FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 17.7

ఆహారస్త్వపి సర్వస్య త్రివిధో భవతి ప్రియ: । యజ్ఞస్తపస్తథా దానం తేషాం భేదమిమం శ‍ృణు ॥ ౭ ॥
āhāras tv api sarvasya
[aahaaras tv api sarvasya]
tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥ
[tri-vidho bhavati priyah]
yajñas tapas tathā dānaṁ
[yajnas tapas tathaa daanam]
teṣāṁ bhedam imaṁ śṛṇu
[teshaam bhedam imam shrinu]
Word-for-word
āhāraḥ — eating tu — certainly api — also sarvasya — of everyone tri - vidhaḥ — of three kinds bhavati — there is priyaḥ — dear yajñaḥ — sacrifice tapaḥ — austerity tathā — also dānam — charity teṣām — of them bhedam — the differences imam — this śṛṇu — hear .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
āhāras tv api sarvasya
āhāraḥ
eating
tu
certainly
api
also
sarvasya
of everyone
tri-vidho bhavati priyaḥ
tri - vidhaḥ
of three kinds
bhavati
there is
priyaḥ
dear
yajñas tapas tathā dānaṁ
yajñaḥ
sacrifice
tapaḥ
austerity
tathā
also
dānam
charity
teṣāṁ bhedam imaṁ śṛṇu
teṣām
of them
bhedam
the differences
imam
this
śṛṇu
hear .
Important Words
  • āhāraḥ — eating
    From ā + √hṛ — 'that which is taken in, drawn toward oneself.' Not merely food but everything one ingests — including sight, sound, and association. The chapter's diagnostic begins here because intake is the most intimate of activities.
  • tri - vidhaḥ — of three kinds
    The chapter's refrain. Kṛṣṇa re-establishes the threefold scheme now applied not to faith but to the four pillars of dharmic life — food, yajña, tapas, dāna. The classification is structural, not optional.
  • priyaḥ — dear
    From √prī — to please. The diagnostic is not 'what food is good' in abstract but 'what food is dear to whom.' Preference reveals mode. You are what you find delicious.
  • yajñaḥ — sacrifice
    From √yaj — to offer. The first of the three classical pillars Kṛṣṇa announces He will analyse: what one offers up. The chapter will dedicate three verses (11–13) to the threefold mode-analysis of yajña.
  • dānam — charity
    From √dā — to give. The third of the three pillars: what one gives away. Treated in verses 20–22. Kṛṣṇa announces here that giving, like sacrifice and austerity, is mode-coloured — not a universal good.
Even the food each person prefers is of three kinds, according to the three modes of material nature. The same is true of sacrifices, austerities and charity. Now hear of the distinctions between them.
Purport

In terms of different situations in the modes of material nature, there are differences in the manner of eating and performing sacrifices, austerities and charities. They are not all conducted on the same level. Those who can understand analytically what kind of performances are in what modes of material nature are actually wise; those who consider all kinds of sacrifice or food or charity to be the same cannot discriminate, and they are foolish. There are missionary workers who advocate that one can do whatever he likes and attain perfection. But these foolish guides are not acting according to the direction of the scripture. They are manufacturing ways and misleading the people in general.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
7. The food that people enjoy, their sacrifice, austerity and charity have three divisions also. Please hear about these.
Commentary

I have described in the previous chapter those who give up scriptural rules and do things according to their desire, and in this chapter I have described those who, according the asuras’ scriptures, worship Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Pretas and other beings (verses 4); and I have also described those who perform austerities and other acts (which appear religious) with no scripture at all (verses 5 and 6). These all end up as asuric beings. Please consider and understand, in like manner, as much as possible, the categories of deva and asura assumed by foods and other things to be described according to division of the three guṇas. Thirteen verses describe these items.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
7. The food the people enjoy, their sacrifice, austerity and charity have three divisions also. Please hear about these.
Commentary

As there are three different faiths, so people have three types of food and other items. As with faith of the person, edibles like rice, dear to all people (sarvasya priyaḥ), are of three types. Similarly, sacrifices and other items are of three types. The three types of four of these items are described: food, sacrifice, austerity and charity.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

When reading this we begin naturally to place ourselves and others, in some positions in the material world according to the modes of material nature and try to understand what our tendencies are. There are people almost purely in the mode of goodness, there are also people who are completly demoniac, but most people fall in between with some particular, unique combination of the modes of material nature. By understanding one's situation in the modes, one can learn to prescribe for himself a gradual process. In this Chapter we see the middle picture and yet we want to elevate ourselves, obviously because the mixtures of passion and ignorance tend to push us towards lust, anger and gree which are the gates to hell. We want to avoid this, we want to elevate ourselves. Here we place ourselves naturally in one or another of the combinations of the different modes through understanding our tendencies by understanding food, sacrifices, austerities and charity in the modes. And then,in the concluding section (F) Krsna explains the purpose of His explanation of the divisions of faith.

[B. FOODS IN THE MODES (17. 8‑10) Foods in goodness increase one's life, health and happiness. Such foods are juicy, fatty and wholesome. Foods in passion are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot and pungent. They bring distress, misery, and disease. Foods in ignorance are cooked more than three hours before being eaten, are decomposed, putrid, and consist of remnants and untouchable things.]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

One can make out the mode of faith by observing the activities of eating, sacrifice, austerity and

charity

Wise – Those who know and discriminate based on these activities
Foolish – Those who consider all kinds of food, sacrifice etc. to be the same and does not discriminate
e.g. Missionary workers who guide that:
Whatever one likes one can do and attain perfection
No need of scriptures, one can manufacture one’s own ways
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
17.7 Aharah, food; api tu, also; which is priyah, dear; sarvasya, to all [Here Ast. adds praninah (creatures).-Tr.] who eat it; bhavati, is; trividhah, of three kinds; so also yajnah, sacrifices; similarly, tapah, austerity; tatha, so also; danam, charity. Srnu, listen; to imam, this; bhedam, classification; tesam, of them, of food etc., which is going to be stated.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
17.7 Even the food which is dear to the host of all beings is of three kinds because of the association of the three Gunas consisting of Sattva etc. Similarly, sacrifices also are of three kinds. So too austerity and charity. Listen about this distinction, which is being described, about foods, sacrifices, austerities and gifts according to differences of Sattva etc.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
17.7 See Comment under 17.10
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
17.7 The food also which is dear to each is threefold, as also sacrifice, austerity and almsgiving. Hear thou the distinction of these.
Commentary

17.7 आहारः food? तु indeed? अपि also? सर्वस्य of all? त्रिविधः threefold? भवति is? प्रियः dear? यज्ञः sacrifice? तपः austerity? तथा also? दानम् almsgiving? तेषाम् their? भेदम् distinction? इमम् this? श्रृणु hear.Commentary Each Every being that eats.Imam This That which is going to be described.Tesham Their Of food? etc.According to the Gunas? a mans taste for a particular food is determined. There are three kinds of food that a man can eat.All foods have different properties. Different foods exercise different effects on different compartments of the brain or the mind. A confection of sparrow? meat? fish? eggs? onion and garlic excites passion. Fruits? barley? etc.? render the mind calm and serene. The nature of food greatly influences the being of a man. Man feels a desire for particular foods according to his Guna or temperament.The body is the instrument by which man accomplishes all his purposes in the world. It is the horse that takes him to his destination or goal (Moksha). Therefore it should be kept clean? strong and healthy. The body is a mould prepared by the mind for its activities. There is an intimate connection between the body and the mind. The nature and condition of the body has a vital effect upon the mind and activities. Therefore the materials or foods that build the body and the mind should be pure? wholesome? nutritious? substantial and bland.Everything in this world is threefold. The food is either Sattvic? Rajasic or Tamasic according to its,character and effect upon the body and the mind. You can find out the nature or temperament of a man from the nature of the food he takes. You can find out your own nature? whether you are Sattvic? Rajasic or Tamasic? from your predilection to particular food and then abandon the Rajasic and the Tamasic foodstuffs and take to the Sattvic diet.Why is there also a triple division in sacrifice? austerity and charity Because this threefold division is according to the nature of the Gunas. You can find out and abandon the Rajasic and the Tamasic ones and take recourse exclusively to the Sattvic ones.The practice of Krichhra and Chandrayana Vratas that produce emaciation of the body and the senses is austerity. Tapas means meditation also. It produces Brahmatejas or divine splendour and glow on the face.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
17.7 Food also, which is dear to all, is of three kinds; and so also are sacrifices, austerity and charity. Listen to this classification of them.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
17.7 The food which men enjoy is also threefold, like the ways of sacrifice, austerity and almsgiving. Listen to the distinction.
Related values & verses
Related values
Prema (Divine Love)Dhairya (Composure / Courage)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
BG 17.8 BG 6.17 BG 9.26 SB 11.13.5 SB 1.17.38 SB 7.15.7 CC Antya 6.227 CC Madhya 3.66 CC Madhya 15.237 Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.26.2Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.1
Concepts
Yajna
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Even foods are of three kinds, dear to each of the three classes; sacrifice, austerity, and charity are also of three kinds.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize that food, sacrifice, austerity, and charity all come in modes.
  • Don't reduce 'good food' to one universal standard.
  • Identify the mode of each.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of the four (food / sacrifice / austerity / charity) is most off-mode in my life?
  • What recalibration is needed?
Analogy

Even the spoon you eat with carries a colour. Food, sacrifice, austerity, charity — Kṛṣṇa is about to dip each into the three dyes of the modes and hold them up to the light. Nothing in human life is mode-neutral; the spiritual eye learns to see the tint.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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