Bhojana vidhi
The mantras before and after a meal: the food is sanctified with water and the first morsels are offered within, so that eating itself becomes worship.
The steps, with their mantras
The mantras said before and after a meal. The food is sanctified with water (parishechanam), the first small morsels are offered to the breaths within (prana ahuti), and the meal opens and closes with a sip of water. Learn the correct sound from your father or acharya.
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As the food is served
Keep a tumbler of water at hand before sitting down to eat. While the food is being served, keep the ring finger of the right hand touching the leaf. Then, while saying the mantras with the right hand, keep the ring finger of the left hand touching the leaf.
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Parishechanam
Take water in the right hand and circle the leaf with it, saying the first mantra. Sprinkle a little water over the food with the Gayatri. Circle the leaf with water twice more, saying deva savitaḥ prasuva and then the mantra for the time: one by day, the other at night.
oṃ bhūr bhuvas suvaḥ |
The three worlds: the earth, the sky and the heavens.
tat savitur vareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt |
The Gayatri: we meditate on the adorable radiance of the divine Savitar, Sriman Narayana who dwells within the sun. May He direct our minds.
deva savitaḥ prasuva |
O divine Savitar, bless this and set it going.
By daysatyaṃ tvartena pariṣiñcāmi |
You are truth: I sprinkle water around you with what is right.
At nightṛtaṃ tvā satyena pariṣiñcāmi |
You are what is right: I sprinkle water around you with truth.
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The first sip
Take one sip of water from the palm, saying this mantra in the mind.
amṛtopastaraṇam asi |
You are the nectar spread beneath the food.
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Prana ahuti
With the thumb, middle and ring fingers, take a few small morsels of food and swallow one with each mantra.
prāṇāya svāhā | apānāya svāhā | vyānāya svāhā | udānāya svāhā | samānāya svāhā | brahmaṇe svāhā |
An offering to prana, apana, vyana, udana and samana, the five breaths that sustain the body, and to Brahman.
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Beginning the meal
Drop a little water on the left side of the leaf, wet the ring finger of the left hand and touch the chest over the heart with this mantra. Then begin the meal.
brahmaṇi ma ātmāmṛtatvāya |
May my self rest in Brahman, for immortality.
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After the meal
When the meal is over, take a sip of water from the palm with this mantra. This completes the bhojana vidhi.
amṛtāpidhānam asi |
You are the nectar that covers the food.
Families differ in small details, such as which fingers are used and what is said before the first morsel. Where they do, keep your family's and your acharya's practice.
Sources: Mahanarayana Upanishad (sanskritdocuments.org) · parisEshaNa mantram, Bhakti list (ramanuja.org)
These pages explain what each practice is, its steps and their meaning; the Tiruvaradhanam, Sandhyavandanam and Bhojana vidhi pages also give their mantras. Learn them, with their right sound, from your father or acharya, as has always been the way. The order and details differ between families and mathams; where they do, follow your acharya and your elders.