AAHAARA SUDDHI

Subhashitham:020

  आहार  शुद्धौ   सत्त्व  शुद्धिः     सत्त्व शुद्धौ ध्रुवा स्मृतिः          

   स्मृति लम्भे   सर्व ग्रन्थीनां    विप्र  मोक्षः ||            

"Ahara suddhau sattva-suddhih     Sattva-suddhau dhruva smrtihi

smrti-lambhe sarva-granthinam    vipra-moksah"        [Chandogya Upanishad 7.26.2]

“By the purity of food, follows the purification of the inner nature, on the purity of the inner nature the memory becomes firm and on the strengthening of memory follows the loosening of all ties, and the wise get liberation thereby.”

This verse mentiones "ahara suddhi" or purification of food as a crucial element in spiritual progress. The smrtis  proclaim that one of the greatest of purifiers is pure food.

Chandhogya upanishad ordains

“अन्नमशितं त्रेदा विधीयते तस्य य: स्थविष्टो धातुस्तत्पुरीषं भवति

यो मध्मयस्तन्मांसं यो अणिस्ष्ट तत् मन: II “ Chandogya 6.5.1

  The nature of food that we eat manifests as nature of our mind. :   Upanishad points out that the food we eat has three layers; sthula amsa, madhyama amsa and sukshuma amsa.

“Food when eaten , becomes divided into three parts. What is its grossest part that is refuse matter; the middling part is flesh ;  and what is the subtlest part ,that is mind.”

 ( Sankaracharya gives a wider l import to this word 'food'. Anything we take in through our five senses, i.e., Rupa, Rasa, Sabda, Gandha, Sparsa is also  'food'.  Anything we receive through the senses should also  be pure. Food eaten alone will not suffice.)

TheBhagavad  Gita teaches that extremes should be avoided at all costs in all spheres of life. A healthy mind and body are required for successful performance of any spiritual practice. Therefore, it is required that a sadhaka  should regulate his daily bodily functions, such as eating, sleeping, bathing, resting and recreation.

नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नत: |

न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन || 16||

nātyaśhnatastu yogo ’sti na chaikāntam anaśhnataḥ

na chāti-svapna-śhīlasya jāgrato naiva chārjuna

BG 6.16: O Arjun, those who eat too much or eat too little, sleep too much or too little, cannot attain success in Yoga.

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु |

युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दु:खहा || 17||

yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-cheṣhṭasya karmasu

yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā

BG 6.17: But those who are temperate in eating and recreation, balanced in work, and regulated in sleep, can mitigate all sorrows by practicing Yoga.

उरस्यार्धं अन्नस्य तृतीयं उदकस्यतु I

वायो: संचरनार्थं तु चतुर्थं अवशोशयेत् II

 It is recommended to fill half of the stomach with food, one fourth with water, and leave the rest empty for air.