Food as Devotion
Pōnagam (Tamil: food, victuals; an honorific or poetic form of ordinary food-words) is used in Śrī Vaiṣṇava devotional vocabulary as a respectful or elevated term for food — particularly when referring to the sacred meal offered to Bhagavān (naivedyam) or served to devotees (tatiyārādhanam).
The Sacred Meal
In the Āzhvārs' pāsurams and in liturgical contexts, pōnagam refers to the meal offered to the Lord as a complete expression of devotion. The tradition teaches that Bhagavān actually 'enjoys' the food offered to Him — not in a gross physical sense but through His own divine mystery of arcā acceptance. The devotee who prepares and offers pōnagam is engaged in direct kaiṅkarya.
Connection to Tatiyārādhanam
When a Śrī Vaiṣṇava serves pōnagam to another devotee (tatiyārādhanam), the food served transcends its material nature — it becomes the Lord's grace flowing through the server's hands to the recipient. This is why preparing and serving food to devotees is among the most exalted forms of service in the tradition.