यम: प्रतिमुष्णाति रेत: |
रथी ह भूत्वा रथयान ईयते पक्षी ह भूत्वाति दिव: समेति || AV 4.34.4
By properly managing their diets and life style with PROPER FOOD, their vital energy flows upwards to their brain rather than getting drained out and wasted in lower body activities- such as over indulgence in sex and resulting running seminal fluid to waste. Once the vital energy rises up in human body, human spirit takes wings like a bird to attain great heights in its rise on earth and sky involving itself in greater cooperation and community welfare.
(Vedic term for this is ‘oordhwreta’ ऊर्ध्वरेत:- is a very important singular Vedic concept exhorting its virtues for mankind. The modern medical science has yet to catch up with this Vedic concept. According to modern science it is accepted that all human physical faculties of sight, hearing, speech etc. depend on proper functioning of brain. The chemical composition of grey matter of brain as also prostaglandin and seminal fluid in human body is made up mostly of the same two constituents, DHA (Docosa Hexaenoic Acids) and EPA (Ecosa Pentaenoic Acids). DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid found mostly in the brain, retina, and in sperm. It plays an important role in vision. Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial because they provide fluidity to cell membranes and improve communication between brain cells. They also reduce the clotting ability of platelets, thus potentially decreasing the incidence of heart attacks and strokes. Omega3 also plays a significant role in cerebral development, especially during the crucial period of fetal development and infancy. Human body obtains its supply of these two vital invaluable substances from PROPER FOOD. Pregnant mothers transfer DHA directly to the fetus to support rapid brain and retina development. DHA is supplied to the newborn via mother's breast milk. Grass fed cow’s milk and its products like curds, butter, ghee are the only rich sources of Omega3 in vegetarian diets. DHA and EPA also lead to losses of human body fat; a nutrition partitioning effect shifted towards growth of lean tissue and loss of fat tissues; and increased insulin sensitivity. This is the scientific basis to traditional Vedic belief that a pasture fed cow’s milk is a nectar- अमृत. This is fully supported now by modern science in praise of grass fed cow’s milk.)
Family life is supreme Yajna गृहस्थाश्रम यज्ञ
5. a एष यज्ञानां विततो बहिष्ठो विष्टारिणं पक्त्वादिवमा विवेश |a
bआण्डीकं कुमुदं सं तनोति बिसं शालूकं शफको मुलाली |
एतास्त्वा धारा उप यन्तु सर्वा: स्वर्गे लोके मधुमत्‌ पिन्वमाना उप त्वा तिष्ठन्तु पुष्करिणी: समन्ता: ||b AV 4.34.5
a The institution of family , parenting and bringing up children is seen as a selfless service by bearing children and nurturing them to be good citizens, dedicated to community to ensure good future continuation of a stable civil society. Simultaneously this ensures health by good nourishment by maintenance of proper environment to the family and community. This role of a householder’s activity qualifies it to be the most expansive and supreme among the Yajnas.
b For nourishing healthy PROPER FOOD, sweet like honey vegetables like yams and tapioca asparagus growing as tubers underground, and vegetables such as lotus bulbs, stems growing in water should all include in the PROPER FOOD for a balanced diet. For the maintenance of environment house hold kitchen garden and water ponds should be part of family holdings. (Modern science confirms that vegetables growing below ground, such as tubers Asparagus, sweet potatoes and Yams are extremely rich in antioxidants. Similarly all water born vegetables are extremely rich in minerals. All highly sweet fruits and vegetables have a High Brix Number) b
Culinary enjoyments
6. घृतहृदा मधुकूला: सुरोदका: क्षीरेण पूर्णा उदकेन दध्ना |
एतास्त्वा धारा उप यंतु सर्वा: स्वर्गे लोके मदुमत्‌ पिंवमाना उप त्वा तिष्ठन्तु पुष्करिणी समन्ता: || AV4.34.6
Veda in this mantra is enumerating the wide variety of PROPER FOOD made from milk and its products such as ghee, honey, and distilled spirits and wines- सुरोदक: that is possible for eating and drinking to provide nutritious, heavenly and sweet enjoyments. उप त्वा तिष्ठन्तु- All these PROPER FOOD supplies sources should be very close to you.
(This Vedic PROPER FOOD strategy is extremely modern, and is known as concept of ‘Zero FOOD Miles’. The distance between the producer and consumer should be ‘zero’, meaning no FOOD item should require long distance transportation. This strategy not only avoids unnecessary waste of energy in transportations, but also ensures availability of fresh, unadulterated and artificially treatment to enhance shelf life of any FOOD item.)
Clever culinary art
7.चतुर: कुम्भाँश्चतुर्धा ददामि क्षीरेण पूर्णाँ उदकेन दध्ना |
एतास्त्वा धारा उप यंतु सर्वाँ स्वर्गे लोके मधुमत्‌ पिन्वमाना उप त्वा तिष्ठन्तु पुषकरिणी: समन्ता: || AV4.34.7
It is for the clever one to create PROPER FOOD from the vast store house of vessels full of milk and such products to create preparations for eating and drinking to enjoy heavenly bliss in family.
Our PROPER FOOD
8.इममोदनं नि दधे ब्राह्मणेषु विष्टारिणं लोकजितं स्वर्गम्‌ |
स मे मा क्षेष्ट स्वधया पिन्वमानो विश्वरूपा धेनु: कामदुधा मे अस्तु || AV4.34.8
Nature has provided the great variety and bounties that can made use of as our PROPER FOOD. But it is expected of us to exercise wisdom in making our PROPER FOOD a winner of good society. We are to milk the ever flowing bounties of nature in a sustainable manner.
(Modern science has come to conclude that only vegetarian diet is justified among other things on environmental sustainability considerations)
AV 4.35
Refrain- तेनौदननेनाति तराणि मृत्युम्‌ that provides a life lived fully- with no fear of death
1.यमोदनं प्रथमजा ऋतस्य प्रजापतिस्तपसा ब्रह्मणेSपचत्‌ |
यो लोकानां विधृतिर्नाभिरेषात्‌ तेनौदननेनाति तराणि मृत्युम्‌ || अथर्व4.35.1
Creator to look after his children, in his divine wisdom, among the firsts created awareness and availability of ripe and suitable PROPER FOOD for the mortals to live a life without fear of suffering pain of death.

Healthy Disease Free Body
2. ये नातरन्‌ भूतकृतोSति मृत्यं यमन्वविन्दन्‌ तपसा श्रमेण |
यं प्रपाच ब्रह्मणे ब्रह्म पूर्वं तेनौदनेनाति तराणि मृत्युम्‌ || अथर्व 4.35.2
Those who apply themselves to intelligent hard work in accordance with laws of nature, to cultivate ripe fit for body good PROPER FOOD, live the life here without fear of suffering pain of death.
Health from Clean Environments
3.यो दाधार पृथिवीं विश्वभोजसं यो अन्तरिक्षमापृणाद्‌ रसेन |
यो अस्तभ्नाद दिवमूर्ध्वो महिम्ना तेनौदनेनाति तराणि मृत्युम्‌ || अथर्व 4.35.3
Those who realize that the earth and the atmosphere are creators sweet juices of tasty healthy PROPER FOOD ( do not damage the natural forms of environment), they get the bounties of good PROPER FOOD to live a life without fearing pain of death. Disease Free Body
4.यास्मान्मासा निर्मितास्त्रिंशदरा: संवत्सरो यस्मान्निमितो द्वादशार: |
अहोरत्रा यं परियन्तो नापुस्तेनौदनेनाति तराणि मृत्युम्‌ || अथर्व 4.35.4
These PROPER FOOD items (Like fresh vegetables) follow a three month production schedules, an annual (For Grains, pulses, Rice, oil seeds, fruits etc.) production schedule, and a daily ( Milk etc.) Production schedules. Feeding on such PROPER FOOD a man lives a life without fearing pain of death.
Optimism Positive life
5.य: प्राणद: प्राणदवान्‌ बभूव यस्मै लोक: घृत्वन्त: क्षरन्ति |
ज्योतिष्मती: प्रदिशो यस्य सर्वास्तेनौदनेनाति तराणि मृत्युम्‌ || अथर्व 4.35.5
The PROPER FOOF is provider of the very breath of life and makes it possible to work on the earth with hard labor and brightens our horizons (makes us optimists), in order that a man lives without fearing of pain of death.
Sound Mind and Sound Body
6.यस्मात्‌ पक्वादमृतं संबभूव यो गायत्र्या अधिपतिर्बभूव |
यस्मिन वेदा निहिता विश्वरूपास्तेनौदनेनाति तराणि मृत्युम्‌ || अथर्व 4.35.6
It is PROPER FOOD that establishes the Vedic wisdom in human temperament that is sought in prayer by reciting the famous Gayatri mantra- to enjoy bounties and beauty of life by fulfilling all of human duties- and thus live life without fearing pain of death.

7.अव बाधे द्विषन्तं देवपीयूं सपत्ना ये मेSप ते भवन्तु |
ब्रम्ह्मौदनं विश्वजितं पचामिशृण्वन्तु मे श्रद्दधानस्य देवा: || अथर्व 4.35.7
By offering PROPER FOOD first in sacrifice to divine gods in Yajnagni and then partaking of the Yajnashesh, भगवान को भोग लगाने के बाद ही भोजन करना – one achieves the ability to conquer all evil opposition in life and make his voice heard by all believers.