Six Types of Yogic Purification Practices Massage Benefits on Body Parts |
Food Types in GitaLord Krishna has explained the three types of food to Arjuna in the Bhagvad Gita in the three shalokas: This says, “Foods which promote longevity, intelligence, health, happiness and delight arid which are sweet, bland, nourishing and agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic type of men. Foods which are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot and cold, pungent, dry, burning and giving rise to pain, grief and illness are dear to the Rajasic type of men. Food which is half-cooked, insipid, putrid, stale and polluted and also impure is dear to the Tamasic type of men.” A man chooses his food according to his taste and nature; those endowed with Sattvic nature choose the Sattvic food, those with Rajasic and Tamasic natures choose the Rajasic and Tamasic food respectively. Conversely, the type of food liked by a person ultimately determines and forms his nature. Sattvic food accordingly provides ideal nourishment, promotes vigor and vitality. Along with high physical endurance and longevity, it imparts mental and spiritual balance to the consumer of this type of food. For these reasons, Sattvic food generates pious and pure thoughts. Not only does the body retain its natural vigor for a full life of hundred years, but the mind of Sattvic person is capable of r to great spiritual heights. Both the body and the mind of a person feeding on Sattvic food ward off senile decay and disease. Sattvic food is pure and vegetarian. Rajasic food, however, combines vegetarian and non- vegetarian dishes. We are given to fried, over-cooked, highly oiled and spiced foods. These foods are rich in food nutrients and contain concentrated food items including sweets, ghee, fried vegetables, butter, cheese, meat, eggs, fish etc. They are more suited for fighters, warriors etc., who need animal strength. Their use, moreover, should be restricted to young age when human organs are strong enough to digest them. But ultimately, these foods lead to the weakening of the body and the mind and premature death. Tamasic food is the lowest grade food. It is unwholesome, stale, unbalanced and decomposed and causes irritating poison in the blood. This type of food is harmful for the body as well as the mind. |