“One can mitigate every material pain by practicing the system of Yoga and get out of the material clutches of birth, death, disease and old age.”

Context of the Verse:

            This verse is from Chapter 6 Dhyana Yoga (The Yoga of Meditation) of Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna is telling the characteristics of an ideal Yogi. Verse 17 is following on support of self-control from the verse 17 there it is seen that the self-control is the foundation of successful meditation and spiritual growth.

Key Teachings in This Verse:

• Balance is Essential: Moderation is Key Quite simply, Yoga cannot survive on excess nor will it benefit from self-denial.
• Holistic Regulation: Eating, recreation, working and sleep – all require discipline for one to have a steady base to reach inner peace.
• Yoga Wards off Misery: When followed with moderation in other respects, Yoga serves to dispel misery and anguish (Duhkha-ha).
• Control in Ordinary Life: External control is to internal self-control what peace is to clarity.

Relevance to Arjuna:

• Arjuna is emotionally in disarray and tired of the savagery of war.
• Krishna provides a regimen for living with control of the mind to restore Arjuna’s clarity and emotional strength.
• This verse is very appropriate, it combines spiritual advice and practical real-life advice, which is something that a warrior and seeker like Arjuna needs.

Explanation:

            We are breathing the Yugas; we’re uttering God’s Name. There are times that the devotees don’t catch this part, we must have, great regulated discipline in our life.

            For material happiness also, if you want that even, we must have very great discipline in our life. Things are mentioned generally eating, sleeping; all kind of activities what we do is concentrated in these four- that if everything there will follow properly then happy. All we have to do is, material sufferings can’t reach us. So Krishna tells you especially four kind of discipline and they are Yuktahar. Ahar means diet. What Krishna said so far, it is very important. And in the diet also what kind of food we should take that was told to us in 13th verse, chapter 3.

            What is that?

            Krishna says that one should eat only food prepared as an offering to Krishna. When it becomes spiritualized, then the force of material nature does not act upon us. It goes on further diminishing the more we accept Prasadam. Then, the Ahara offered to Krishna by Acharyas (spiritual masters) and in Yagya.

            In Kaliyoga, now one cannot- by having had this food, a man remains at distance of material energy and he is always in position to think God. One should eat only Prasada if he actually wants to make progress in spiritual life. And one more law, the holy books in food is doing fasting. That is also very significant for spiritual progress of life and it’s crucial to keep the body in fit. Fasting is one of the very important things, and there are two times in a month when we fast. That is what technically called as Ekadashi. It is on two, 11 days of the fortnight person is to fast minimum. And there are other days also of appearance of God disappearance and various Acarya’s, we do this as we are directed by the sastras. This fasting is of very great significance for spiritual development and further for sense regulation. If we can control the tongue, all other senses naturally become controlled.

            If we’re fasting starvation, other senses don’t torment us a whole lot. Then recreation or begetting of progeny, procreation is also to come under the check. That is called Yuktbihar. After controlling your recreation procreation next is a person don’t have to work too hard. Work also should be regulated. There is a sort of idea connected to the myth that if I work very hard, I can increase my security in life. Wrong attitude because this is what happens even in our jobs after getting a designation, we are stuck with one salary until next appraisal.

            Well, if you do very well in the following appraisal, we’ll have more salary. It’ll be increased. Likewise, as it is stated in the Vedas -according to our activities we are doing here at His life now, that future opulence of ours is getting decided. And as we once take our birth, it is predetermined how opulent you are going to be.

            Now, what does it mean; fixed?

            Just the way our salaries are stuck at office, we have to go at least to the office. But even if you bust your butt for that year, it’s not going to change.” It’s not possible. So, for this life, we can’t obtain it even though we work very hard – actually very, very hard. And how we even further our opulence by pursuing the path of religion.

            The scriptures are speaking Kama, Artha, Dharma and Moksha. If you don’t do Dharma, there is no place for your wealth Artha in your life anyway. But if we are not following Dharma, then it may seem as though our wealth is increasing. A single human can see a straight line. I will work extra I get more money but not hat money won’t stay with us.

            “Opulence is our destiny we are not meant to be poor”. So, suppose even if we save more money, either the disease will eat up, or some litigation charges will take away them all and then the robbers would snatch it off. Our other family members may enjoy but you just can’t. Our luxury is firm, and therefore a man should not work too hard.

            Krishna tells here the result you have to achieve by regulated work. Maximum eight hours should a person work in his vocative duty, job or business, whatever you are doing and balance time match for spiritual activity. This is regulation, if someone has a good sleep till then destiny it will take place naturally. A tiger is sleeping and saying I am very forceful, bunny will come into my mouth. Itis not going to happen. So sleeping is not recommended. Neither pitting, sweatshop is right regulated work maximum eight hours and destiny will take its course. Regulation of taking food, and that also recreation; all these things should be regulated. What is regulated sleeping? So that body is refreshed. Therefore, we can again devitalize ourself for the service of Krishna. Six hours of sleep should be enough for a healthy individual. If we need to sleep more than that, then don’t oversleep another six hours. In our present position, which we get into after a while thinking that ‘we are only mind’, the modes of Ignorance (Tamoguna) predominate us.

            We should try to reduce little by little through managing our diet and work, then it will be possible. We should limit it to no longer than six hours at night and we should go bed early and rise early in the morning. Getting up in Brahma Muhurta. 48 minutes is called muhurta, and the brahma-muhurta period starts 90 minutes before sunrise. Muhurta, that we are meant to rise and practice our spiritual practices in the morning time is also and especially for this age of Kaliyuga as recommended by Lord Krishna himself will chant his holy names. This should be done in the Brahma Muhurta, early morning when we wake up. It is also good for our health.

            And anything, if you read books like scriptures at that time, it’d be five times more powerful. So naturally in the beginning we may be a little sleepy for untrained body – but you have to train yourself, if go back of spiritual life, even for maintaining up-to-date material diseases also. So sleep early and rise in the morning at Brahma Muhurta and if necessary, then maximum one hour should be taken during day for sleeping. Not more than that. Otherwise once again will be of Mode of Ignorance (Tamoguna). Well, then you wonder it’s like was there two hours of daytime sleep or an extra three more? Still I’m feeling lazy. I am sluggishly moving due to this (Tamoguna).

            A Tamsic man you will find he is lazy always; there is heaviness and no enthusiasm. So don’t take more than one hour of a nap during the day, that’s optional. Must therefore control these four activities Ahar, Bihar, Chesta and Swapna in this manner.