SUBHASHITAMS ON FOOD

 

The three main requirements of the human body are food, clothing, and house. Out of which the first and foremost is food. Humans also show the intense efforts of this food every day. The person's maximum effort is for his survival and his main role is feeding life. Our health, age, and well-being are based on the food quality. Hence we must understand the importance and utility of food. Following are the wise sayings in Sanskrit literature:-

          “Ksheerena vardhathe Aayu Ghruthenas Vardhathe bhuddhi l

          Saakena vardhathe vyaadhih Mamsam maamsena vardhathe ll”

Vegetarian food is mostly satvika and good for health. It doesn't mean that non-vegetarian food is bad. That belongs to the rajasika and tamasika variety of food. The Sasthras say - Life-span extends by drinking milk, Intelligence increases by taking Ghee, Diseases developed by vegetables and meat or flesh develops flesh alone!”

“Abhukthvath Amalakam patthyam Bhukthvaa thu Badharee phalam  l                 Kapittham sarvadhaa pathyam Kadhalee na kadhaachana ll”

"Not eating Amalaka fruit (Emblic myrobalan) is good before eating. However, after eating Badari fruit (Indian jujube), Kapittha fruit (wood apple) is always good, but never the banana."

This passage describes dietary guidelines or preferences regarding different fruits in the Sanskrit language.

Bhojanānte viṣaṁ vāri, bhojanānte ca yad gṛhī |

Ardharogaharaṁ śāstraṁ, bhojanānte ca yat vrajet ||

"Water at the end of a meal is poison, taking food at the end of a meal is poison, walking after a meal takes away half of all diseases, and going after the scriptures is like taking poison at the end of a meal."

This phrase suggests caution about drinking water immediately after a meal, possibly reflecting traditional advice in certain cultural contexts.

āhāra nidrā bhaya maithunaṃ ca sāmānyametat paśubhirnarāṇām
dharmo hi teṣāmadhiko viśeṣa: dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ

Eating sleep, fear, and Copulation. These habits are common between human beings and animals. It is Dharma (Here Dharma represents knowledge, not different religion / Right conduct) which is an additional important quality of human beings, without which he is the same as an animal.

 

Angena gaatram nayanena vakrtam nyaanena raajyam lavanena bhojyam. Dharmena heenam khalu jeevitam cha na raajate chandramasaa binaa nishaa.

          A human body without any limb, a face without eyes, a Nation without an effective and powerful judiciary, cooked food without any salt, human life without righteousness, and following the Religion, are truly not termed as embellished or resplendent, just like a night without the Moon in the sky.

The importance of dairy thus described:-

vinaa gorasam ko raso bhojanaanaam

vinaa gorasam ko raso bhoopatheenaam |

vinaa gorasam ko rasah kaamineenaam

vinaa gorasam ko rasaf pandithaanaam ||

Without dairy, what is the taste of food? without land, what is the importance of a king? without senses, what is the meaning of beautiful damsels?
without sweet words, what is the essence of wisdom?