Gita 17.9
Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः | आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ||९||
kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣṇa-tīkṣṇa-rūkṣa-vidāhinaḥ | āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkha-śokāmaya-pradāḥ ||9||
In essence: Rajasic food is extreme in taste - bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry, burning - and produces pain, grief, and disease.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "I love spicy food. Does that make me rajasic?"
Guru: "Spice isn't the issue; excess is. A modest amount of spice aids digestion and can be quite sattvic. But if you need increasing intensity, if mild food seems boring, if you chase sensation in eating - that's the rajasic pattern. Notice: do you eat for nourishment or for stimulation? The answer reveals much."
Sadhak: "Modern life is rajasic - how can I eat sattvically when everything is designed for intensity?"
Guru: "Begin where you are. Reduce rather than eliminate. Add simple, fresh food rather than only removing stimulating food. Your palate will gradually reset. A person who has eaten intensely flavored food their whole life finds simple food 'boring' at first. After weeks of sattvic eating, that same simple food reveals subtle, satisfying flavors previously unnoticed."
Sadhak: "What about bitter foods - aren't some bitter vegetables healthy?"
Guru: "Again, moderation versus excess. Bitter greens in normal amounts are sattvic. The rajasic pattern is seeking extreme bitterness or using bitter as stimulation. The same applies to sour, salty, hot. These tastes belong in balanced diet. When they dominate, when you can't eat without them, when each meal must be 'exciting' - that's rajasic."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
Notice your breakfast preferences. Do you need strong coffee, intense flavors, or quick energy hits to start the day? This indicates rajasic patterns. Experiment with gentler awakening: warm water, mild tea, simple food. Observe if you can function and even thrive without morning intensity.
At lunch, observe stimulation-seeking. Do you feel meals must be 'interesting' or 'exciting'? Can you enjoy simple rice and vegetables, or does that feel boring? The rajasic person can't tolerate simplicity. Practice occasionally choosing the simpler option and eating it with full attention.
Evening is when rajasic eating often escalates - snacks, alcohol, intense foods. Notice the urge for stimulation as the day winds down. Can you end the day with simple, sattvic food, or does something in you crave excitement? This observation, without judgment, begins transformation.