Skandapurana 7.12.p6

7.12.p6

annaṃ pradadyādyo devyo18 yādṛśaṃ tādṛśaṃ śubhāḥ19 .
tasyāpi narake ghore yātyamānasya rākṣasaiḥ .. 17. .
upatiṣṭheta bahudhā tṛptiryenāsya jāyate20 .
yadi mānuṣyamāyāti kadācit sa naraḥ punaḥ . . 18. .
mleccheṣu bhogī bhavati ramate ca yathāmaraḥ .
annemevaṃ viśiṣṭaṃ hi tasmānna paramaṃ21 bhuvi . . 19 . .
annaṃ prajāpatiḥ proktaṃ sa ca saṃvatsaro mataḥ .
saṃvatsaraśca yajñosau yajñe sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam . .8.111.2 0 . .
tasmād bhavanti bhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca .
tasmādannaṃ viśiṣṭhantu sarvebhya iti vai śrutiḥ .. 21 ..

Whoever, O goddesses, O auspicious ones, gives food—of whatever kind—
even to him, when he is being tormented by rākṣasas in a terrible hell,
sustenance comes in abundance, whereby satisfaction arises for him.
If at some point that man returns to human existence,
he becomes an enjoyer of pleasures among the mlecchas and rejoices like an immortal.
Food alone is thus superior; therefore, there is nothing higher on earth.
Food is declared to be Prajāpati, and he is considered to be the year;
and the year is that sacrifice, [and] everything is established in the sacrifice.
From that arise beings, both stationary and moving.
Therefore, food is indeed superior to all—so says the sacred tradition.