chapter 2: mitahara मिताहार
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The Yogic Diet
For Yoga to be successful, a moderate diet must be followed, which has clearly been revealed by Sadashiva in the Vedagamas. This diet has been further expanded on by Rishis and Yogis throughout the ages.
"Not for the effulgent light (alone) but for the spread of dharma (right living); The method of right diet is firmly being stated for the yogis." Rudrayamala Tantra (23.2)
"One can do Yoga as much as one wants, but until the diet is adhered to as per Sadashiva's instructions, it is said that one can never become a true Yogi. It is clearly said, that "the one in the path of Yoga but does not know the dietary discipline, cannot become a Yogi in even thousands of crores of years." Rudrayamala Tantra 23.3
Bhagavad Gita, 6th chapter, Dhyana yoga, 16th verse says,
naatyash-natastu yogosthi na chai-kaanta-
manashnataha |
na caathi svapna-sheelasya jaagrato naiva chaarjuna ||
"In every respect, o'Arjuna, neither the one who eats too much or the one who refrains from eating, and neither the one who is sleepy nor the one who is sleepless reaches the state of intense action and perfection."
Paramahamsa Nithyananda explains, that "for ordinary human beings, neither eating too much nor eating nothing, neither sleeping too much nor non-sleeping, both extremes are not right".
The only and important necessity for a practicing Yogi is to be a pure vegetarian. Yogis preferably consume only sattvic food. Sattvic foods are abundant in Prana. It means food which is rich in Prana, the universal life-force energy. The high level of prana in organic food supports spiritual practices.
When it comes to the question of how to prepare food and what to eat, the Nithyananda Sangha follows the Bhaga
Shastra. The Bhaga Shastra are the original recipes revealed by Sadashiva. Staples for a yogic diet are furthermore Haritaki, bliss balls (black sesame balls) and neem juice.
Paramahamsa Nithyananda also transfers the experience of being without food to his disciples. He initiates people into "Nirahara Samyama", which is a 21 day meditation program to live without food. The intention is not to completely live without food or without eating. The right context is, that Paramahamsa Nithyananda makes the body receive the energy directly from ether. By that, Paramahamsa Nithyananda shows us, that true power is available to all of us. That we have the power to live without food. This process can be done by everybody.
Please find more information here: http://bfoodfree.org.
"Your body is a miniature of the cosmos, with all possible intelligence in it. If fish can swim, we can swim. If bird can fly, we can fly and if plants can make food directly from the air and sun rays, our body can also do that."
Paramahamsa Nithyananda
The following section presents the instructions and guidelines of the correct yogic diet set out by Sadashiva, yogis and rishis. You will also find a recommended diet for the Yogi to live true Yoga. It includes advice for what is best to eat, what to avoid, and as well as how and when to eat.
Concept of Diet
Ātma Pramāṇa - आत्मा प्रमाण Paramahamsa Nithyananda
Dieting is not denying, not adding or subtracting some food. Dieting is eating as per your goals.
You Become What You Eat
Ātma Pramāṇa - आत्मा प्रमाण Paramahamsa Nithyananda
Anything you eat, that becomes you! One part of what you eat becomes your bone, muscle, flesh, blood. One part of what you eat becomes your words. One part of what you eat becomes your thinking. One part of what you eat becomes your feeling. One part of what you eat becomes your being!
Awakening the Kundalini Shakthi by Proper Foods
Ātma Pramāṇa - आत्मा प्रमाण Paramahamsa Nithyananda
Just the right food, the pure food, which is pure by its nature, by right persons handling it, and right way it is brought to you, this pure food alone is enough to kindle, awaken the natural energy you are carrying, what I call "Kundalini Shakthi" or "inner potential energy" or your "bio-energy".
Awakening your Bio-Memory
Ātma Pramāṇa - आत्मा प्रमाण Paramahamsa Nithyananda
When you take vegetarian food, you also awaken your bio-memory to be directly producing food and energy from space directly just like plants and trees. See, plants and trees carries a quality or intelligence. They produce their energy directly from the sun and ether, from air. They directly produce life-energy from the sun, air and earth and water. When you are regularly eating only vegetarian food consciously, your bio-memory, your bio-energy also can awaken the same quality. Please understand, if you can take a little support from the conscious source like meditation or a little yoga, you can see very clearly that possibility in your bio-memory is awakened!
Benefits of Vegetarian Diet
Ātma Pramāṇa - आत्मा प्रमाण Paramahamsa Nithyananda
Vegetarian food by its very nature, the way it comes to you, the way you consume it, awakens your bio-energy, bio- intelligence, bio-memory, and keeps your muscle-memory pure, keeps you more healthy, more alive, more inspired, more intelligent, more excited, more living.
| Break the Idea of Lots of Food for Energy Ātma Pramāṇa - आत्मा प्रमाण Paramahamsa Nithyananda | To be energetic you don't need to eat the whole day. What is eaten whole day is junk food. That is not the food for energy or health. To be healthy just that one or two meals, clear diet, vegetarian, uncooked, sattvik food is enough. But the diet should be with a clear rule and regulation. | | Completion and Nirahara Ātma Pramāṇa - आत्मा प्रमाण Paramahamsa Nithyananda | If you suddenly feel your inner-space is too clouded, too loaded with too many conclusion, incompletion, declare twenty-one days Nirahara and Completion. Nirahara and Completion will do so much good, it will bring you back to the Advaithic space again. Living just by liquid diet and continuously completing will put you back to the space of Advaithic Activism. | | Nirahara Samyama Awakens Powers Ātma Pramāṇa - आत्मा प्रमाण Paramahamsa Nithyananda | Nirahara Samyama is the first powerful spiritual process, first powerful spiritual process! When you go through the Nirahaara Samyama, your body is awakened to a new kind of intelligence, where it will know what is the original feeling and what is the perversion; original feeling and perversion. | | Powerful Process for Authenticity Ātma Pramāṇa - आत्मा प्रमाण Paramahamsa Nithyananda | Training your bio-memory to produce the energy directly from the space and liberating you from all the patterns you created about food and food itself; that is the purpose of Nirahara Samyama. And it is possible. Your bio-memory, once awakened, will do so much good which you can't imagine. Nirahara Samyama will undoubtedly prove your own higher possibility for you. If you want to practice shraddha, Authenticity, gain confidence. First thing, hit at the root-pattern of food. When you hit at the pattern of food, you will gain confidence about your Authenticity. You will gain confidence that you can do something which others are afraid of doing, you can do something which even you are afraid of doing. |
| Right Diet is Essential for Yogis | न तन्तेजःप्रकाशाय महतां धर्मवृद्धये । योगाय योगिनां देव भक्ष्यप्रस्थनिरूपणम् ॥ २॥ | Translation Not for the effulgent light (alone) but for the spread of Dharma (right living); The method of right diet is firmly being stated for the Yogis. (23.2) |
| Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.2 | na tantejaḥprakāśāya mahatāṁ dharmavṛddhaye । yogāya Yogināṁ deva bhakṣaprasthanirūpaṇam ॥ 2 ॥ |
| Only with Diet Does One Become Yogi | योगाभ्यासं यः करोति न जानातीह भक्षणम् । कोटिवर्षसहस्रेण न योगी भवति ध्रुवम् ॥ ३॥ | Translation It is certain that the one who practices Yoga but does not know dietary discipline, cannot become Yogi even in thousands of crores of years. (23.3) | |
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| Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.3 | yogābhyāsaṁ yaḥ karoti na jānātīha bhakṣaṇam | koṭivarṣasahasreṇa na yogī bhavati dhruvam॥ 3 ॥ |
| Importance of Knowing About Diet | अतो वै भक्षमाहात्म्यं प्रवदामि समासतः । यज्ज्ञात्वा सिद्धिमाप्नोति स्वाधिष्ठानाभेदनम् ॥ ४॥ | Translation Hence I commence to briefly teach the importance of right food intake; knowing which one acquires Siddhis and acquires the secrets of the Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra. (23.4) | |
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| Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.4 | ato vai bhakṣamāhātmyaṁ pravadāmi samāsataḥ | yajjñātvā siddhimāpnoti svādhiṣṭhānābhedanam॥ 4 ॥ |
| Strictly Follow Rules of Diet | आदौ विवेकी यो भूयाद् भूतले परमेश्वर । स एव भक्षनियमं गृहेऽरण्ये समाचरेत् ॥ ५॥ | Translation O Lord! To begin with, the one who wishes to be the knower of Supreme Knowledge in this world, he must strictly follow the rules of right diet at home or even in the forest. (23.5) | |
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| Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.5 | ādau vivekī yo bhūyād bhūtale parameśvara | sa eva bhakṣaniyamaṁ gṛhe'raṇye samācaret॥ 5 ॥ |
Eat Balanced to Attain Lasting Bliss
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.6
वाय्वासनदृढानन्दः परमानन्दनिर्भरः ।
मितारं सदा कुर्यात् पूरकाह्लादहेतुना ॥ ६॥
vāyvāsanadṛḍhānandaḥ paramānandanirbharaḥ|
mitāhāraṁ sadā kuryāt pūrakāhlādahetunā|| 6 ||
Translation One must always eat balanced diet to experience the joys of of pūraka (prāṇāyāma) (through) vital breath (vāyu) control, Yogic posture (āsana), and must always eat balanced diet to attain lasting bliss and supreme ānanda. (23.6)
Pranayama and Diet
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.7
तदा पूरकसिद्धिः स्याद्भक्षणादिनिरूपणात् ।
उदरं पूरयेन्नित्यं कुम्भयित्वा पुनः पुनः ॥ ७॥
tadā pūrakasiddhiḥ syādbhakṣaṇādinirūpaṇāt|
udaraṁ pūrayennityaṁ kumbhyitvā punaḥ punaḥ|| 7 ||
Translation Then is acquired the mastery of pūraka (prāṇāyāma) through dietary control; And one must go on filling the stomach having done kumbhaka (prāṇāyāma) again and again.(23.7)
Only Eat Hand Size
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.8
निजहस्तप्रमानाभिः पूरयेत् पूर्णमेव च ।
तत्पूरयेत् स्थापयेन्नाथ विश्वामित्रकपालके ॥ ८॥
nijahastapramāṇābhiḥ pūrayet pūrṇameva ca|
tatpūrayet sthāpayennātha viśvamitrakapālake|| 8 ||
Translation O Lord! then one must place the food on a Viśvamitrakapālaka (bowl); for the consumption of only as much food as can be placed on a hand. (23.8)
Eat Cooked Rice
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.10
तण्डुलान् शालिसन्भूतान् कपालप्रस्थपूणकान् ।
दिने दिने क्षयं कुर्याद्भक्षणादिषु कर्मसु ॥ १०॥
taṇḍulān śālisanbhūtān kapālaprasthapūṇakān|
dine dine kṣayaṁ kuryādbhakṣaṇādiṣu karmasu|| 10 ||
Translation The rice, with the husk not removed, ought to be cooked fully on the hotplate; and it should be eaten and the plate emptied as a daily job. (23.10)
Eat with Mantra
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.11
हंसद्वादशवारेण जपेन संक्षयं चरेत् ।
शिलायां तत्कपालं च वर्धयेत् पूरकादिकम् ॥ ११॥
hamsadvādaśavāreṇa japena saṃkṣayaṃ caret |
śilāyāṃ tatkapālaṃ ca vardhayet pūrakādikam|| 11 ||
Translation The hamsamantra should be chanted regularly; and doing the pūraka, the food must be replenished on the bowl (regularly). (23.11)
Technique for After Eating
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.12
यावत्कालं क्षयं याति निजभक्षणनिर्णयम् ।
तत्कालं वायुनापूर्य नोदरं काकचञ्चुभिः ॥ १२॥
yāvatkālaṃ kṣayaṃ yāti nijabhakṣaṇanirṇayam|
tatkālaṃ vāyunāpūrya nodaraṃ kākacañcubhiḥ|| 12 ||
Translation When the stage is achieved that enough food has been taken for himself, at that instant the stomach should not be further filled, and vital breath should be taken in just as a crow does through its beak. In other words, one must take in breath by doing kumbhaka. (23.12)
Kundalini and Food
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.13
आकुञ्चयेत् सदा मूले कुण्डलीं भक्षधारणात् ।
तत्र संपूरयेद् योगी भक्षप्रस्थावनाशनात् ॥ १३॥
ākuñcayet sadā mūle kuṇḍalīṃ bhakṣadhāraṇāt|
tatra saṃpūrayed yogī bhakṣaprasthāvanāśanāt|| 13 ||
Translation After eating the food, the kuṇḍalī in the Mūlādhāra (cakra) should be shrunk; Then the Yogi should be satiated and the intake stopped. (23.13)
Practice Control Over the Senses
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.14
कालक्रमेणतत् सिद्धिमवाप्नोति जितेन्द्रियः ।
यत् स्थानं भक्षणस्यैव तत् स्थाने पूरयेत् सुखम् ॥ १४॥
kālakrmeṇatat siddhimavāpnoti jitendriyaḥ|
yat sthānaṃ bhakṣaṇasyaiva tat sthāne pūrayet sukham|| 14 ||
Translation In due course the one with control over the senses acquires Siddhis, and achieves the stage of proper food consumption effortlessly. (23.14)
Pranayama Essential
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.15
पुनः पुनर्भाक्षणेन भक्ष्यसिद्धिमुपैति हि।
विना पूरकयोगेन भक्षणं नापि सिध्यति ॥ १५॥
punaḥ punarbhakṣaṇena bhakṣyasiddhiupaiti hi| vinā pūrakayogena bhakṣaṇaṁ nāpi sidhyati || 15 ||
Translation The hamsamantra should be chanted regularly; and doing the pūraka, the food must be replenished on the bowl (regularly). (23.11)
Alternative Methods Exist
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.16
अथवाऽन्यप्रकारेण भक्ष्यत्यागं विनिर्णयम्।
येन हीना न सिध्यन्ति नाडीचक्रस्य देवताः ॥ १६॥
athavā'nyaprakāreṇa bhakṣyatyāgaṁ vinirṇayam| yena hīnā na sidhyanti nāḍīcakrasya devatāḥ || 16 ||
Translation Alternatively one can adopt other methods to decide the regulation of food consumption; Because without such mastery the Devatās (powers) of the nāḍīcakra cannot be mastered. (23.16)
Quantity of Food to Take
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Rudrayamala Tantra 23.17
द्वात्रिंशद् ग्रासमादाय तेइपर्वणि यथास्थितम्।
अर्द्धग्रासं विहायापि नित्यं भक्षणमाचरेत् ॥ १७॥
dvātriṁśad grāsamādāya teiparvaṇi yathāsthitam| arddhagrāsaṁ vihāyāpi nityaṁ bhakṣaṇamācaret || 17 ||
Translation Thirty-two morsels should be taken in three fixed portions and stabilised; then half the morsel should also be given up and the practice continued. (23.17)
Nutrition for Beginners
Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण
Haṭhapradīpikā of Svātmārāma
(Chapter 4, Verse 22)
अभ्यासप्रथमे काले शस्तं क्षीराज्यभोजनं ॥
ततो 'भ्यासे दृढीभूते न तादृङ् नियमाग्रहः ॥ २२ ॥
abhyāsaprathame kāle śastaṁ kṣīrājyabhojanaṁ || tato 'bhyāse dṛḍhībhūte na tādṛṅ niyamāgrahaḥ || 22 ||
Translation In the initial phase of practice, one should consume nutritious food like milk and ghee. As one progresses on the path, sticking to such a diet may not be insisted upon. 22
Recommended Food for Yogis
Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण Haṭharatnāvalī (Chapter I, Verse 71)
गोधूमशालयवषष्टिकशोभनान्नं
क्षीराज्यमण्डनवनीतसितामधूनि ॥
शुण्ठीपटोलफलपत्रजपञ्चशाकं
मुद्गादिद्व्यमुदकं च यमीन्द्रपथ्यम् ॥ ७१ ॥
godhūmaśāliyavaṣaṣṭikaśobhanānnaṁ
kṣīrājyamaṇḍanavanītasitāmadhūni ||
śuṇṭhīpaṭolaphalapatrajapañcaśākaṁ
mudgādidvyamudakaṁ ca yamīndrapathyam || 71 ||
Translation The recommended food items for a Yogī should comprise good grains like - wheat, rice, barley, ṣaṣtika (a particular variety of rice which takes sixty days to harvest), milk, ghee, cream, butter, sugar candy, honey, dry ginger, paṭola fruits (a species of cucumber), the set of five recommended leafy vegetables, green gram and rain water. 71
Unwholesome Food Items
Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण Haṭharatnāvalī (Chapter I, Verse 72)
कट्वम्लतीक्ष्णलवणोष्णहरीतशाकम्
सौवीरतैलतिलसर्षपमत्स्यमद्यम् ॥
अजादिमांसदधितक्रकुलत्थकोद्र -
पिण्याकहिङ्गलशुनाद्यमपथ्यमाहुः ॥ ७२ ॥
kaṭvamlatīkṣṇalavaṇoṣṇaharītaśākam
sauvīratailatilasarṣapamatsyamadyam ||
ajādimāṁsadadhitakrakulatthakodra -
piṇyākahiṅgulaśunādyamapathyamāhuḥ || 72 ||
Translation The list of unwholesome food items consists of (tastes like) bitter, sour, pungent, salty, hot, green leafy vegetables, sour gruel, oil, mustard, sesame, fish, alcohol, meat like mutton etc., curd, butter - milk, kulattha (a type of lentil), kodra (a species of grain), oil- cake, asafoetida, garlic etc. 72
Padmasana with Cardamom in Mouth after a Sumptuous Meal
Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण Hathatatvakaumidu Ch.7.26
प्रभोजनान्ते कान्ताब्जमुखसेवनमाचर
मनोरमाहारसारपरिणामसुखं भज ॥२६॥
prabhojanānte kāntābjamukhasevanamācara manoramāhārasāraparināmasukhaṁ bhaja || 26 ||
Translation After consuming a meal one should chew cardamom in the mouth (practice of padmasana). Thus one would enjoy the advantage of proper digestion of a sumptuous meal.
Cure Diseases Through Taste
Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण
Haṭhapradīpikā of Svātmārāma
(Chapter 5, Verse 52)
तीक्षकं हरते व्याधिं कटुकं कुष्ठनाशनम् ॥
घृतस्वादूपमं चैववामरत्वं लभते ध्रुवम् ॥ ५२ ॥
tīkṣakaṁ harate vyādhiṁ kaṭukaṁ kuṣṭhanāśanam || ghṛtasvādūpamam caivāmaratvaṁ labhate dhruvam || 52 ||
Translation Critical diseases are removed when one tastes pungent with bitter tatstes. Severity of skin diseases is reduced. Similarly, one certainly attains immortality, when the taste is like ghee. 52
Importance of Diet in Yoga
Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण Hathatatvakaumudi Ch35.5
क्षीणो यथेन्दुरपहन्ति तमो क्रमेण पूर्णस्तु तद्वदियमङ्कमपानजाड्यम् ॥
हत्वा सुधावहममुं च तनौ विधत्ते योगे रवेरिव मुनेर्हितपथ्यभाजः ॥ ५ ॥
kṣīṇo yathendurapahanti tamo krameṇa pūrṇastu tadvadiyamaṅkamapānajāḍyam || hatvā sudhāvahamamuṁ ca tanau vidhatte yoge raveriva munerhitapathyabhājaḥ || 5 ||
Translation Just as a waxing moon gradually dispels darkness, similarly, impurities (inertia) lying in apana is removed by the practice of Yoga which establishes the moon (which secretes ambrosia) in the body of a person who sticks to moderate and wholesome food.
Food Taken Converted into Three Parts
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Shiva Samhita-V.52-53
चतुर्विधस्य चान्नस्य रसरत्रेधा विभज्यते ।
तत्र सारतमो लिंगदेहस्य परिपोषकः ॥
सप्तधातुमयं पिण्डमेती पुष्णाति मध्यगः ॥ ५२ ॥
यति विण्मूत्ररूपेण तृतीयः सप्ततो बहिः ॥
आद्यभागद्वयं नाड्यः प्रोक्तास्ताः सकला अपि ।
पोषयन्ति वपुर्वायुमापादतलमस्तकम् ॥ ५३ ॥
caturvidhasya cānnasya rasaratredhā vibhajyate |
tatra sāratamo liṁgadehasya paripoṣakaḥ ||
saptadhātumayaṁ piṇḍametī puṣṇāti madhyagaḥ || 52 ||
yati viṇmūtrarūpeṇa tṛtīyaḥ saptato bahiḥ |
ādyabhāgadvayaṁ nāḍyaḥ proktāstāḥ sakalā api ||
poṣayanti vapurvāyumāpādatalamastakam || 53 ||
Translation
Of the four kinds of food (i.e., that which is chewed, that which is sucked, that which is licked and that which is drunk), which a man takes, the chyle fluid is converted into three parts. The best part (or the finest extract of food) goes to nourish the linga sharira or subtle body (the seat of force). The second or middle part goes to nourish this gross body composed of seven dhatus (humours). 52
The third or the most inferior part goes out of the body in the shape of excrement and urine. The first two essences of food are found in the nadis, and being carried by them, they nourish the body from head to foot. 53
Food Fluids of Body Gain Extraordinary Force
Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण Shiva Samhita-V.54-55
नाडीभिराभिः सर्वाभिर्वायु सञ्चरते यदा ।
तदैवान्नरसो देहे साम्येनेह प्रवर्तते ॥ ५४ ॥
चतुर्दशानां तत्रेह व्यापारे मुख्यभागतः ।
ता अनुग्रत्वहीनाश्च प्राणसञ्चारनाडिकाः ॥ ५५ ॥
nāḍībhirābhiḥ sarvābhirvāyu sañcarate yadā |
tadaivānnaraso dehe sāmyeneha pravartate || 54 ||
caturdaśānāṃ tatreha vyāpāre mukhyabhāgataḥ |
tā anugratvahīnāśca prāṇasañcāranāḍikāḥ || 55 ||
Translation
When the vayu moves through all the nadis, then, owing to this vayu, the fluids of the body get extraordinary force and energy. 54
The most important of these nadis are fourteen, distributed in different parts of the body and performing various functions. They are either weak or strong, and the prana flows through them. 55
Temperance in Food
Śāstra Pramāṇa -शास्त्र प्रमाण Yoga-Kundaly Upanishad Ch.I.3-4
Listen earnestly, O Gautma ! to the description of these, which I shall presently deal with. Partaking of nourishing and sapient food, leaving off a fourth part of it and that too for affording satisfaction to Siva ; that is known as Temperance in food. (3, 4)
mitāhar
shuddi kriyas
Purification techniques