Minimize eating, sleeping, mating and defending. When it is nil, that is perfection. Because these are bodily necessities. Eating, sleeping, mating, defending, that is bodily necessities. But I am not this body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāram . . . (BG 2.13).
So that realization takes time. But when we are actually advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we must know our duty. Sleeping not more than six hours. Utmost eight hours. Utmost, those who cannot control. But not ten hours, twelve hours, fifteen hours. No. Then what is the use of . . .? Somebody went to see one advanced devotee, and at nine o'clock he was sleeping. And he's advanced devotee. Eh? Is not that? So what is . . .? What kind of devotee he is? Devotee must rise early in the morning, by four o'clock. By five o'clock, he must finish his bathing and other things. Then he takes to chanting and so on . . . twenty-four hours' business must be there. So sleeping is not good. The Gosvāmīs used to sleep only two hours. I also write at night book, and I also sleep not more than three hours. But I take sometimes little sleep more. Not like . . . I don't imitate the Gosvāmīs. That is not possible. But as far as possible. So everyone should try to avoid. And avoid sleeping means if we eat less, then we'll avoid. Eating, sleeping. After eating, there is sleeping. So if we eat more, then more sleeping. If we eat less, then less sleeping. Eating, sleeping, mating. And mating should be avoided. That is a great stricture. Sex life should be minimized as far as possible. Therefore we have got this restriction, "No illicit sex." Sex life, we don't say . . . that you cannot do, nobody can do. Therefore sex life means married life, a little concession. A license, "All right, you take this license." But not illicit sex. Then you'll never be able.