In Bhagavad Gita 17.8, Krishna says foods that promote life, purity, strength, health, happiness and joy, and are tasty, smooth, nourishing and pleasant, are dear to the sattvic.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यस्
उखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या
आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः ॥ १७-८ ॥
āyuḥsattvabalārogyas
ukhaprītivivardhanāḥ
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā
āhārāḥ sāttvikapriyāḥ
English transliteration aayuhsattvabalaarogyas
ukhapreetivivardhanaah
rasyaah snigdhaah sthiraa hridyaa
aahaaraah saattvikapriyaah ॥ 17.8 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Foods that promote long life, purity, strength, health, happiness and cheerfulness, that are savoury, smooth, substantial and pleasing to the heart, are dear to the sattvic.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः āyuḥsattvabalārogyasukhaprītivivardhanāḥ | promoting long life, purity, strength, health, happiness and cheerfulness āyuḥ (life) + sattva (purity) + bala (strength) + ārogya (health) + sukha (happiness) + prīti (cheerfulness) + vivardhanāḥ (promoting) |
| रस्याः rasyāḥ | savoury |
| स्निग्धाः snigdhāḥ | smooth |
| स्थिराः sthirāḥ | substantial |
| हृद्याः hṛdyāḥ | pleasing to the heart |
| आहाराः āhārāḥ | foods |
| सात्त्विकप्रियाः sāttvikapriyāḥ | dear to the sattvic sāttvika (sattvic) + priyāḥ (dear) |
Word-wise Chanting
- ā–yuḥ–sat–tva–ba–lā–rog–yas– 8 syllables aa-yuh-sat-tva-ba-laa-rog-yas-
- u–khap–rī–ti–vi–var–dha–nāḥ | 8 syllables u-khap-ree-ti-vi-var-dha-naah
- ras–yāḥ snig–dhāḥ sthi–rā hṛd–yā 8 syllables ras-yaah snig-dhaah sthi-raa hrid-yaa
- ā–hā–rāḥ sāt–tvi–kap–ri–yāḥ || 17-8 8 syllables aa-haa-raah saat-tvi-kap-ri-yaah
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 17 Verse 8
Context
Krishna describes the three kinds of food (17.8–17.10).
Meaning
Sattvic foods increase āyus, life; sattva, clarity; bala, strength; ārogya, health; sukha, well-being; and prīti, joy. They are rasya, flavourful; snigdha, moist or containing healthy fats; sthira, sustaining; and hṛdya, pleasant and wholesome.
Sattvic food is not bland; it is nourishing, fresh and pleasing. It supports both body and mind in clarity.
In Practice
Eat one fresh, wholesome, simple meal today with attention and gratitude.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 17: Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga (The Threefold Nature of Faith). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.