The Feeding of the 5000
John 6:1-13
1. After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2. A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3. Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. 4. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5. Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” 6. This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. 7. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” 8. One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9.“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” 10. Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11. Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. 12. When they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” 13. So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
In the Indian tradition, the heart is the seat of the Prana (corresponding to the Pneuma/Spirit in the Gospel). The heart center (Anahata) is where the process of breath control starts (Pranayama). This process will lead to the ultimate spiritual experience as described in the Indian sacred texts: merging the individual psyche with the transcendental Self.
Control the breath in the heart’s region and make it pervade the entire nadis; they who can do this will gain a body that no fire can burn. – Tirumantiram 726
Knowledge of the Science of Breath Leads to Immortality. – Tirumantiram 571
The Pneuma of the Gospel is associated with the Prana of the Indian tradition
The Greek word Pneuma (πνευμα) means a movement of air, the breath, the wind, the spirit.
The Sanskrit word Prana means: the breath of life, the breath, the life force, the wind, the spirit.
Breath is associated with the number 12 in the Indian tradition.
12 finger lengths is the prana breath – Tirumantiram 728
In the Indian tradition, the life force exists in two forms: Prana situated above the navel, and Apana situated below the navel. Apana pulls prana, and prana pulls apana. The adept of yoga joins both to awaken the Kundalini.
24 occurrences of the word Pneuma (πνευμα, the breath/spirit) are found in the Gospel:
– 12 are located above the heart center (Representing Prana, inhalation)
– 12 are located below the heart center (Representing Apana, exhalation)
The two fish, the five loaves of bread, and the twelve baskets
The feeding of the 5,000 miracle is a symbol of the union of the microcosm with the macrocosm.
In the monistic or pneumatic perspective of the yoga-based Indian gnoseologies, it is ultimately breath, breathing in and breathing out, that unites the microcosm to the macrocosm – David Gordon White, The Alchemical Body P46
The two fish represent Ida and Pingala nadis, Andrew and Philip in the Gospel. Ida and Pingala are associated in the Indian tradition with inhalation and exhalation and represent the moon and the sun.
The 5 breads represent the 5 known planets of the Greeks: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The bread is later in the Gospel of John mentioned as “coming from heaven.”
John 6:51 “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever, and the bread also, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh. ”
The 12 baskets of bread represent the 12 signs of the zodiac, symbolic of the entire cosmos.
Jesus is seated on the mountain covered with grass
John 6:3 – And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
John 6:10 – Now there was much grass in the place.
In the Indian tradition it is recommended to start the meditative process of breath control by sitting on a seat made of kusha grass (Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 6, Verse 11). According to early Buddhist accounts, the kusha grass was used by Buddha for his meditation seat. In the Hindu episode of the churning of the ocean of milk, the mountain stands for concentration of mind, or meditation. The word “mountain” appears five times in the Gospel of John. In each of these instances, the symbolic meaning is: a place of worship or meditation.
The two fish
The fish represents Matsya, one of the five Ms of the Panchamakara. “Matsya” means “fish” and also symbolically “the breath.” The two fish are the two nadis, Ida and Pingala, associated in the Gospel of John with Andrew and Philip, respectively, corresponding to the inhalation and exhalation of breath. Andrew, Philip, and Simon are all from the city of Bethsaida. They are associated with the three main nadis of the Indian tradition originating at the base of the spine: Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna. (John 1:44 – 12:21).
The Matsya literally means “fish,” but it symbolically signifies the inhalation and exhalation of breath. It has been said that the two nadis, Ida and Pingala, have two fishes, inhalation and exhalation, moving constantly up and down. It is enjoined that a sadhaka should stop their erratic movement by performing khumbhaka through pranayama so that the blocked channel of the central nadi (sushumna) could be opened for the ascent of the kundalini shakti. This is symbolically called “the eating of the fish” (matsya-bhaksana), and such aspirants are known as matsya-sadhaka. – From the book Essays on the Tirumandiram by T.N. Ganapathy & KR. Arumugam
The Agamasara declares that “Matsya,” fish, refers to the absorption into the medial channel of the breaths moving in the right and left channels of the subtle body. These breaths, styled as two fish swimming in the Ganges and Yamuna rivers (associated with Pingala and Ida nadis, respectively), are to be swallowed into the central sushumna channel, the Saraswati river. – David Gordon White, in Kiss of the Yogini, p. 254
In the process of breath control, the two nadis, Ida and Pingala (the two fish associated with the moon and the sun, respectively), will eventually have to be controlled for the process of the ascent of the kundalini to start. This is symbolized in the Gospel by the leftovers: 12 baskets of bread but no fish remain after the crowd has eaten. The fish are also mentioned in the narrative of the Miraculous Catch of the 153 Fish, where the fish also represent the moon and the sun.
The bread
The bread represents Mudra, one of the five Ms of the Panchamakara. “Mudra” means parched grain (symbolized by the loaves of bread) and also gesture (symbolized by Jesus taking the loaves) and allegorically spiritual company, or satsang (symbolized by the crowd of 5,000). The bread represents the upper Bindu (the body of Christ). The fish represents the lower Bindu (the breath, Prana). The movement of the Bindu is closely connected with the circulation of the life energy in the form of the breath. By merging the lower Bindu with the upper Bindu, the nectar flows and immortality is achieved.
Tirumantiram 1965 – Merging of Bodily Bindu in Cosmic Bindu; Coursing upward, Bindu that is Prana vital, Merging it in Divine Bindu That the “Swan” in cranium (Sahasrara) is; There, uniting in Nadanta, The luminous Bindu is in body absorbed.
The event of the bread and the fish on the fire at the end of the Gospel will conclude the symbolism of the feeding of the 5,000:
So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it and bread.
The fiery Bindu above is Lord’s Body (The bread – macrocosmic). The Bindu wasted here below is vital Prana (The fish, life Breath – microcosmic). By mixing the two, they burn it in the fire of Kundalini. Then they consume the very ambrosia of immortality. This is the wisdom of the true yogis.
Jesus takes the loaves of bread
Touch is the sense associated with Anahata chakra; the hands are its work organ.
John 6:11 – Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated, and likewise, fish as much as they wanted.