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Chapter 17 · The Divisions of Faith · 28 verses

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Nature & guṇasChapter 17 · The Divisions of Faith
17.917.11

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 17.10

Food and sacrifice in the modes

यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् ।

उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥ १० ॥

yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ

pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca yat

ucchiṣṭam api cāmedhyaṁ

bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam

Translation

Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Food and Spiritual Purity

  1. 1Food prepared over three hours earlier, tasteless or rotten food, remnants, and untouchable things are dear to those in the mode of darkness.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that prasādam—food offered to the Lord—is transcendental and is not subject to the three-hour limit.
  3. 3Prepare food according to scripture and offer it to the Supreme Lord with love and devotion.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 17, The Divisions of Faith: food and sacrifice in the modes.

What it teaches

Theme summary

The modes of nature condition behavior.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: prakṛti, guṇa.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 17.10 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?

Practice

Observe which mode shaped your last decision.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 17 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 17.8Food and sacrifice in the modesBG 17.9Food and sacrifice in the modesBG 7.14Crossing beyond māyā

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Ask about BG 17.10 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.