The Food We Eat

 

Why is it important to pay attention to the food we eat and carefully weed out evil qualities? 

"We know that of all the animals in this world, to take birth as a human being is very difficult. Having attained this difficult human birth, we should not behave, at any time, like an animal. Think and take note of this aspect. The reason for this is mainly the kind of food we eat. The kind of food we take determines the behaviour we develop. If a tiger enters a herd of cows, then the cows cannot survive and live. So also, as in that analogy, in the heart of man, there are good and satwic qualities comparable to the qualities of a cow. If into that group of good qualities, we send in food represented by the rajasic qualities of a tiger, it is impossible for the good to survive. Similarly, if you put seeds in a land which is not fertile, the seeds are not going to sprout! So also in a man with rajasic qualities in his heart, satwic qualities like worshipfulness or compassion cannot thrive. It therefore becomes necessary for man to do things by which the field of his heart can be purified and cleansed."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

 (Ch. 10, Summer Showers 1976)

When the cup of the heart is full of evil, no virtue can be stored therein. – BABA