Bhagavad-gita As It Is | Part [BG.17.10]


TEXT 10:

yata-yamam gata-rasam
puti paryushitam ca yat
ucchishtam api camedhyam
bhojanam tamasa-priyam


TRANSLATION:

Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is
tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and
untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness.

 

PURPORT:

The purpose of food is to increase the duration of life, purify the mind and
aid bodily strength. This is its only purpose. In the past, great
authorities selected those foods that best aid health and increase life's
duration, such as milk products, sugar, rice, wheat, fruits and vegetables.
These foods are very dear to those in the mode of goodness. Some other
foods, such as baked corn and molasses, while not very palatable in
themselves, can be made pleasant when mixed with milk or other foods. They
are then in the mode of goodness. All these foods are pure by nature. They
are quite distinct from untouchable things like meat and liquor. Fatty
foods, as mentioned in the eighth verse, have no connection with animal fat
obtained by slaughter. Animal fat is available in the form of milk, which is
the most wonderful of all foods. Milk, butter, cheese and similar products
give animal fat in a form which rules out any need for the killing of
innocent creatures. It is only through brute mentality that this killing
goes on. The civilized method of obtaining needed fat is by milk. Slaughter
is the way of subhumans. Protein is amply available through split peas, dal,
whole wheat, etc.

 

Foods in the mode of passion, which are bitter, too salty, or too hot or
overly mixed with red pepper, cause misery by reducing the mucus in the
stomach, leading to disease. Foods in the mode of ignorance or darkness are
essentially those that are not fresh. Any food cooked more than three hours
before it is eaten (except prasadam, food offered to the Lord) is considered
to be in the mode of darkness. Because they are decomposing, such foods give
a bad odor, which often attracts people in this mode but repulses those in
the mode of goodness.

 

Remnants of food may be eaten only when they are part of a meal that was
first offered to the Supreme Lord or first eaten by saintly persons,
especially the spiritual master. Otherwise the remnants of food are
considered to be in the mode of darkness, and they increase infection or
disease. Such foodstuffs, although very palatable to persons in the mode of
darkness, are neither liked nor even touched by those in the mode of
goodness. The best food is the remnants of what is offered to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita the Supreme Lord says that He
accepts preparations of vegetables, flour and milk when offered with
devotion. Patram pushpam phalam toyam. Of course, devotion and love are the
chief things which the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts. But it is
also mentioned that the prasadam should be prepared in a particular way. Any
food prepared by the injunctions of the scripture and offered to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead can be taken even if prepared long, long ago, because
such food is transcendental. Therefore to make food antiseptic, eatable and
palatable for all persons, one should offer food to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. 


Translation and commentary by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada
--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

To make food antiseptic, eatable and palatable for all persons, one should offer food to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Part [BG.17.10]