Shloka 9

Devanagari script

कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिन: । आहारा राजसस्येष्टा द:ः:खशोकामयप्रदा:

Transliteration

kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣṇa-tīkṣṇa-rūkṣa-vidāhinaḥ | āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkha-śokāmaya-pradāḥ ||

Translation

阿周那说：“苦、酸、咸，过于炽热，辛辣刺烈，干燥灼烧之食，为罗阇（rajas）所主之人所好；它们招致痛苦、忧伤与疾病。”

Word by Word

कटुpungent

अम्लsour

लवणsalty

अत्युष्णexcessively hot

तीक्ष्णsharp/penetrating

रूक्षdry/rough

विदाहिनःburning/causing irritation

आहाराःfoods/diets

राजसस्यof (the) rajas quality

इष्टाःliked/preferred

दुःखpain/suffering

शोकgrief

आमयdisease

प्रदाःgiving/producing

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that rajas-driven preferences in food—intensely stimulating, harsh, and irritating tastes—agitate body and mind and therefore tend to produce suffering, sorrow, and illness. It encourages moderation and mindful choice as part of ethical self-governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic discourse within Bhīṣma Parva, Arjuna speaks about the qualities of food associated with the guṇas. Here he characterizes what a rājasa person prefers and the negative consequences that follow from such dietary inclinations.