Bhojanam

Let’s look at the meaning of the 144rd divya nama of Vishnu Shasranama - Bhojanam (भोजनम्) from -

भ्राजिष्णुर्भोजनं भोक्ता सहिष्णुर्जगदादिजः ।

अनघो विजयो जेता विश्वयोनिः पुनर्वसुः ॥

1. Bhagavan as the Ultimate Object of Enjoyment
   ‘Bhojanam’ is what we enjoy or consume, often referring to food. However, in devotion, Bhagavan becomes the ultimate bhojanam for his devotees. When a devotee moves beyond material desires, Bhagavan alone brings true joy. Thus, Bhagavan becomes the highest source of fulfillment and enjoyment for the devoted, offering joy beyond worldly pleasures.
2. Bhagavan as the Giver of All Enjoyment
   Bhagavan is the source of all forms of enjoyment experienced through our senses. Every joy or pleasure we feel through taste, sound, touch, sight, and smell comes from his blessings. He fills the world with things that satisfy our senses and mind, giving us what we need to experience happiness and contentment in life.
3. Bhagavan as the Provider of Food
   Bhagavan provides food for every being in the universe, from the smallest creature to the greatest. All nourishment ultimately comes from him. As the sustainer, he ensures that everyone has what they need for survival, thus holding the responsibility of feeding all, just as he creates every other resource for life.
4. The Cycle of Consumer and Consumed
   In the world, life sustains itself through a cycle where one becomes the food for another. Plants feed animals, animals feed other animals, and so forth. This balance of consumer and consumed keeps the world going. Bhagavan, as the sustainer, has created this system so that life continues, each being dependent on another for survival.

• If Bhagavan himself is the ultimate enjoyment, then why do people still chase after worldly pleasures?
  Because the mind is restless and seeks short bursts of satisfaction. But those pleasures fade quickly. Chanting any nama from the Vishnu Sahasranama steadies the mind, opening the heart to joy that does not fade. This shift makes relationships calmer and family bonds stronger.

• How can one see ordinary food as connected to Bhagavan?
  Every grain, every drop of water is his gift. Remembering this through nama japa before and after meals turns eating into worship. It keeps the body nourished with gratitude and also teaches children respect for food and family meals.

• Why does the world work on this cycle of consumer and consumed?
  It shows interdependence. No being survives alone. Chanting the Vishnu Sahasranama reminds us of this balance and builds humility. At home, it helps us respect each other’s roles instead of fighting for control.

• If all joy comes from Bhagavan, why do some people suffer hunger and lack?
  The play of life is complex, but his sustenance never stops. Chanting any nama from the Vishnu Sahasranama 108 times invokes both inner strength and outer support. On a practical level, it makes us more compassionate and attentive to the needs of our family and community.

• What is the real meaning of Bhagavan being both the provider and the food itself?
  It means he is the source, the process, and the fulfillment. By chanting the Sahasranama slowly, we train ourselves to see no gap between what we receive, what we enjoy, and the giver. This understanding brings harmony to daily life and gratitude within families.

• How can you call a deity 'food' when food is a physical substance and a god is not?
  The word 'food' here means the object of enjoyment, not just rice or bread. People seek happiness through taste, sound, touch, and sight. The claim is that the ultimate satisfaction behind all these is rooted in the divine, who becomes the true 'food' for the soul.

• If all joy supposedly comes from one source, why do people clearly get joy from material things without thinking of any god?
  The surface joy from objects is temporary and fades once the novelty ends. The deeper argument is that the capacity to feel joy at all is granted by that source. Without that sustaining ground, neither object nor sense could provide experience.

• Why insist that this deity feeds every creature when animals often die starving?
  The system of life is designed as interdependence, where one form becomes food for another. This cycle itself is seen as the provision. Individual scarcity does not erase the fact that nourishment at large flows through this cycle created and maintained by the divine.

• Isn't it cruel to set up a cycle where creatures must kill or consume others to survive?
  Cruelty is a human term. In nature, survival depends on balance: plants absorb sunlight, herbivores eat plants, carnivores eat herbivores. This chain prevents chaos and collapse; it is order, not malice.

• Why should the ultimate source of happiness or food be unseen, while visible food clearly sustains us?
  Visible food sustains the body, but the experience of fulfillment is not explained by calories alone. The unseen principle accounts for why eating, seeing beauty, or hearing music brings meaning, not just chemical reactions. It is that unseen ground which is claimed as the true sustainer.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi