To those who are situated in sattva guṇa the mode of goodness, foods that are of the nature of sattva or goodness such as milk, fruits, grains and vegetables are very dear.

Such foods promote long life, invigorating the body and elevating the mind in its function of intelligence.

As was confirmed earlier in chapter XIV verse XVII:

“From the quality of sattva guṇa knowledge arises”.

Sattva guṇa facilitates spiritual knowledge and likewise food that is sattva also facilitates spiritual intelligence as well as good health, strength, happiness and relish.

The word sukha meaning happiness refers to the pleasure experienced while ingesting the food and afterwards when it is digesting and assimilating within the body.

The word prīti means satisfaction that is derived from the intake of pure foods inspiring congenial interest in spiritual activities.

The word rasyāḥ means succulent, delectable. Snigdhāḥ means oleaginous, unctuous. Sthirāh means nourishing, sustaining. Hṛdyā means agreeable, pleasing.

These are the qualities of sattva foods which are very much appreciated by those in sattva guṇa.

Foods that are acidic, bitter, salty, sour, spicy, pungent, dry, hard or burning are the foods that those in raja guṇa are very much attracted to.

The word Tīkṣṇa refers to food of no value because they are either to cold or to hot. Rakṣa are foods which are to dry and hard. Vidāhinaḥ are those foods that cause a burning sensation in the body.

These foods produce pain, distress, sickness and misery and decreases longevity of life and increase desires for more and more Rājas or passion.

The foods liked by those in tama guṇa the mode of ignorance are yāta-yāmaṃ meaning stale, foods that are old from the previous day, foods cooked more than a yama which is literally three hours before.

Gata-rasa means those foods which have lost their original flavour and have become tasteless.

Pūti means putrid, possessing a foul smell. Paryuṣitaṃ means decomposed, unrecognisable. Ucchiṣṭam means eating the remains of others, food after they have eaten.

This does not apply to honouring the remnants of mahā Prasādam or sanctified food first offered to Lord Krishna and then eaten by the spiritual preceptors who mercifully leaves some for their devotees which is then glorified by them as mahā Prasādam.

Amedhyaṃ means unsanctified foods, due to not having been consecrated by first offering it to the Supreme Lord and thus impure.

Partaking of foods in tama guṇa such as meat, fish, fowl, eggs, wine, alcohol, etc. breeds dark nescience and great ignorance.

So in conclusion those fortunate jīvas or embodied beings with spiritual insight should absolve themselves from the intake of foods in raja guṇa and tama guṇa and resort exclusively to foods in sattva guṇa.

9 *“Bitter, sour, salt, over-hot, pungent, dry, and burning; and such as cause pain, repentance and ill-health, are the foods desired by those of Rājasa temperament.”* (139)

It surpasses even the subtle poison in point of bitterness and is more burning than lime and is also sour. Salt is added to it in the proportion in which water is added to flour (for forming it into a lump). In the same proportion are also added other kinds of salt to it. Such excessively salt articles of food are liked by him (Rajas-tempered person), and on the plea of having hot food he swallows articles of food as hot as the very fire. A Rajas person demands articles of food so hot that at the point of the steam arising out of them, a wick can even be ignited. Food as hard as an iron crowbar which even breaks a rock and is so well known for its hardness,—such hard food he takes, and it pierces his stomach without causing any stab or injury. The food is as parched as the very ashes in and out, and he likes that burning sensation which is caused to the tongue while taking such food. He feels great pleasure in putting into his mouth food that makes gnashing sound of teeth while it is being chewed. Already smarting (as the dishes are), he adds mustard (to them), the fumes of which cause acute pain in the nostrils and the mouth while swallowing. Over and above this Rajas likes to have “Rāyate” (रायते—a condiment) which excels even fire in point of (throat) burning sensation. It is dearer to him than his life. Possessing a voracious mouth, his tongue makes him mad and he goes on swallowing fire in the form of food. This makes him feel so hot, that he does not feel any cooling sensation even on the (bare) floor or on a bed, and he cannot keep aside (for any length of time) from his lips a drinking pot filled with water. These things cannot be called feasts, but they are (as it were) dormant serpents in the form of diseases, and intoxicants are put in the belly in order to excite them (to activity). With such intoxicants, disease after disease raises its head vying with each other, and in this way the Rajas food yields nothing else but the fruit of misery. Oh Dhanur-dhara, thus has been made clear to you in detail, together with its effects, the nature of Rajas diet. Now about the diet which is liked by the Tamas-ridden person and you might feel nausea while listening to it.

Foods which are bitter, such as 'Karelā' and aloe plant, sour, such as tamarind and lemon, saltish, having excessive alkaline and salts, and which are very hot viz., steaming, pungent such as chilies, and dry such as, parched grains (lacking butter, milk etc.,) and which cause burning such as mustard etc.

'Āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā'—Such foods (which are eaten, drunk, licked and sucked), are liked by the rājasika type of persons.

\*Though the favourable foods are dear even to the passionate but their love for them will change into poison (18/38). Similarly the ignorant also like them but their liking for them will conduce them to sleep, indolence and heedlessness (entertainment, ill talk and evil habits etc.) (18/39).

Thus a man's faith, is known by the food he takes:

'Duhkhasokāmayapradāh'—Such foods, produce pain, grief and disease. When a person eats such food, he experiences pain and a burning sensation, in the throat, tongue and palate etc. He is not pleased, but is rather grieved after eating such foods and these cause sickness, in the body.

तरी मारें उणें काळकुट । तेणें मानें जें कडुवट । कां चुनियाहूनि दासट । आम्ल हन ॥ १३९ ॥ कणिकीतें जैसें पाणी । तैसेंचि मीठ बांधया आणी । तेतुलीच मेळवणी । रसांतरांची ॥ १४० ॥ ऐसें खारट अपाडें । राजसा तया आवडे । ऊन्हाचेनि मिषें तोंडें । आगीचि गिळी ॥ १४१ ॥ वाफेचिया सिगे । वातीही लाविल्या लागे । तैसें उन्ह मागे । राजसु तो ॥ ११४२ ॥ वावदळ पाडूनि ठाये । साबळु डाहारला आहे । तैसें तीख तो खाये । जें घायेविण रुपे ॥ १४३ ॥ आणि राखेहूनि कोरडें । आंत बाहेरी येके पाडें । तो जिव्हादंशु आवडे । बहु तया ॥ १४४ ॥ परस्परें दांतां । आदळु होय खातां । तो गा तोंडीं घेतां । तोषों लागे ॥ १४५ ॥ आधींच द्रव्यें चुरमुरीं । वरी परवडिजती मोहरी । जियें घेतां होती धुवारी । नाकेंतोंडें ॥ १४६ ॥ हें असो उगें आगीतें । म्हणे तैसें राइतें । पढियें प्राणापरौतें । राजसासि गा ॥ १४७ ॥ ऐसा न पुरोनि तोंडा । जिभा केला वेडा । अन्नमिषें अग्नि भडभडां । पोटीं भरी ॥ १४८ ॥ तैसाचि लवंगा सुंठे । मग भुईं गा सेजे खाटे । पाणियाचें न सुटे । तोंडोनि पात्र ॥ १४९ ॥ ते आहार नव्हती घेतले । व्याधिव्याळ जे सुतले । ते चेववावया घातलें । माजवण पोटीं ॥ १५० ॥ तैसें एकमेकां सळें । रोग उठती एके वेळे । ऐसा राजसु आहारु फळे । केवळ दुःखें ॥ १५१ ॥ एवं राजसा आहारा । रूप केलें धनुर्धरा । परीणामाचाहि विसुरा । सांगितला ॥ १५२ ॥ आतां तया तामसा । आवडे आहारु जैसा । तेंही सांगों चिळसा । झणें तुम्ही ॥ १५३ ॥ तरी कुहिलें उष्टें खातां । न मनिजे तेणें अनहिता । जैसें कां उपहिता । म्हैसी खाय ॥ १५४ ॥

(17.139) केवल मारक गुण के अतिरिक्त जो कालकूट विष के हो समान कड़ुए अथवा चूने से भी अधिक दाहक और असल होते हैं, (17.140) आटे में जैसे पानी डाला जाता है वैसा ही मानों नमक का गोला ही बनाया दो, और उसमें अन्य रस मिलाये गये हों,

(17.141) ऐसे अत्यन्त खारे पदार्थों पर राजसी मनुष्यों की रुचि होती है। राजसी मनुष्य उष्ण पदार्थों के मिस से मानों आग ही लीलता है।

(17.142) वह ऐसे गरम पदार्थ खाना चाहता है कि जिनकी भाँकों के अग्रभाग पर दिया जलाना चाहो तो जल जावे।

(17.143) सम्बल [1] की यह बात प्रसिद्ध है कि वह पत्थर का भी फोड़ती पर राजसी मनुष्य ऐसे-ऐसे तीखे पदार्थ खाता है कि जिनसे कोई घाव नहीं होता परन्तु वे चुभते अवश्य हैं।

(17.144) और उसे ऐसी चटनियाँ अत्यन्त भाती हैं जो राख से भी रूखी और अन्तर-बाह्य समान ही रहती हैं।

(17.145) जिन पदार्थों के खाते ही दाँतों की आपस में टक्कर हो उनके मुँह में पड़ते ही उसे आनन्द होता है।

(17.146) जो पदार्थ स्वभावतः चिरपरे हो और फिर उनमें राई पड़ी हो, जिनको खाते हुए नाक और मुँह से धारे बहती हो,

[1] पत्थर उखाड़ने आदि के लिए लोहे का यन्त्र। (17.147) और तो क्या, आग को भी चुप करनेवाले अचार जैसे पदार्थ राजसी मनुष्य को प्राणों से प्यारे होते हैं।

(17.148) इस प्रकार तृप्त न होते हुए जो मनुष्य जिह्वा के वश हो पागल हो जाता है वह मानों अन्न के रूप से पेट में एकदम अग्नि ही भर लेता है।

(17.149) और जब दाह होने लगती है तब पलंग से धरती पर और धरती से पलंग पर लोट-पाट होता रहता है, तथा उसके मुँह से जल का लोटा भी नहीं छूटता।

(17.150) उसने वे राजस-आहार ग्रहण नहीं किये बल्कि मानों व्याधिरूपी सर्प जो सोया हुआ था उसे जाग्रत करने के लिए नशा ही किया;

(17.151) एवं उसके शरीर में एकदम एक दूसरे से स्पर्धा करनेवाले रोग उत्पन्न होते हैं। इस प्रकार राजस आहार केवल दुःखरूप फल देता है।

(17.152) हे धनुर्धर! यह राजस आहार का वर्णन हुआ, और हम उसके परिणाम की कथा भी कह चुके।

(17.153) अब तामस मनुष्य का कैसा आहार भाता है उसका भी वर्णन करते हैं। उस पर तुम घृणा न आ दे। (17.154) भैंस जैसे जूठन खाती है वैसे ही तामसी मनुष्य जूठा और सड़ा हुआ अन्न खाते हुए कुछ अहित नहीं समझता।

'कटु'—करेला, ग्वारपाठा आदि अधिक कड़वे पदार्थ; 'अम्ल'—इमली, अमचूर, नींबू, छाछ, सड़न पैदा करके बनाया गया सिरका आदि अधिक खट्टे पदार्थ; 'लवणम्'—अधिक नमकवाले पदार्थ; 'अत्युष्णम्'—जिनसे भाप निकल रही हो, ऐसे अत्यन्त गरम-गरम पदार्थ; 'तीक्ष्णम्'—जिनको खानेसे नाक, आँख, मुख और सिरसे पानी आने लगे, ऐसे लाल मिर्च आदि अधिक

तीखे पदार्थ; 'रूक्षम्'—जिनमें घी, दूध आदिका सम्बन्ध नहीं है, ऐसे भुने हुए चने, सतुआ आदि अधिक रूखे पदार्थ और 'विदाहिनः'—राई आदि अधिक दाहकारक पदार्थ (राईको दो-तीन घंटे छाछमें भिगोकर रखा जाय, तो उसमें एक खमीर पैदा होता है, जो बहुत दाहकारक होता है)।

'आहारा राजसस्येष्टाः'—इस प्रकारके भोजनके

* ऐसे तो अनुकूल आहार मिलनेपर राजस पुरुषको भी प्रीति होगी, पर वह प्रीति परिणाममें विष हो जायगी (अठारहवें अध्यायका अङ्गतीसवाँ श्लोक)। ऐसे ही तामस पुरुषको भी प्रीति होगी, पर वह प्रीति परिणाममें उसको मूढ़तामें अर्थात् अतिनिद्रा, आलस्य और प्रमाद (खेल-तमाशे, व्यर्थ बकवाद, दुर्व्यसन आदि) में लगा देगी (अठारहवें अध्यायका उन्तालीसवाँ श्लोक)।

(भोज्य, पेय, लेह्य और चोष्य) पदार्थ राजस मनुष्यको प्यारे होते हैं। इससे उसकी निष्ठाकी पहचान हो जाती है। 'दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः'—परन्तु ऐसे पदार्थ परिणाममें दुःख, शोक और रोगोंको देनेवाले होते हैं। खट्टा, तीखा और

दाहकारक भोजन करते समय मुख आदिमें जो जलन होती है, यह दुःख है। भोजन करनेके बाद मनमें प्रसन्नता नहीं होती, प्रत्युत स्वाभाविक चिन्ता रहती है, यह शोक है। ऐसे भोजनसे शरीरमें प्रायः रोग होते हैं।