prāṇināṁ punar mūlam āhāro bala-varṇaujasāṁ ca
prāṇināṁ punar mūlam āhāro bala-varṇaujasāṁ ca |
(Suśruta-saṁhitā: Sūtra-sthāna, 1.28)
“Food, moreover, is the cause of the strength, complexion, and vitality of all living beings.”
Food
guṇāś ca ṣaṇ mita-bhuktaṁ bhajante
guṇāś ca ṣaṇ mita-bhuktaṁ bhajante
ārogyam āyuś ca sukhaṁ balaṁ ca |
anāvilaṁ cāsya bhaved apatyaṁ
na cainam ādyūna iti kṣipanti ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.37.30; Vidura-nīti)
“Six qualities adorn one who eats moderately: (1) [good] health, (2) [long] life, (3) comfort, (4) strength, (5) one’s children becoming wholesome, and (6) others not reviling one for being gluttonous.”
vṛtty-arthaṁ bhojanaṁ yeṣāṁ santānārthaṁ ca maithunam
vṛtty-arthaṁ bhojanaṁ yeṣāṁ santānārthaṁ ca maithunam |
vāk satya-vacanārthāya durgāṇy api taranti te ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 92)
“Those who eat for the sake of upkeep, engage in intercourse for the sake of children, and speak for the sake of truthful speech certainly overcome adversities.”
āhāra-śuddhau sattva-śuddhau
āhāra-śuddhau sattva-śuddhiḥ, sattva-śuddhau dhruvā smṛtiḥ, smṛti-lambhe sarva-granthīnāṁ vipramokṣaḥ |
(Chāndogya Upaniṣad: 7.26.2)
“When there is purity of food, there is purity of mind. When there is purity of mind, there is steadfast remembrance. When there is retention of remembrance, there is definitive and complete release from all entanglements.”
bhogā na bhuktā vayam eva bhuktāḥ
bhogā na bhuktā vayam eva bhuktāḥ
tapo na taptaṁ vayam eva taptāḥ |
kālo na yāto vayam eva yātās
tṛṣṇā na jīrṇā vayam eva jīrṇāḥ ||
(Vairāgya-śatakam of Bhartṛhari: 7)
“Pleasures [alt., foods] have not been consumed. We ourselves have been consumed [by them].
Austerities have not been practiced [lit., ‘inflamed‘]. We ourselves have been inflamed.
Time has not passed by. We ourselves have passed by.
Desires have not wasted away. We ourselves have wasted away.”