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Bhagavad Gita · 17.7 · Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith·7 of 28

आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियःयज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं श्रृणु

āhāras tv api sarvasya tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥ

yajñas tapas tathā dānaṁ teṣhāṁ bhedam imaṁ śhṛiṇu

Sanskrit recitation

Food, effort, and giving · 17.7–17.22 · Teaching

Translation

The food that is dear to each is threefold, as well as sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Hear the distinction of these.

Meaning

Each Every being that eats.Imam This That which is going to be described.Tesham Their Of food, etc.According to the Gunas, a mans taste for a particular food is determined. There are three kinds of food that a man can eat.All foods have different properties. Different foods exercise different effects on different compartments of the brain or the mind. A confection of sparrow, meat, fish, eggs, onion and garlic excites passion. Fruits, barley, etc., render the mind calm and serene. The nature of food greatly influences the being of a man. Man feels a desire for particular foods according to his Guna or temperament.The body is the instrument by which man accomplishes all his purposes in the world. It is the horse that takes him to his destination or goal (Moksha). Therefore it should be kept clean, strong and healthy. The body is a mould prepared by the mind for its activities. There is an intimate connection between the body and the mind. The nature and condition of the body has a vital effect upon the mind and activities. Therefore the materials or foods that build the body and the mind should be pure, wholesome, nutritious, substantial and bland.Everything in this world is threefold. The food is either Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic according to its,character and effect upon the body and the mind

After Swami Sivananda

Food, effort, and giving· 17.7–17.22

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

Word-by-word
tu
indeed
api
even
imam
this
bhedam
distinctions
dānam
charity
tathā
and
bhavati
is
tapaḥ
austerity
priyaḥ
dear
sarvasya
of all
teṣhām
of them
yajñaḥ
sacrifice
āhāraḥ
food
śhṛiṇu
hear
tri-vidhaḥ
of three kinds

Related verses

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