Translation
In this
verse, Krishna says that one must practice eating (ahara), recreation (vihara),
work (karma), sleep (svapna), and wakefulness (avabodha) in moderation.
Verse
6.16 forbids any extreme practices – eating too much or too little, sleeping
for long hours or very few hours, and so on.
Story of
Yayati from the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Yayati is
the second son of the famous King Nahusa. After his elder brother gives up the
throne and takes up the path of renunciation, Yayati is crowned king. He is a
good king but given to sense enjoyments. He not only marries Devayani, the
daughter of the guru of demons (asuras), Sukracharya, but also marries
Devayani’s friend, Sharmista. He promises Sukracharya that would not bear any
children with her.
Sukracharya’s
curse.
Devayani
gives birth to two children. But when he begets three children from Sharmista
too, the promise given to his father-in-law is broken. At this point,
Sukracharya is furious with Yayati for his transgression and curses him to
suffer old age and vitality immediately. Yayati is distressed and begs for
forgiveness. Since the curse cannot be taken back, Sukracharya permits him to
trade his old age with the youth of any of his sons. None of his sons are ready
for such a trade, however the youngest son, Puru agrees to it.
A
thousand years of enjoyment.
Yayati
gets his youth back. He again begins to enjoy his life – indulging his senses
and partaking every material pleasure. After a thousand years of enjoying
unlimited material comforts, he still remains unsatisfied. His greed and desire
find no end.
Devayani
tells him that just like butter added to fire can never extinguish it,
similarly, indulging in continual enjoyment can never satiate the fire of
desires.
Yayati
finally gives his youth back to Puru and installs him on the throne. He then
retires to the forest and engages himself fully in devotional service to the
Lord.
Extremism
in any form is harmful.
Yayati
over indulged himself. But sometimes a devotee or Sadhak may do the opposite
and eat too little, sleep too little, and torment their body. A sadhak does not
think too much about the body, as they tend to focus on the soul. Verse 17.5
and 17.6 term the practices of tormenting the body as tamasic in nature.
Finding the
path of moderation.
Krishna
says that though we are here for the liberation of the soul, the body is
equally important because without a human body, no sadhana is possible. We need
a healthy body so that we can continue our practices. Neither do hunger, sleep deprivation,
laziness and frugality help us nor do overeating, over sleeping, over working, over
indulgence and greed.
Excess or too little of anything is bad. Moderation is the key –
eat just enough to stay nourished, sleep just enough to feel rejuvenated, and consume
just enough to live comfortably.
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At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Deep gratitude to those who have lit that flame within me! Your comments are appreciated.