Breath, Body Odor, and Temple Standards (Sauca)
22. Breath, Body Odor, and Temple Standards (Sauca)
The Gross Physical Symptoms of Alliums
When a person eats garlic or onions, the sulfur compounds (specifically allyl methyl sulfide) cannot be completely digested in the stomach. Instead:
- They are absorbed into the bloodstream.
- The blood carries them to the lungs, where they vaporize into the exhaled breath for up to 48 hours.
- They are excreted through the skin's sweat glands, producing persistent, pungent body odor.
No amount of brushing, mouthwash, or perfume can mask this metabolic excretion.
📜 Scriptural Citations & Authentic Shlokas
Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Vilasa 8, Verse 49
अशुद्धवदनो भूत्वा कृष्णं नैवार्चयेन्नरः ।
दुर्गन्धयुक्तदेहेन सेवापराधभाक् भवेत् ॥ ४९ ॥
aśuddha-vadano bhūtvā kṛṣṇaṁ naivārcayen naraḥ
durgandha-yukta-dehena sevāparādha-bhāk bhavet
- aśuddha-vadanaḥ — having an unwashed or foul-smelling mouth; bhūtvā — becoming; kṛṣṇam — Lord Krishna; na eva arcayet — must never worship; naraḥ — a human being; durgandha-yukta-dehena — with a body emitting bad odors; sevāparādha-bhāk — committing an offense against Deity worship; bhavet — becomes.
Translation: "A person should never approach or worship Lord Krishna with an impure mouth. Approaching the Lord with a foul-smelling body constitutes an offense against Deity worship."
Vedic worship is an experience of divine aromas: pure sandalwood paste (chandana), fragrant incense (dhupa), sacred Tulasi leaves, fresh jasmine and lotus flowers, and aromatic camphor. A devotee desires their breath and body to be scented with the Holy Names and the pure fragrance of Krishna-prasadam.