Is Eating Brinjal Really Forbidden? Ancient Scriptures Reveal a Shocking Reason

Is brinjal more than just a vegetable? Ancient Sanatangyan scriptures reveal its deep link with karma, purity, and spiritual transformation.

Everything in daily life, even the minute details—what one eats, wears, or touches—is connected with spiritual significance in the Sanatangyan way of life. One interesting taboo involves the use of brinjal, a common vegetable found in almost every Indian kitchen, as food. As per the ancient shed scriptures, this custom constitutes an impact on the spiritual cleansing and maybe the reincarnational aspect of the soul. This may sound odd and bizarre to the modern man, but the rationale is based on profound and significant metaphysical and symbolic interpretation in the Vedic paradigm of thought.

The Scriptural Reason Behind the Brinjal Prohibition

According to the shastras, it is impure to consume brinjal (vṛntākam in Sanskrit). Its seeds are supposed to stay in the stomach for about twenty-seven days. If a person dies within this period, the effect of such undigested seeds stops the upward journey of the soul and pushes it down toward a lower realm.

A Sanskrit verse from the Garuda Purana echoes this idea of purity affecting the afterlife:

“शरीरं यद्भवेन्नित्यं तदन्नेनैव जीवति ।

अन्नशुद्धौ मनः शुद्धिः मनः शुद्धौ क्रियाः शुभाः॥”

Meaning: “The body is sustained by food; with pure food comes purity of mind, and with pure mind arise noble actions.”

In the Sanatangyan philosophy, purity (shuddhi) of food directly impacts mental and spiritual clarity. Hence, even if a small impurity enters one’s diet, it can influence the entire spiritual discipline (sadhana).

Why Brinjal Is Spiritually Considered Impure

Brinjal grows close to the ground and often absorbs impurities, worms, and insects—making it tamasic (dark, inertia-inducing) in nature according to Ayurveda and Manu Smriti. The sadhu and guru of the Sanatangyan path often discourage its consumption during fasts, puja, or sacred observances, believing it lowers one’s sattvik energy.

Another Sanskrit verse that supports this is from the Manu Smriti (5.5):

“अहितं नाम यदन्नं न हितं तद्विवर्जयेत्।”

Meaning: “Whatever food is not beneficial to the body or the spirit should be renounced.”

Brinjal falls into this category of ahita anna—food considered harmful not necessarily to the body but to the spiritual essence.

Divine Displeasure and Symbolic Beliefs

It is also believed in some Sanatangyan traditions that Lord Vishnu keeps His distance from those who eat brinjal. The reasoning is symbolic — brinjal’s association with impurity and its tamasic guna make it unfit for offerings or consumption by those aspiring for spiritual progress.

The Padma Purana emphasizes:

"अशुद्धं यत् तदन्नं तु न समर्प्यं जनार्दनाय।"

“That which is impure should not be offered to Lord Janardana (Vishnu).”

Thus, when one consumes brinjal — even unintentionally through its juice or contact with food — the spiritual merit (punya) of that meal is believed to be lost. Many gurus and householders maintain this purity by keeping brinjal out of their kitchens entirely.

The White and Shyam-Colored Brinjal Debate

Some traditions suggest that only white brinjal should be avoided, as it symbolizes impurity, whereas the dark Shyam-colored brinjal, resembling the sacred Shaligram Ji (a divine stone form of Lord Vishnu), might be exempt. However, learned sadhus advise against this distinction, warning that any form of brinjal disrupts the energy of purity. The Shashtra puts it that if the purpose is spiritual elevation, better err on the side of restraint.

"सत्यम् ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात् न ब्रूयात् सत्यमप्रियम्।"

“Speak the truth lovingly, not harshly; similarly, practice discipline with compassion.”

This principle also applies to diet — discipline (niyam) is an act of compassion toward one’s soul.

In the light of Sanatangyan wisdom, the prohibition on eating brinjal is not mere superstition but a reminder of the sacred link between food, purity, and spiritual consciousness. As the shashtras and gurus teach, every choice we make — even a simple meal — can elevate or diminish our inner energy. Whether one believes in its karmic effects or not, the essence of this teaching lies in mindfulness and respect for the divine balance that sustains life.