This story from BRIHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD, describes why ACHAMANA( the ritual of drinking water 5 times before pooja) and PARICHESHANA( the ritual of purifying food by sprinkling water) are mandatory, while doing pooja or while eating food.
Once VAK( Speech), CHAKSHUS( Sight), SHROTRA( Hearing), MANAS( Heart), and PRANA(Vital life force), had an argument about their supremacy. They went to Brahma, and asked him to decide who was superior. Brahma said each make an exit, and the one one whose exit makes the most difference to the body, is the superior.
First VAK exited, and after a few days came back and asked the other senses if it's exit made a difference. The others said they could manage. Next went Sight or Chakshus. And all said they were ok without it. Successively, shrotra, Manas, followed and came back and all the.other senses said they were ok.
Then came the turn of Prana. All the 5 pranas slowly started making an exit, and all the senses became distraught and uprooted. They all begged Prana to stay back and that they would accept it's supremacy. Prana agreed to stay, but asked for a BALI or Sacrifice everyday. Hence ACHAMANA , and PARICHESHANA are the rituals that a body does on behalf of the senses as an offering, without which PRANA in the body loses its vigour.
Sanatana Dharma teaches good habits in form of stories, allegories etc so that the essence is absorbed easily and practiced. Jayatu Sanatana
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