The Upanishads - Mandhata Global

food. When it is said: "Two he assigned to the gods," the
statement means oblations made in the fire and presents
offered otherwise to the gods. Therefore people make
oblations in the fire and offer presents otherwise to the
gods. Some, however, say that the two foods refer to the
new-moon and full-moon sacrifices. Therefore one
should not engage in sacrifices for material ends. When
it is said: "One he gave to the animals," the statement
refers to milk; for at first men and animals live on milk
alone. That is why they first make a new-born babe lick
melted butter or they put it to the breast. And they speak
of the new-born calf as not yet eating grass. When it is
said: "On it rests everything-whatsoever breathes and
whatsoever breathes not," it means that everything rests
on milk, all that breathes and breathes not. It is further
said in another Brahmana that by making offerings of
milk in the fire for a year one overcomes further death;
but one should not think thus. For he who knows this
overcomes further death the very day he makes the
offering, because he offers all eatable food to the gods.
When it is asked: "Why are not these foods exhausted
although they are always being eaten?" the answer is
that the eater is indeed the cause of this inexhaustibility,
for he produces this food again and again. When it is
said: "He who knows the cause of this inexhaustibility,"
the statement means that the eater is indeed the cause of
this inexhaustibility, for he produces this food through
meditation and rites. If he did not do this the food would
be exhausted. When it is said: "He eats food with
pratika," the word pratika means pre-eminence; hence
209