यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् |
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् || 10||
yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ pūti paryuṣhitaṁ cha yat
uchchhiṣhṭam api chāmedhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam
yāta-yāmam—stale foods; gata-rasam—tasteless; pūti—putrid; paryuṣhitam—polluted; cha—and; yat—which; uchchhiṣhṭam—left over; api—also; cha—and; amedhyam—impure; bhojanam—foods; tāmasa—to persons in the mode of ignorance; priyam—dear
Translation:
And food that is ill cooked, tasteless, putrid, stale, unclean, and left over, is favoured by people endowed with tamas.
Commentary:
Even according to the principles of health such food is bad. Not only does it damage the system by corrupting the blood but it unhinges the mind also. The mind is made of the subtle elements of the body. Therefore for physical health and joy, only Sattvic food should be taken.
Swami Vivekananda Says —
What the proper food is, what kind, we have to determine ourselves. Nobody can determine that [for us]. As a general practice, we have to shun exciting food. … We do not know how to vary our diet with our occupation. We always forget that it is the food out of which we manufacture everything we have. So the amount and kind of energy that we want, the food must determine. … The proper diet means, generally, simply do not eat highly spiced foods. There are three sorts of mind, says the yogi, according to the elements of nature. One is the dull mind, which covers the luminosity of the soul. Then there is that which makes people active, and lastly, that which makes them calm and peaceful. Now there are persons born with the tendency to sleep all the time. Their taste will be towards that type of food which is rotting — crawling cheese. They will eat cheese that fairly jumps off the table. It is a natural tendency with them. Then active people. Their taste is for everything hot and pungent, strong alcohol. … Sattvika people are very thoughtful, quiet, and patient. They take food in small quantities, and never anything bad.[Source]
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17 🔻 (28 Verses)
