Ahaar, Vichaar aur Vyavhaar

Ahaar, Vichaar aur Vyavhaar – SHAIFALI BANSSAL

With the help of Mr. Rochak Tandon, a great astrologer, I have been able to gather information about the difference of food habits that lead to different behavior. Like we see in our daily life that each person has a different behavior. Looking into depth, we have noticed the different eating habits, different choice of food leading to the difference of thoughts. It is much based on the Ayurvedic theory of Triguna- Rajas, Sattva and Tamas. The concept of Thriguna dates back to Atharva Veda, it was discussed in Bhagavad Gita and later included in Sankhya Darsana.

The concept of Triguna has been utilized to explain the concept of personality in the modern era as well. The conscious mind is rooted in this concept of Triguna. From these three Guna, Sattva is called as stability; Rajas called as activation and Tamas called as inertia (energy for movement). The human manifestations, psychology and perceptions are affected by the Triguna. These psychological features are not restricted to humans alone, but are also attributed to almost all living beings, including the food we eat, animals around us and all other elements in the environment we live in.

Each living being in this universe has a dominating feature and this dominating feature is because of the dominating Gun (Quality). All human beings are the combinations of the three Gunas and therefore these three features together promote different kinds of functions by a person. Depending upon the dominating Gun, a person develops a dominating feature of their personality. The more interesting thing about nature is that a person can alter his /her dominating feature with the mode of worship, the type of food consumed and other activities of everyday life. Here we will talk about the type of food consumption leading to the dominating quality.

The Sattva Gun

Sattva Guna is mainly the “spiritual quality”. When sattva Guna is dominant, a person’s mind as well as senses are stable. In such individuals, there is a natural desire to be good and caring. They generally have a good understanding to differentiate between undutiful and dutiful actions. The Sattva dominant people consider work as their duty. They perform work with calm understanding and free of doubts. When sattva is dominant a person pays respect to spiritual values. Strength and respect for Gurus (teachers), nonviolence, meditation, kindliness, silence, self-control, and purity of character are common traits of sattvic action. One of the limitations of Sattvic Guna is that it binds people through attachment to happiness and knowledge.

Qualities in a Sattvic personality:

1. Mental strength

2. Respect for Gurus (teachers)

3. Non-violence

4. Kindness

5. Work Silently

6. Self-control

7. Meditative

The Rajas Guna

Rajas Guna is nothing but the “active quality”. Rajas Guna in people drive more passion and desire in them, which may subsequently lead to greed, activity, taking up work, and restlessness. People with rajas-dominant personalities are full of attachment and a desire to get rewarded for their actions. Due to the dominance of self-interest in these individuals, they have a distorted picture of what’s right and what’s wrong. These individuals love their work to the utmost. Enthusiasm, interest, and activity are some of the attributes of this Guna.

Qualities in a Rajas personality: ● Enthusiasm ● Interest ● Activity & work driven ● Restlessness ● Desire ● Greed

Tamas Guna

Tamas Guna is essentially the “material quality”. Tamas arises from hopes and illusions, and it makes people prone to qualities such as idleness, fantasy, and persistence. Some common characteristics of Tamas-dominant people include anger, fight, loud speech and tendency to seek revenge. Tamasic Guna also suggests debating and frequent quarrels. In people with Tamasic Guna, happiness is short-lived and usually originates and ends in self-delusion. One positive quality of tamas personality is their willingness to work very hard. On the other hand, one limitation of tamas personality is easy attachment to possessions and self-centered tendencies.

Qualities in a Tamas personality: ● Cautiousness ● Apprehension ● Revengeful ● Hard working ● Materialistic

Each Guna gives certain typical qualities to the person, based on which an individual can be classified as belonging to that particular Guna type. As we have read that each Guna – Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, all have different features. When a person has a certain type of food, the Guna related to that food consumed regularly becomes the dominating Guna/ Personality trait of that person.

Sattva Guna includes Simple and Nutritious food. Rajas Guna includes Fatty food with mild spices. Tamas Guna includes Spicy, oily and junk food.

For example, an increase in oily and spicy food leads to the dominance of Tamas Gun which is good for soldiers and physical laborers but for people working not using physical strength, such food can bring unnecessary anger. Similarly, intake of fatty diet will make the person Rajas dominant. Regular consumption of a certain type of food leads to the dominance of a particular feature of a Guna. Eventually that particular feature becomes the dominating trait of a person.

As per our Indian tradition, Food was not just a meal, rather a tradition followed properly. It was so well designed that it was a balanced meal including the presence of all the planets.

So, the Balanced food is not just something to satisfy their appetite, rather it balances the Planets by default.

The Indian traditional food includes a Kansa / Copper Thali having Wheat Chapati (denotes Sun) or leaf denoting Mercury. Those who don’t take wheat and used to take other cereals, add Gur in their meal which completes the vibration of the Sun. Mild spices are being added which denotes Mars giving physical strength as well as energy. Pickle added is having sourness and mustard oil in it which denotes Rahu, Saturn and Venus. Little salt (Chutki Bhar Namak) denotes Moon. Rice too denotes Moon. Desi Ghee and Haldi, which used to be a compulsion to add in the food while cooking as it denotes Jupiter. It’s so helpful in making the person healthy, internally fit to conceive and Haldi undoubtedly is an antioxidant as an antibiotic. Curd/ Chass denotes Venus. Green vegetables, which used to be a part of a balanced meal, denoted Mercury making the person more balanced.

Adding on this, as per the Indian tradition, food was taken sitting on the floor which improves the Mars. If we look into the South side of India, they still follow the same tradition which makes them more earthy and wealthy. One more thing, if we look into the South culture of food, they don’t take chapati generally, rather they take Sambhar which is a blend of different vegetables and spices denoting different planets including Til Ladoo in their meal and thus making it a balanced meal.

Having food in the kitchen was another important feature of Indian tradition as it improves Ketu by default.

Ayurveda describes different human personalities based on the dominance of Guna. The Triguna is thus the foundation for all existence. Prakruti(nature)has the Triguna everywhere in a balanced form. When this balance is disturbed, there is an interaction of the Gunas, which eventually endangers the evolution of the universe. These Guna dominate our diet and thus dominate our personality. So, choose your diet to improvise yourself to become a balanced person. Excess of anything in the diet will create imbalance in the body, change the mindset and affect the behavior eventually imbalance in life

What we eat is equal to what we are!!!