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Bhagwad Gita (English) | Chapter 17 | Verse 8

Chapter 17, Verse 8

The Divisions of Faith

The foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness (good appetite), which are savory, oily, substantial, and agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic (pure) people.

Verse

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः।रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः।।17.8।।


āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛidyā āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ

Meaning of each word

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

Interpretation

This verse talks about the kind of food that is good for our bodies and minds. It says that the best foods help us live longer and make us healthier, stronger, and happier. Think of foods like fruits, vegetables, milk, rice, and whole grains. These foods are not only good for our health but are also pleasing to eat. They give us energy and make us feel good. People who care about their physical and mental well-being, known as Sattvic people, prefer these kinds of foods.

The verse emphasizes that food should elevate our life. For example, foods that are fresh and nutritious can enhance our mood and make us feel satisfied. If you imagine enjoying a warm bowl of rice with some healthy vegetables, that feeling of comfort and happiness comes from eating well.

Sattvic foods are considered wholesome. For instance, milk products like yogurt and cheese are included because they are rich in nutrients and help build a strong body without harming any living beings. This is particularly important for those who want to live in harmony with nature. Such foods are different from meat or alcohol, which can have negative effects on our health and well-being.

Additionally, even simple foods like baked corn or sweets made from sugar can be very healthy if they are prepared in a loving and nourishing way. Mixing them with milk turns a plain food into something richer and more satisfying, contributing to a healthier diet.

The verse also highlights that choosing food that does not involve killing animals is not only compassionate but is also seen as part of a civilized approach to eating. Instead of using animal fat from meat, we can get our fats from milk, which is a natural and kind source. Protein can come from foods like lentils or whole grains, which are also very healthy.

So overall, this verse encourages us to eat foods that nurture our bodies and mind, supporting a happy, healthy life without harm to other living beings.

Other Verses of Chapter 17
Verse 1
Arjuna said, O Krsna, what is the situation of one who does not follow the principles of scripture but worships according to his own imagination? Is he in goodness, in passion or in ignorance?
Verse 2
The Supreme Lord said, according to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one's faith can be of three kinds-goodness, passion or ignorance. Now hear about these.
Verse 3
According to one's existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith. The living being is said to be of a particular faith according to the modes he has acquired.
Verse 4
Men in the mode of goodness worship the demigods; those in the mode of passion worship the demons; and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits.
Verse 5
Those men who practice terrific austerities not prescribed by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, driven by the force of lust and attachment.
Verse 6
Know thou these to be of demonical resolves, senselessly torturing all the elements in the body and Me who dwell in the body.
Verse 7
Even food of which all partake is of three kinds, according to the three modes of material nature. The same is true of sacrifices, austerities and charity. Listen, and I shall tell you of the distinctions of these.
Verse 9
The foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning are liked by the Rajasic and are productive of pain, grief, and disease.
Verse 10
That which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, rejected, and impure is the food liked by the Tamasic.
Verse 11
Of sacrifices, that sacrifice performed according to duty and to scriptural rules, and with no expectation of reward, is of the nature of goodness.
Verse 12
But that sacrifice performed for some material end or benefit or performed ostentatiously, out of pride, is of the nature of passion, O chief of the Bharatas.
Verse 13
And that sacrifice performed in defiance of scriptural injunctions, in which no spiritual food is distributed, no hymns are chanted and no remunerations are made to the priests, and which is faithless—that sacrifice is of the nature of ignorance.
Verse 14
The austerity of the body consists in this: worship of the Supreme Lord, the brahmanas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother. Cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence are also austerities of the body.
Verse 15
Austerity of speech consists in speaking truthfully and beneficially and in avoiding speech that offends. One should also recite the Vedas regularly.
Verse 16
And serenity, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purity of thought are the austerities of the mind.
Verse 17
This threefold austerity, practiced by men whose aim is not to benefit themselves materially but to please the Supreme, is of the nature of goodness.
Verse 18
Those ostentatious penances and austerities which are performed in order to gain respect, honor and reverence are said to be in the mode of passion. They are neither stable nor permanent.
Verse 19
And those penances and austerities which are performed foolishly by means of obstinate self-torture, or to destroy or injure others, are said to be in the mode of ignorance.
Verse 20
That gift which is given out of duty, at the proper time and place, to a worthy person, and without expectation of return, is considered to be charity in the mode of goodness.
Verse 21
But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood, is said to be charity in the mode of passion.
Verse 22
And charity performed at an improper place and time and given to unworthy persons without respect and with contempt is charity in the mode of ignorance.
Verse 23
From the beginning of creation, the three syllables-om tat sat-have been used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth [Brahman]. They were uttered by brahmanas while chanting Vedic hymns and during sacrifices, for the satisfaction of the Supreme.
Verse 24
Thus the transcendentalists undertake sacrifices, charities, and penances, beginning always with om, to attain the Supreme.
Verse 25
One should perform sacrifice, penance and charity with the word tat. The purpose of such transcendental activities is to get free from the material entanglement.
Verse 26
The word "Sat" is used to refer to reality and goodness; likewise, O Arjuna, the word "Sat" is used to refer to an auspicious act.
Verse 27
Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and gift is also called 'Sat', and action in connection with these, or for the sake of the Supreme, is also called 'Sat'.
Verse 28
But sacrifices, austerities and charities performed without faith in the Supreme are nonpermanent, O son of Prtha, regardless of whatever rites are performed. They are called asat and are useless both in this life and the next.
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