yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca yat ucchiṣṭam api cāmedhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam
"Food that is stale, tasteless, putrid, leftover, and impure—this is dear to the tamasic."
What This Means:
Tamasic people prefer food that is stale (overcooked or sitting too long), flavorless, rotten, leftover (half-eaten), and impure. Such food increases darkness and lethargy.
Going Deeper:
'Yāta-yāmam'—cooked more than three hours before (stale). 'Gata-rasam'—without taste/juice (depleted). 'Pūti'—putrid, foul-smelling. 'Paryuṣitam'—leftover (overnight). 'Ucchiṣṭam'—remnants (partially eaten). 'Amedhyam'—impure, unfit for offering. This food increases tamas—dullness, heaviness, disease.
How To Apply This:
Avoid processed, preserved, leftover, or dubious food. Freshness matters. If food doesn't feel clean or look appealing, don't eat it. Tamasic food creates tamasic mind—dull, confused, lethargic.
Key Sanskrit Terms: