Moderation in diet

(ii) Moderation in diet

Don't be a glutton. Control of tongue is a sine qua non if you want to control lust. If discrimination is not used as to what to eat, when to eat, how to eat, how much to eat, digestion will be impaired. Bahman, the Emperor of Iran, once asked his physician, "How much food a man should take in a day? "

Physician replied, "100 dirhams (about 507 gms.)"

The King said, "This much is not enough."

The Physician replied, "This much is enough for nutrition of the body. If any one takes more it is a burden on digestive system. It reduces the longevity of life."

Generally people stuff the stomach with delicacies to enjoy taste. Stuffing the stomach is highly deleterious. In ancient times an Emperor in Europe was fond of tasteful foods. He took food, and then vomited it out. Again took food to enjoy taste and vomited out. But he died earlier due to his gluttonous habit.

Such licentious indulgence of the sense of taste will also lead to frequent discharge of semen in dreams. Thus one will gradually become a victim of diseases and ruin. Food should be taken in a holy place, when the mind is in pleasant mood and peaceful state. Solid food is easily digested if it is taken when Surya Nadi is working dominantly i.e. when the breathing mainly takes place through right nostril. If right nostril is closed, it should be opened before eating. The method is given below:

Close the right hand first. Place it in the left armpit and press it with the left arm or lie on your left side and make the right nostril work.

Keep another important point in mind. Whenever you take any liquid food, make sure that the left Nadi (Chandra Nadi) is dominantly working, i.e. left nostril is open. If milk, coffee, tea, water or any other liquid is drunk when the Surya Nadi is open, then one is sure to lose seminal energy. Beware do not take any liquid when the right nostril is open.

Do not overload the stomach at night. Overloading is the direct cause for nocturnal emission. Take easily digestible, light food at night. Don't take very hot or heavy food as they cause diseases. Things fried in oil or ghee, over cooked foods, spicy foods, chutneys, chillies, meat, fish, eggs, garlic, onion, liquor, sour articles and stale food preparations should be avoided for they stimulate the sexual organs. Hot foods and hot tea weaken the teeth and gums. They make the semen watery.

Thoroughly chew the food. If you feel tired, take a little rest before you take food. No strenuous work should be done immediately after meals. Water should not be taken just before meals. It is better to take it in the middle of the meal or about 30 to 60 minutes after the meal.

Eating after midnight is not good for health. One should never take warm milk at night before going to bed. It usually causes wet dreams.

Spinach, green leafy vegetables, milk, butter, ghee, buttermilk, ripe fresh fruits and white pumpkin are sattvic articles for keeping up Brahmacharya. Sattvic foods increase Sattva guna; thereby help in overcoming lust, anger, attachment etc.

Never stop the urge to answer calls of nature. When there is any inclination for micturition at night immediately get up to empty the bladder. A loaded bladder is the cause of wet dreams. Before retiring to bed answer the calls of nature. If there is severe constipation and the bowels are loaded, they will press the vesiculae seminalis and consequently, there will be discharge at night. To relieve constipation do as follows:

Take about 50 Gms. of red alum. If you heat it on a baking pan, it is puffed. Grind it to fine powder. Fill this powder in a glass bottle.

Soak about 15 Gms. of fennel in a glass of water. Next day morning boil it. Filter the boiled water. Mix 15 Gms. of alum powder from the bottle. Drink it. This will relieve constipation.

You may take Trifala churna or Sant Kripa Churna or Isab-gul (Plantago ovata) with water to relieve constipation. Avoid the use of so called hot, sour, stimulating laxatives as it creates heat in the body.

You should take recourse to occasional fasting. During fasting, the internal organs such as the stomach, the liver and the pancreas take rest. Avoid excessive fasting. One should fast in accordance to his capacity. Fasting one day and stuffing the stomach with heavy foods (sweets, laddu) the next day is not sensible. Over eating and excessive fasting both are detrimental to health.

The literal meaning of 'fasting' is to be near God. Sanskrit word for fasting is Upavaasa. "Upa" means near and "Vaasa" means to stay. You will have very good meditation and contemplation during fasting, as the mind is calm and introverted. Fasting controls passion and destroys sexual excitement.