I am the first-born of the divine essence.
Before the gods sprang into existence, I was.
I am the navel of immortality.
Whoever bestows me on others – thereby keeps me to himself.
I am FOOD. I feed on food and on its feeder.
FOOD is the exhaling breath; FOOD is the inhaling breath of life;
FOOD, they call death; the same FOOD, they call life.
FOOD, the Brahmans call growing old;
FOOD, they also call the begetting of offspring.
The foolish man obtains useless food.
I declare the truth: it will be his death,
Because he does not feed either friend or companion.
By keeping his food to himself alone, he becomes guilty when eating it.
I – the FOOD – am the cloud, thundering and raining.
They feed on ME. I feed on everything.
I am the real essence of the universe, immortal.
By my force all the suns in heaven are aglow.
[Black Yajurveda]
