Bhagavad Gita 17.9

Meaning

17.9 Foods that are bitter, sour, salty, very hot, pungent, dry and burning, and which production pain, sorrow and disease, are dear to one having rajas.

Commentary

17.9 कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः those that are bitter? sour saline? excessively hot? pungent? dry and burning? आहाराः foods? राजसस्य of the Rajasic? इष्टाः are liked? दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः are productive of pain? grief and disease.Commentary Excessively This alification should be taken to apply to each of the seven alities — thus? excessively saline? and so on.Food of a passionate nature produces restlessness in the mind? evil thoughts? excitement? craving now for one thing and then for another? pain? trouble and disease. The Rajasic man always plans to prepare various kinds of preparations to satisfy his palate. He takes salt? chillies? mustard? cloves? condiments? pungent pickles? etc.? in excess. Tears flow from his eyes and water dribbles from his nose and yet he will not leave the hot and pungent articles. The palate remains unsatisfied until the stomach is completely filled with pungent things? till the tongue is burnt with chillies. Ladysfinger? Puri? Kachori? pungent condiments? meat? fish? eggs? sweets? potato? fried bread? curd? brinjal? carrots? blackgram? onions? garlic? lemon? Masur? tea? coffee? betels? tobacco are Rajasic artciles of food.