सुप्रभातम् - चरकसंहिता - सूत्रस्थानम् - पञ्चमोऽध्यायः

मात्राशी स्यात्| आहारमात्रा पुनरग्निबलापेक्षिणी||

(चरकसंहिता-सूत्रस्थानम्-5/३)

One must take food in proper quantity, which depends on the strength of agni (digestive power).

यावद्ध्यस्याशनमशितमनुपहत्य प्रकृतिं यथाकालं जरां गच्छति तावदस्य मात्राप्रमाणं वेदितव्यं भवति||४||

That shall be known as the proper quantity of food which, when taken, is digested in due time without disturbing the normalcy.

तत्र शालिषष्टिकमुद्गलावकपिञ्जलैणशशशरभशम्बरादीन्याहारद्रव्याणि प्रकृतिलघून्यपि मात्रापेक्षीणि भवन्ति| तथा पिष्टेक्षुक्षीरविकृतितिलमाषानूपौदकपिशितादीन्याहारद्रव्याणि प्रकृतिगुरूण्यपि मात्रामेवापेक्षन्ते||

Thus, shali rice, shashtika rice, green gram, common quail, gray partridge, antelope, rabbit, wapiti, Indian sambar, and such other food-articles, though light by nature, depends on the proper quantity. Similarly, preparations of flour [pastry], sugar-cane juice and sugar preparations, milk and milk preparations, sesame, black gram, flesh of aquatic animals, marshy land animals are naturally heavy to digest foods. [5] 

न चैवमुक्ते द्रव्ये गुरुलाघवमकारणं मन्येत, लघूनि हि द्रव्याणि वाय्वग्निगुणबहुलानि भवन्ति; पृथ्वीसोमगुणबहुलानीतराणि,तस्मात् स्वगुणादपि लघून्यग्निसन्धुक्षणस्वभावान्यल्पदोषाणि चोच्यन्तेऽपि सौहित्योपयुक्तानि, गुरूणिपुनर्नाग्निसन्धुक्षणस्वभावान्यसामान्यात्, अतश्चातिमात्रं दोषवन्ति सौहित्योपयुक्तान्यन्यत्र व्यायामाग्निबलात्; सैषाभवत्यग्निबलापेक्षिणी मात्रा||६|| 

From this, one should not conclude that heaviness or lightness in a food-article is mentioned without a reason. The light substances have a predominance of the qualities of vayu and agni. The others have a predominance of the qualities of prithvi and jala. Therefore, the light food-articles are stimulants of agni owing to their innate quality, and are said to be less harmful even if they are eaten to a surfeit. On the other hand, heavy articles are non-stimulant of agni by nature, due to their dissimilarity of qualities. Thus, they cause harm if taken in excess quantity, unless there is strong agni achieved by physical exercise. Thus the right quantity of diet is determined by the strength of agni.

Proportion of heavy and light to digest food: न च नापेक्षते द्रव्यं; द्रव्यापेक्षया च त्रिभागसौहित्यमर्धसौहित्यं वा गुरूणामुपदिश्यते, लघूनामपि चनातिसौहित्यमग्नेर्युक्त्यर्थम्||७|| Na ca nāpēkṣatē dravyaṁ; dravyāpēkṣayā ca tribhāgasauhityamardhasauhityaṁ vā gurūṇāmupadiśyatē,laghūnāmapi ca nātisauhityamagnēryuktyartham||7|| na ca nApekShate dravyaM; dravyApekShayA ca tribhAgasauhityamardhasauhityaM vA gurUNAmupadishyate, laghUnAmapi ca nAtisauhityamagneryuktyartham||7|| It is not that the right quantity does not depend on the substance itself. Based on the food-article itself, it is advised that heavy articles should be taken in one third or one half of the saturation point; even light ones should not be taken in surfeit in order to maintain the strength of agni.[7]

Benefits of proper quantity diet: मात्रावद्ध्यशनमशितमनुपहत्य प्रकृतिं बलवर्णसुखायुषा योजयत्युपयोक्तारमवश्यमिति||८|| Mātrāvaddhyaśanamaśitamanupahatya prakr̥tiṁ balavarṇasukhāyuṣāyōjayatyupayōktāramavaśyamiti||8|| mAtrAvaddhyashanamashitamanupahatya prakRutiM balavarNasukhAyuShA yojayatyupayoktAramavashyamiti||8|| The food taken in right quantity certainly provides strength, complexion, happiness and longevity to the person; without disturbing the normalcy. [8] 

गुरु पिष्टमयं तस्मात्तण्डुलान् पृथुकानपि| न जातु भुक्तवान् खादेन्मात्रां खादेद्बुभुक्षितः||९||Guru piṣṭamayaṁ tasmāttaṇḍulān pr̥thukānapi| Na jātu bhuktavān khādēnmātrāṁ khādēdbubhukṣitaḥ||9|| bhavanti cAtra- guru piShTamayaM tasmAttaNDulAn pRuthukAnapi| na jAtu bhuktavAn khAdenmAtrAM khAdedbubhukShitaH||9||  one should never eat such heavy articles as preparations of flour, rice, flattened rice etc., on top of a meal. Even while hungry one should take them in right quantity.

वल्लूरं शुष्कशाकानि शालूकानि बिसानि च| नाभ्यसेद्गौरवान्मांसं कृशं नैवोपयोजयेत्||१०||Vallūraṁ śuṣkaśākāni śālūkāni bisāni ca| nābhyasēdgauravānmāṁsaṁ kr̥śaṁ naivōpayōjayēt||10|| One should not take, habitually, dried meat, dried vegetables, lotus-tuber and lotus-stalk, being heavy. One should not eat the meat of emaciated animal. [10]

Food articles for regular consumption and preservation of health: षष्टिकाञ्छालिमुद्गांश्च सैन्धवामलके यवान्| आन्तरीक्षं पयः सर्पिर्जाङ्गलं मधु चाभ्यसेत्||१२||ShaShTikA~jchAlimudgAMshca saindhavAmalake yavAn| AntarIkShaM payaH sarpirjA~ggalaM madhu cAbhyaset||12|| One should regularly consume Shashtika-rice, Shali-rice, green-gram, rock-salt, Indian-gooseberry, barley, rain-water, milk, ghee, flesh of jangala animals and honey.

तच्च नित्यं प्रयुञ्जीत स्वास्थ्यं येनानुवर्तते| अजातानां विकाराणामनुत्पत्तिकरं च यत्||१३||Tacca nityaṁ prayuñjīta svāsthyaṁ yēnānuvartatē|

ajātānāṁ vikārāṇāmanutpattikaraṁ ca yat||13||

One should take those as a daily routine, which maintains the health as well as prevents the onset of diseases.

काम्यं यशस्यमायुष्यमलक्ष्मीघ्नं प्रहर्षणम्| श्रीमत् पारिषदं शस्तं निर्मलाम्बरधारणम्||९५||

Kāmyaṁ yaśasyamāyuṣyamalakṣmīghnaṁ praharṣaṇam|

śrīmat pāriṣadaṁ śastaṁ nirmalāmbaradhāraṇam||95||

 The wearing of clean apparel enhances charm and personality of an individual, is promotive of longevity, preventive of bad-luck/inauspiciousness, brings about pleasure, is decorative, makes competent to participate in conferences and is commendable. 

वृष्यं सौगन्ध्यमायुष्यं काम्यं पुष्टिबलप्रदम्| सौमनस्यमलक्ष्मीघ्नं गन्धमाल्यनिषेवणम्||९६|| vr̥ṣyaṁ saugandhyamāyuṣyaṁ kāmyaṁ puṣṭibalapradam| saumanasyamalakṣmīghnaṁ gandhamālyaniṣēvaṇam||96||The use of fragrant articles and garlands enhances virility, promotes longevity, charm, plumpness and strength, is pleasing to the mind, and averts penury. 

धन्यं मङ्गल्यमायुष्यं श्रीमद्व्यसनसूदनम्| हर्षणं काम्यमोजस्यं रत्नाभरणधारणम्||९७||dhanyaṁ maṅgalyamāyuṣyaṁ śrīmadvyasanasūdanam| harṣaṇaṁ kāmyamōjasyaṁ ratnābharaṇadhāraṇam||97|| The wearing of jewel-ornaments brings prosperity, is auspicious, promotes longevity, is decorative, is dispersive of worries, is exhilarative, is attractive and is enhancive of ojas. 

 मेध्यं पवित्रमायुष्यमलक्ष्मीकलिनाशनम्| पादयोर्मलमार्गाणां शौचाधानमभीक्ष्णशः||९८|| medhyaM pavitramAyuShyamalakShmIkalinAshanam| pAdayormalamArgANAM shaucAdhAnamabhIkShNashaH||98|| The frequent ablution of feet and excretory orifices is promotive of intelligence, is purifying, promotes longevity, and dispels of misfortunes and kali/sin. 

पौष्टिकं वृष्यमायुष्यं शुचि रूपविराजनम्| केशश्मश्रुनखादीनां कल्पनं सम्प्रसाधनम्||९९||pauShTikaM vRuShyamAyuShyaM shuci rUpavirAjanam| keshashmashrunakhAdInAM kalpanaM samprasAdhanam||99|| The trimming and grooming of body hair and nails (manicure and pedicure) is promotive of plumpness, virility, longevity, cleanliness and beauty. 

चक्षुष्यं स्पर्शनहितं पादयोर्व्यसनापहम्| बल्यं पराक्रमसुखं वृष्यं पादत्रधारणम्||१००||cakṣuṣyaṁ sparśanahitaṁ pādayōrvyasanāpaham| balyaṁ parākramasukhaṁ vr̥ṣyaṁ pādatradhāraṇam||100||The donning of footwear is pleasing to the eyes, conducive to the skin of the sole, mitigative of foot-discomfort, promotive of strength, facilitative of easy gait and promotive of virility. 

ईतेः प्रशमनं बल्यं गुप्त्यावरणशङ्करम्| घर्मानिलरजोम्बुघ्नं छत्रधारणमुच्यते||१०१|| IteH prashamanaM balyaM guptyAvaraNasha~gkaram| gharmAnilarajombughnaM chatradhAraNamucyate||101||The carrying of umbrella is avertive of calamities, is promotive of strength, affords protection, cover and comfort, and serves as a shield against sun, wind, dust and rain. 

स्खलतः सम्प्रतिष्ठानं शत्रूणां च निषूदनम्| अवष्टम्भनमायुष्यं भयघ्नं दण्डधारणम्||१०२||skhalataH sampratiShThAnaM shatrUNAM ca niShUdanam| avaShTambhanamAyuShyaM bhayaghnaM daNDadhAraNam||102|| The carrying of the staff serves as a prop against stumbling, is dispersive of enemies, serves as a support, promotes longevity, and dispels fear. 

नगरी नगरस्येव रथस्येव रथी यथा| स्वशरीरस्य मेधावी कृत्येष्ववहितो भवेत्||१०३||

nagarI nagarasyeva rathasyeva rathI yathA| svasharIrasya medhAvI kRutyeShvavahito bhavet||103|| Like the lord of a city in the affairs of his city, and a charioteer in the management of his chariot, so should a wise man be ever vigilant in the caring of his own body. [103] 

वृत्त्युपायान्निषेवेत ये स्युर्धर्माविरोधिनः| शममध्ययनं चैव सुखमेवं समश्नुते||१०४||

vr̥ttyupāyānniṣēvēta yē syurdharmāvirōdhinaḥ| śamamadhyayanaṁ caiva sukhamēvaṁ samaśnutē||104|| bhavati cAtra- vRuttyupAyAnniSheveta ye syurdharmAvirodhinaH| shamamadhyayanaM caiva sukhamevaM samashnute||104|| 

 One should have recourse to such means of livelihood as are not contrary to the dictates of religion, and should be devoted to peace and studies. Living thus, one attains happiness. [104]