The Vedic masters on acts of service devoid of any selfish interest

Every good and noble deed leaves a subliminal impression (samskara) in the mind, the collection of which gives rise to the kind of human nature, inclination and interest which creates favorable circumstances under which the pleasant result or fruit of that good deed can be enjoyed. However, most good deeds give rise to pleasant experiences in which the experienced pleasure is momentary because it is dependent on the senses and the sense-objects. In the mystical language of the Vedas such experience is called “candra loka” or the enjoyments that a person experiences in the realm of the moon. While the sun of bliss lies deep within, a person experiencing the pleasant fruits of his actions is just experiencing a few rays of that inner sun of eternal bliss, not even directly, but only the ones reflecting from the surface of the mind, like a man standing in a full moon night experiences only the sunrays through the moon. It must be noted that the moon stands for the mind which like the moon is seemingly shining with consciousness because of a few rays of consciousness which fall upon it from the great inner sun of consciousness, the Self. Pleasant experiences dependent on the contact of the senses with the sense-objects are momentary and constantly increase or decrease in their intensity like the light of the moon. The secret key to transcend momentary experiences of pleasure and to reach the inner everlasting source of bliss is to constantly perform good and noble deeds, but without a desire for their fruits. The fruits of those noble deeds are to be offered back to the omnipresent divinity for the wider good of the society. This is the idea of Karma Yoga presented by Bhagavan Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita: “To action alone you have a right and never at all to its fruits. Let not the fruit of action be your motive, neither let there be in you any attachment to inaction.” Maharshi Patanjali calls it Kriya Yoga, and more specifically Ishvara Pranidhana (see Yoga Sutra 2.1). On the Vedic path of spirituality, this is considered the single most important practice for inner development, the only practice among all practices which Shri Krishna claims to practice even himself: “ O Arjuna, There is not for me any work in the three worlds which has to be done nor anything to be obtained which has not been obtained; yet I’m constantly engaged in work. For if I should cease to work, there worlds would fall in ruin and I should be the creator of disordered life and destroy these people.” That someone can acquire supreme perfection by this single practice alone has been very clearly stated in Gita 3.20: “It was by work alone that King-Rishi Janaka and others attained to perfection.” This is the path of finding peace and God in the world, not in the escape from it.  

The Vedic traditions on eating food

Maharshi Vedavyasa has stated in Kurma Purana (1.2.19.19): “Whatever is eaten wearing shoes should be considered demonic (asura) in nature.” In Vedic tradition eating food is a very sacred affair. It isa form of fire worship (yajna) in which food is offered to the divine fire present within every being’s stomach as ‘Vaishvanara’ – “Becoming the fire of life I dwell in the bodies of all living creatures.” (Bhagavad Gita 15.14) With this awareness the daily intake of our meals becomes a form of meditation and worship of light. Our food becomes sacred and sanctified as an offering to the omnipresent divinity residing within each one of us. The Maharshis of the Krishna Yajur Veda (Taittiriya Upanishad 3.2) realized that “Food is Brahman (a manifestation of the Supreme Life Force).” Our life completely depends on it. Therefore, we should consume our food with respect, awareness and mindfulness, and ideally, in silence. This will also enable us to find out the proper quantity of our meals and prevent us from overeating, a great killer of humanity, as the Shukla Yajur Veda (Shatapatha Brahmana 7.2.2.17) states: “Only food eaten in proper quantity protects. If eaten too much, it destroys. If eaten too less, it fails to protect properly.” Someone who lacks this awareness consumes food for sheer enjoyment of the senses and, therefore, is called ‘asura’ – someone who lives only for the selfish enjoyment of his/her own senses. In our ignorance we are all born as ‘asuras’. But the Vedic traditions show us the path to transform ourselves from ‘asuras’ into ‘manushyas’ (thinking beings, human beings), and then, eventually, into ‘devas’ (radiant/enlightened beings). It must be noted that eating pure and wholesome food in a balanced amount is considered a great form of austerity (tapas) in the Yogic traditions (see Yogasudhakara commentary on Yoga Sutra 2.1) The Paka-shastras (Vedic cooking manuals) were inspired by such noble Vedic traditions.