Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17, Verse 9

Chapter 17 – Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥

Transliteration

kaṭvamlalavaṇātyuṣṇatīkṣṇarūkṣavidāhinaḥ .
āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkhaśokāmayapradāḥ ॥

Meaning

Foods that are excessively bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning, which cause pain, grief and disease, are liked by the rajasic.

Word meanings

कटु – bitter
अम्ल – sour
लवण – salty
अत्युष्ण – excessively hot
तीक्ष्ण – pungent, sharp
रूक्ष – dry
विदाहिनः – burning
आहाराः – foods
राजसस्य – of the rajasic
इष्टाः – liked
दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः – causing pain, grief and disease

Anvaya (word order)

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः आहाराः राजसस्य इष्टाः (भवन्ति) ।

Explanation

Krishna now describes rajasic food and lists seven characteristics: katu (bitter), amla (sour), lavana (salty), atyushna (very hot), tikshna (pungent, heavily spiced), ruksha (dry) and vidahi (burning). Shankara clarifies that the word 'excessively' applies to all of them: too bitter, too sour, too salty. A little salt or spice is not a fault; excess is.

These qualities share one thing: they all stimulate the senses sharply. A rajasic person by nature seeks excitement and intense experience, so he enjoys food that strikes the tongue forcefully. But that same stimulation also increases restlessness, irritability and impatience in the mind.

Krishna also states the consequences clearly: duhkha-shokamaya-pradah, 'causing pain, grief and disease'. Duhkha is discomfort during or just after eating, such as burning and unease; shoka is later regret and mental disquiet; and amaya is disease arising from such food over time.

In modern terms, very spicy, fried, salty and stimulating food leads to acidity, digestive disorders and high blood pressure. The Gita said as much thousands of years ago, in relation to both mind and body.

Context

The previous verse described sattvic food; this verse describes rajasic food. The next verse describes tamasic food.

Life lesson

Food that excites the tongue also agitates the mind. Do not go to extremes for the sake of taste; balanced seasoning and moderate quantity protect both body and mind.

Key terms

Rajasic ahara: Food that is excessively bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry or burning
Vidahi: Causing a burning sensation and acidity
Amaya: Disease