Satwic Food & Desire

In the Ramayana, when Rama and Lakshmana were going in search of Sita, suddenly Lakshmana felt tired and told Rama that he was fed up with the search and would like to go back to Ayodhya to have a more comfortable time. Rama smiled and said: “Let us proceed. I shall explain everything later.” How did Lakshmana, who declared that Rama was everything to him and that he would not live without Rama even for a moment, suddenly developed this attitude?

After they had walked some distance, they sat under a tree. That moment Lakshmana felt the pangs of repentance. He realised his mistake, clasped Rama’s feet and said’ “Brother! Forgive me for what I had said. I cannot understand how this bad thought came to my mind. What is the reason?

Rama then replied’ “Lakshmana! The reason through which we passed recently was the haunt of Shurpanakhan. She used to rest under the tree there. That place was surcharged with all her evil qualities. Those vibrations aroused in you the bad thoughts. The moment you came out of the place, your inherent good nature asserted itself.

Be away from places where evil qualities are rampant. The company in which food is consumed, the place the vessels in which it is cooked, the emotions that agitate the mind of the person who cooks and serves have subtle influences on the nature and emotions of the persons who takes the food! The food that promotes love, virtues, strength, happiness is Satwic.

The sounds heard, the sights seen, the tactile impressions sought or suffered, the air breathed, the environment – all these are food. Thoughts come from food & environment, if you have satwic food & desire only good thoughts will come.