1.

Diet and the mind

The Vedas are the very roots of Indian culture. According to the Vedas, the aim

of any activity is to achieve the Final Liberation (Moksha) whereas materialistic

gain is only secondary to it. According to the Chndogya Upaniat, Pure diet

leads to a pure mind. Positive mental health is essential to get rid of ignorance

and acquire a state of eternal and supreme Bliss that is the Final Liberation.

hra-uddhau sattvauddhi sattvauddhau dhruv smti

labdhv sarva granthn vipramoka | - chndogya upaniad 7.26.2

1.1 Diet of the sense organs, mind and intellect

According to the Vedas, the word hra (nourishment) is used in a very broad

sense. Every sense organ of the body has its specific hra. Seeing objects or

vision is considered as hra for the eyes, hearing for the ears, sensation of

touch for the skin, smell for the nose and taste for the tongue.

The sight of the Guru or saints is sttvika (sattva predominant) hra for the

eyes. Listening to spiritual discourses (krttana) or devotional songs (bhajans)

is sttvika hra for the ears. Touching the feet of the Guru or a saint is sttvika

hra for the skin. Smelling the fragrance of flowers offered unto God is sttvika
hra for the nose and eating The Lords holy sacrament (prada) is sttvika

hra for the tongue.

Harboring good thoughts, following the code of righteous conduct, the rules and

regulations prescribed by the scriptures, remaining in the holy company of

saints (satsaga) and undertaking spiritual practice according to the Path of

Action (Karma Yoga), the Path of Devotion (Bhakti Yoga) and the Path of

Knowledge (Jna Yoga) act as food for the mind and intellect.

1.2 Factors affecting the purity of food

If the food is pure, our mind and body too become pure as they are derived from

the food we consume - hra-uddhau sattva-uddhi .

For a pure diet, the following should be pure and pious:

A. Money: When unrighteous means such as theft, murder, bribery or

cheating are used to earn ones livelihood, the food procured with this

money is not pure.

ManuSmti 5.106
sarve eva aucn arthaauca para smtam

Tr. (According to ManuSmti), like stated for other (above-said)

things before, it is very important that money should be earned by

righteous means.
Skanda Pura

nyyoprjita vittasya daamena dhmata

kartavyo viniyogaca vara prtyarthameva ca

Tr. Money obtained by righteous means also becomes pure after

offering 10% of it unto God, i.e. for good deeds without expecting

any returns.

B. Food items: Eating onions, garlic, eggs and meat.

According to yurVeda, onion, garlic, eggs and meat are necessary to

maintain good health and so is a beneficial diet, as the main aim of

yurVeda is to maintain a healthy body. Skanda Pura.

But according to ManuSmti, garlic and onion should be avoided

by Brahmins (priests), Kattriyas (warriors) and Vaiyas (businessmen)

as the main aim of Righteousness is to gain a healthy mind, i.e.

a sttvika(sattva predominant) mind. On eating meat and eggs,

the rajas component of the mind increases. When animals are

slaughtered, they are frightened and angry. On eating the meat of these

animals, the same emotions increase in man too.

ManuSmti 5.5

launa gjana caiva palu kavakni ca

abhakyi dvijtn amedhya prabhavi ca
 Tr. Onion, garlic, alcoholic drinks and opium increase the tama

component and sexual urge. Hence these food items should be

avoided.

C. The place where the food is grown: Food items grown in black soil are

more delicious and impart strength. Food items grown in a cemetery and

rocky areas should not be consumed. Medicines grown in the Himalayas

and food items grown along the banks of the rivers Gag, Yamun and

Godvar are sttvika (sattva predominant).

D. Kitchen: It should be clean, well-lit and well-ventilated

E. Dining room: It should be clean and decorated with fragrant flowers.

F. Time of meals: Do not eat food at sunset or sunrise or at noon or

midnight. Do not eat food 12 hours prior to a solar eclipse, 9 hours prior

to a lunar eclipse and 3 hours after a solar or a lunar eclipse. The sun

helps in digestion while the moon helps in nourishment. As the effects of

the stars and planets decrease during an eclipse, one should avoid eating

food during that period.

G. Cook: The cook should be hygienic. He should wear clean clothes after

having a bath. He should wash his hands after going to the toilet and

before commencing cooking. He should have clean habits and should be

healthy.
 When the food is cooked by the mother, wife or sister with love, it

promotes the sttvika (sattva predominant) tendency of the mind.

H. Utensils used for cooking and serving: A banana leaf or a lotus leaf or

leaves of the pala tree are used to serve food.

I. The state of mind: Nourishing food eaten with the objective of obtaining

energy to indulge in sex or to harass others increases the raja and tama

components of the mind. Nourishing food eaten with the objective of

obtaining energy to help others and perform good deeds increases

the sattva component of the mind.

1.3 Activation of the Sun channel (Surya N) after meals

After eating food, walk a 100 steps and then sleep on the left side for 24 minutes

so that the Srya N (artery) gets activated such that one breathes

predominantly through the right nostril. The activated Srya N stimulates the

secretion of digestive juices and thus facilitates the digestion of food.

1.4 Diet and the mind

ManuSmti 6.5.1

anna aita tredh vibhajate

tasya ya sthaviro dhtu tat pura bhavati

 yo madhyama tan msa bhavati

yo iha tan mana bhavati

Tr. The Chandogya Upanishad states that the food we eat gets

divided into three parts. The undigested solids are converted into

faeces. The food which is absorbed into blood after digestion is

converted into muscles and various tissues. The subtle, that is the

very minute, particles of food form the mind.

The subtle particles of food are the particles of sattva, raja and tama which are

the components of our mind. Therefore our thoughts and behavior change with

our diet. A diet which increases the sattva component is called a sttvika diet

while a diet which increases the raja and tama components of the mind is called

a rjasika and tmasika diet respectively.

1.5 Classification of diet in relation with the mind

r Ka has described sttvika, rjasika and tmasika diets in chapter 17 of

the BhagvadGt.

A. Sttvika diet: It is juicy, oily, stable (sthira) and tasty and pleasurable

(hdya).

Juicy (rasya): Juicy fruits and liquids.

 Lubricating and nourishing (snigdha): Milk, butter and ghee prepared

from cows milk act as lubricating agents and nourish the tissues of

the body.

Stable (sthira): Food items like dry fruits such as almonds, walnuts,

nuts which can be stored and do not putrefy or ferment.

Tasty and pleasurable (hdya). A sttvika diet promotes life, health, physical

and mental strength, happiness and love.

gt 17.8
yu sattvabalrogyasukhaprtivivardhan
rasy snigdh sthir hdy hr sttvikapriy

Sttvika people prefer a sttvika diet which in turn promotes

the sattva component of the mind.

B. Rjasikaa diet: Pungent, sour, salty, very hot, dry and fermented food items

increase the rajas component of the mind. Rjasika people prefer this type of

food. It gives rise to sorrow, disease and unhappiness.

gt 17.9
kavamlalavatyuatkarkavidhina |
hr rjasasye du:khaokmayaprad

C. Tmasika diet Stale, tasteless and putrefied diet which is eaten by others,

leftover food and a diet which affects the mind such as alcohol increase

the tama component of the mind. Tmasika people prefer such type of food. It

subdues the strength of the brain, mind and intellect.

 gt 17.10

ytayma gatarasa pti paryuita ca yat

ucchiamapi cmedhya bhojana tmasapriyam

1.6 Examples of sttvika, rjasika and tmasika food items

Ripe fruits are sttvika. Pickles prepared from fruits are rjasika.

Alcoholic beverages and wine prepared from fruits are tmasika.

Food offered by wicked people is tmasika, that offered by relatives and

friends is rjasika while food offered by saints is sttvika.

Food eaten along with alcohol is tmasika. Food eaten while chatting with

friends is rjasika and that eaten while repeating (chanting) The Lords

Name is sttvika.

Food given by an enemy, an unhappy person, wicked people or

prostitutes or food eaten at their place is tmasika and promotes

the tama component. Food served in hotels or at a marriage

is rjasika while food served as a holy sacrament (prada) of The Lord

and that given by saints is sttvika.

1.7 Effect of the state of mind on digestion

Caraka
tray api abhyavahta pathya cnna na jryati
cint oka bhaya krodha dukha ayy prajgarai
Tr. Food is digested easily when one is in a happy state of mind. If an

individual is full of tension, sorrow, fear or anger, the food is not digested

easily. If an individual does not get adequate sleep then also the food is

not digested.

Sttvika people take an appropriate and adequate diet. Rjasika people eat

tasty dishes till their stomach is full. Tmasika people do not have control over

their taste buds and hence they overeat.

1.8 Non-vegetarian diet

ManuSmti
na msabhakae doo na madye na ca maithune
pravttire bhtn nivttistu mahphal

Tr. (Manu states that) eating meat, drinking wine or indulging in sex is not

sinful as these are the natural tendencies of human beings. But those who

refrain from indulging in these get good returns.

yurVeda does not disapprove of eating a non-vegetarian diet. In fact in

diseases wherein there is weakness, wasting of muscles and loss of weight,

yurVeda advises one to eat meat. In tuberculosis, one should eat meat of

many animals because the main aim of yurVeda is to have a healthy and

strong body.

The poet Kalidsa says, arramdya khalu dharmasdhanam .

Tr. Only if one is physically strong can one follow the rules laid down by

religion and undertake spiritual practice.

1.9 Respect for food

Our body and the food we eat are formed from the the five great cosmic

elements (paca-mahbhtas). Todays food is tomorrows body. One should

never criticise food as then one does not get the expected beneficial results.

One should always respect food because the same food when eaten with

respect is beneficial to the body as well as the mind - anna na nindyt tat

vratam |

1.10 Diet with saskras

A saskra literally means a good action. Every activity of man including that

of eating food should be beneficial for uplifting the level of the mind, i.e. to

increase the sattva component of the mind. The host should see that all the

children, the elderly and the ladies have eaten food and that all the servants

and animals are fed before having food himself. Before eating he should offer

the food to the five vital energies (pras) and the Brahman (priest) and repeat

(chant) the following prayer:

vadan kavaa ghet nma ghy rharce |

sahaja havana hote nma ghet phukce |

jvana kar jvitv anna he prabrahma |

udarabharaa nohe jije yajakarma ||

A person does not live to eat, but eats to live. So eating food does not merely

mean filling ones stomach. Eating food is a sacrificial fire (agnihotra yaja).

This means that the energy one gets from the food will be used for the welfare

of the people.

One should repeat (chant) The Lords Name with every morsel of food, so that

the food is digested easily and the energy from the food is used for The Lords

mission, that is for good deeds and to help others. Saint Tukaram says, kh

nitya nemva | anna khye toci vna || meaning, the one who eats food

without making a resolve to utilize the energy derived from food for a good

purpose, lives the life of a dog.

1.11 Effect of an evil eye being cast by animals and people on the food

served as a meal

nighauratnkara, dinacary

hna dna kudhrtn ppa pkhaa rogim

kukkudi un di bhojane naiva obhan

Tr. If hungry people, beggars, diseased persons, persons with a bad

character, deceitful persons, atheists, sinners or animals like a dog,

serpent or cock cast an evil look on food which is served as a meal, it can

cause subtle changes in the food which can give rise to psychological

and physical symptoms.

On seeing delicious food, they may feel envious of the people who will eat it. If

one prays before eating, the ill-effects due to casting of an evil eye are nullified.

nighauratnkara, dinacary

pitmt suht vaidya pkakta hasa barhim

srasasya cakorasya bhojane diruttam

Tr. If our parents, relatives or the physicians watch us while eating, it is a

good omen as these people feel happy on seeing us eat good food. Any

elegant-looking bird like the swan, peacock, or partridge gaze falls on

your food, it is a good omen. Seeing a king, a priest, the sun, the sacred

fire, gold, ghee or water at the time of meal is a good omen.

The following mantra nullifies the effect due to casting of an evil eye -

anna brahma raso viu bhokt devo mahevara

iti sacitya bhujna di doo na vidyate

Tr. One who eats food with the firm belief that food (anna) is Lord Brahma,

the taste of food is Lord Viu and the one who consumes it is Lord iva

is not affected by the ill-effects due to casting of an evil eye.

To nullify the ill-effects, one should offer the following prayer unto Lord

Hanuman -

ajan-garbha-sabhta kumra brahmacriam

di doo vinya hanumanta smarmyaha

Tr. One should remember Brahmacri Hanuman, the son of Ajan to

nullify the ill-effects due to casting of an evil eye.