Whether it is Lord Siva or Lord Vishnu, They are seen as providers of food. When the ocean was churned, a deadly poison called Halahala came out of it. Lord Siva consumed the Halahala poison and by getting the poison out of the way, He became a sustainer of life. But the churned ocean threw up nectar too, and Lord Vishnu was the One who distributed it, and He too, therefore, should be seen as One who sustains. Lord Narayana proved that He was a provider of sustenance, when He took the Rama avatara, said V.S. Karunakarachariar, in a discourse. When the celestials granted a boon to Lord Rama, he requested that the monkeys should always be able to get the food they wanted. So, if a monkey happened to crave a mango, when it was not the season for the fruit, it would still get it.
The Lord, of course, is a giver of boons, not a seeker. Yet, when it came to the monkeys who were loyal to Him, He did ask for boons for them. In the hermitage of Sage Bharadwaja, the sage asked Rama what He wanted. Rama asked that trees should be full of fruit, even if it were not the season for some of them to bear fruit. He further requested that honey should flow in abundance. Bharadwaja granted Him His wish, and trees came to be full of fruits, and the monkeys feasted on the fruits and honey. There is a Vedic mantra that says that there will be no problems regarding food, if one places one’s trust in the Supreme One, and this can certainly be taken as a reference to the Supreme One’s incarnation as Rama. It is also a proof of how well He takes care of those who bear affection for Him. The monkeys were prepared to risk their lives fighting on Rama’s behalf, and in turn the Lord ensured that food, should come to the monkeys easily.
