Disclaimer: This translation does not guarantee complete accuracy, please confirm with the original page text.
## Nighttime Meal Doshas
**From Yoga Shastra, Third Light, Verses 44-48**
**Verse 43:** Even in times of famine, when food, fruits, etc. are scarce and one is extremely hungry, and the body is becoming emaciated, one should not eat the five-pointed fruit. Those who do so are commendable.
**Verses 44-46:** Now, regarding the infinite-bodied beings, three verses are spoken:
* **Verse 44:** All moist tubers, all new shoots, the bark of the *Snuhī* (Euphorbia neriifolia) and *Lavaṇa* (salt) trees, *Kumārī* (Aloe vera), *Girikaṇṇikā* (a type of creeper), *Śatāvarī* (Asparagus racemosus), sprouted sprouts, *Guḍūcī* (Tinospora cordifolia), tender tamarind, *Palyanka* (spinach), *Amṛtavallī* (a type of creeper), and the hair of the boar.
* **Verse 45:** These are mentioned as infinite-bodied beings in the scriptures. There are others as well, which the wrong-sighted are unaware of. These should be avoided with effort by the compassionate devotees.
* **Verse 46:** **Meaning:** All types of tubers do not become infinite-bodied beings because they become lifeless when they dry up. The usual meaning of tuber is the part of the tree that remains in the ground below the trunk. All green tubers are infinite-bodied beings. Some names are mentioned here: *Sūraṇa* (yam), *Adaraka* (ginger), *Haladī* (turmeric), *Vajrakanda* (a type of tuber), *Lahsun* (garlic), *Naraka-cūra* (a type of tuber), *Kamalakanda* (lotus root), *Hastikanda* (elephant yam), *Manuṣyakanda* (a type of tuber), *Gājar* (carrot), *Padminīkanda* (a type of tuber), *Kaserū* (a type of tuber), *Mogrī* (a type of tuber), *Mūthā* (a type of tuber), *Ālū* (potato), *Pyāz* (onion), *Ratālu* (sweet potato), etc. By *kiśalaya* (new shoot) is meant the tender leaves of every plant and the first sprout that emerges from the seed; all these are infinite-bodied beings. Only the bark of the *Thūhara* or *Lavaṇa* tree is infinite-bodied; its other parts are not. *Kumārīpāṭhā* (a type of creeper), *Aparājita* (a type of creeper), the medicinal *Śatāvarī*, sprouted grains like chickpeas and mung beans, every kind of *Guḍūcī* (Tinospora cordifolia) that grows on trees like neem and is especially used for medicine, tender tamarind, spinach, *Amṛtavallī* (a type of creeper), boar hair (a type of large creeper found in the forest from which *Varahakanda* (a type of tuber) emerges) (the word *śūkara* is used before *vallī* here so that someone does not consider *vallī* (creeper) like *rauṅgī* (a type of creeper) as infinite-bodied when it is used as a vegetable or lentil). All these are famous in the Aryan country. They are also famous in some parts of the Mleccha country; this is mentioned in various scriptures like *Jīvābhigaman*. These are to be avoided by compassionate devotees. The wrong-sighted are unaware of the infinite-bodied nature of all these; they do not even consider plants to be living beings, let alone infinite-bodied beings.
**Verse 47:** Now, regarding the avoidance of unknown fruits:
* **Verse 47:** A wise person should not eat a fruit that is unknown to oneself or others, that has never been seen, heard of, or known. A wise person should only eat fruits that are known to them. If a clever person eats an unknown fruit unknowingly (due to ignorance), then their vow will be broken by eating a forbidden fruit. Secondly, they may accidentally eat a poisonous fruit, which could lead to death. Therefore, eating unknown fruits is prohibited.
**Verse 48:** Now, regarding the prohibition of nighttime meals:
* **Verse 48:** Food is made impure by the touch of ghosts, *vyantar* (a type of spirit), *piśāca* (a type of demon), *rākṣasa* (a type of demon), and other low-caste deities who roam freely at night. Therefore, one should not eat at night.
**Meaning:** It is said that at night, *rākṣasa* (demons) and other beings roam freely on the earth and make food impure by their touch. They also harass those who eat at night.
**Further, see:** 199