आयु:सत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धना: |
रस्या: स्निग्धा: स्थिरा हृद्या आहारा: सात्त्विकप्रिया: || 8||
āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛidyā āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ
āyuḥ sattva—which promote longevity; bala—strength; ārogya—health; sukha—happiness; prīti—satisfaction; vivardhanāḥ—increase; rasyāḥ—juicy; snigdhāḥ—succulent; sthirāḥ—nourishing; hṛidyāḥ—pleasing to the heart; āhārāḥ—food; sāttvika-priyāḥ—dear to those in the mode of goodness
Translation:
Food that promotes longevity, vitality, strength, health, pleasure, appetite, and that is succulent, oleaginous, substantial, and agreeable, is favoured by people endowed with sattva.
Commentary:
The Sattvic nature relishes only pure and agreeable food, as described in this verse. Food has a direct bearing on the spiritual life. It is not a negligible matter as some indulgent people imagine. It should be within the experience of everyone that when impure and offensive food is taken the mind immediately reacts by generating sensual tendencies, irritability, anger etc. If men take a little more care about their food and its regulation, not only will they be more healthy and happy, but they will also gain insight into the subtler truths of the spiritual realm. Such being the importance of food, the Lord first prescribes the type of food which is dear to the Sattvic type of men.
Question: What is the nature of Sattvic food?
Answer: It augments life, vitality, purity, health, joy and cheerfulness; It is savoury, oleaginous, substantial and agreeable. The wise should take this type of food.