Chapter 17, Verse 10 (Bhagavad Gita 17.10)
Chapter 17: Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāg Yog – Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith
Sanskrit Shloka
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्।उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्
Transliteration
yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ pūti paryuṣhitaṁ cha yat uchchhiṣhṭam api chāmedhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam
Word Meanings
yāta-yāmam—stale foods; gata-rasam—tasteless; pūti—putrid; paryuṣhitam—polluted; cha—and; yat—which; uchchhiṣhṭam—left over; api—also; cha—and; amedhyam—impure; bhojanam—foods; tāmasa—to persons in the mode of ignorance; priyam—dear
Translation
Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, refuse, and impure is dear to those who are in the mode of ignorance (Tamas).
Meaning & Commentary
Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, reveals to Arjuna how the quality of one's food reflects the state of one's consciousness. By choosing food that is devoid of life-force and purity, an individual cultivates the darkness of ignorance, which binds the soul to the cycle of material suffering. Yogeshwar Krishna teaches that what we consume fundamentally influences our thoughts, desires, and spiritual inclination. For a seeker longing for liberation, purifying the diet is an essential act of devotion, as it aligns the physical vessel with the clarity required to perceive the Divine. Through this guidance, the Lord invites every soul to rise above the inertia of Tamas and attain the sattvic purity necessary for self-realization.