BG 17.08 ayuh-sattva-balarogya... cited

Expressions researched:
"aharah sattvika-priyah" |"ayuh-sattva-balarogya" |"rasyah snigdhah sthira hrdya" |"sattvika-ahara" |"sukha-priti-vivardhanah"

BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 17.8, Translation:

Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one's existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.26.11, Purport:

The word ucitāhāraḥ used in this verse is important. Ucita means "appropriate." One must eat appropriately and not take after food as hogs take after stool. For a human being there are eatables described in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 17.8) as sāttvika-āhāra, or food in the mode of goodness. One should not indulge in eating food in the modes of passion and ignorance. This is called ucitāhāra, or appropriate eating. One who is always eating meat or drinking liquor, which is eating and drinking in passion and ignorance, must give these things up so that his real consciousness may be awakened. In this way one may become peaceful and refreshed. If one is restless or fatigued, one cannot understand the science of God.

SB 4.26.13, Translation and Purport:

After taking his dinner and having his thirst and hunger satisfied, King Purañjana felt some joy within his heart. Instead of being elevated to a higher consciousness, he became captivated by Cupid, and was moved by a desire to find his wife, who kept him satisfied in his household life.

This verse is very significant for those desiring to elevate themselves to a higher level of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When a person is initiated by a spiritual master, he changes his habits and does not eat undesirable eatables or engage in the eating of meat, the drinking of liquor, illicit sex or gambling. Sāttvika-āhāra, foodstuffs in the mode of goodness, are described in the śāstras as wheat, rice, vegetables, fruits, milk, sugar, and milk products. Simple food like rice, dhal, capātīs, vegetables, milk and sugar constitute a balanced diet, but sometimes it is found that an initiated person, in the name of prasāda, eats very luxurious foodstuffs. Due to his past sinful life he becomes attracted by Cupid and eats good food voraciously. It is clearly visible that when a neophyte in Kṛṣṇa consciousness eats too much, he falls down. Instead of being elevated to pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes attracted by Cupid. The so-called brahmacārī becomes agitated by women, and the vānaprastha may again become captivated into having sex with his wife. Or he may begin to search out another wife. Due to some sentiment, he may give up his own wife and come into the association of devotees and a spiritual master, but due to his past sinful life he cannot stay. Instead of being elevated to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he falls down, being attracted by Cupid, and takes to another wife for sex enjoyment. The fall of the neophyte devotee from the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness down to material life is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.17) by Nārada Muni.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

Just like in the first code in the Brahma-sūtra is athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-jijñāsā, to inquire about the Absolute... The jijñāsā means inquiry. In the cats' and dogs' life the inquiry is "Where is food? Where is shelter? Where is sex?" and "Where is defense?" only these four inquiries. The cats and dogs, they are busy, "Where is food? Find out some food." The pig is finding out: "Where is stool? Where is stool?" Here I do not know whether you have got experience. In our country, in the villages, there are so many pigs loitering. They are simply finding out where is stool. In the village the children, they pass stool here and there, and the men, they go to the field and pass, evacuate. So all these pigs are always loitering there. So they're seeking. The inquiry is for stool. They may take it as food, but after all, it is stool. So according to the body, the different foods are there. That is also described. Sāttvika-āhāra, rājasika-āhāra, tāmasika-āhāra. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:

So sāttvika-āhāra... Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is on the, above sāttvika platform, above goodness... Śuddha-sattva. Here in the material platform, sattva-guṇa is sometimes contaminated by rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. But in the spiritual world there is simply pure sattva-guṇa. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. So vasudeva platform. There Kṛṣṇa takes birth; there Kṛṣṇa is seen. When you come to the śuddha-sattva... Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). At that platform, you can deal with Kṛṣṇa. So this devotional service is śuddha-sattva platform. There, you cannot bring in something contaminated which is material. Here, everything should a be spiritual. Therefore, because we have taken the vow of accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we cannot eat anything, although they are meant for eating. But we cannot eat anything. That is discrimination.