SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
Ayu:sathva balArOgya sukhaprIthivivardhanA: |
rasyA: snigdhA: sthirA hrudhyA AhArA: sAthvikapriyA: ||
word-by-word meaning
Ayu:sathva balArOgya sukhaprIthivivardhanA: – nurturing life, knowledge, strength, health, comfort and happiness
rasyA: – filled with sweetness
snigdhA: – having softness
sthirA: – leading to eternal goodness
hrudhyA: – pleasing to the eyes
AhArA: – food items
sAthvika priyA: – dear to sAthvikas (people who are in the mode of goodness)
Simple Translation
Food items which are nurturing life, knowledge, strength, health, comfort and happiness, filled with sweetness, having softness, leading to eternal goodness and pleasing to the eyes, are dear to sAthvikas (people who are in the mode of goodness).
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘Dear to Sātvika-men is food promoting life, mind, strength, health, comfort and relish; tasteful, oleaginous, substantial and cordial.’
To those who are of Satva-quality, pure Satva-food becomes dear; and Satva-food prolongs life; also promotes the mind (satvam = antaḥkaraṇa), the mind here signifying its manifestation or function of intelligence (jñānam). As stated already in: “From Satva-quality, knowledge is born” (Gi: XIV-17), Satvam is promotive of intelligence; and hence food which is of Satvam is promotive of intelligence; also it is promotive of strength and health, and also comfort and relish. Comfort (sukha) is the feeling of happiness that arises when the food is undergoing the process of assimilation in the body. Relish (prīti), means that good food serves to produce a relish or interest for undertaking works which are congenial. Rasyāḥ = Tasteful, savoury, sweet. Snigdhāḥ = Oleaginous = Mixed with clarified butter etc. Sthirāḥ = Substantial or that which is well assimilable with the body. Hṛidyāḥ = Cordial or agreeable.
These are called Satva-foods which Satva-men like.
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