HOLY THINGS 121

beast who acts according to his nature—as Tennyson
reminds us in his Passing of Arthur. The God-knower,
the ( Brahman 9 is bound by his very nature to acknow-
ledge Him ; a so-called Brahman empty of devotion is
really lower than a pig, because he deserts his own
swadha-rwa and insults the God whom he exists only to
serve and honour. Food first offered with a short thanks-
giving to God becomes imbued with His Name and con-
secrated by His very Presence. It becomes a sacrament,
the l Living Bread from Heaven ' which whosoever eats
becomes immortal. All we eat and drink may thus, as
the sect of Cathari also taught, become the ( Body of
God ' if truly consecrated in His Name.

33. The Power of Prasad

1. Supremely desirable for all is the
adoring and contemplation of Sri Krishna, the
singing of His Name, (and) the taking of
water from His feet and consecrated food.1
(1:2: 64) In India the twice-born who daily
takes water from (His) feet and food dedicated
to Hari becomes a Jwanmz^kta when he
receives His Mantra; the earth is at once
purified by the very dust of his feet, while all
holy places, Narada, also become more pure,
That holy man is at once set free from all
earthly things, (and) wins at every step the
certain fruit of a horse-sacrifice. (2:2: 70-72)

1 Skt: naivedya^