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There was one yogi in Calcutta - of course, in a temple, in a sanctified place - he was taking once only a little quantity of rice boiled with water, at three o'clock in the afternoon he was taking. That was his food, and nothing more

Expressions researched:
"there was one yogi in Calcutta" |"of course, in a temple, in a sanctified place" |"he was taking once only a little quantity of rice boiled with water, at three o'clock in the afternoon he was taking. That was his food, and nothing more"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The yogīs are concerned, they cannot take any palatable, desirable things. They have to simply take only the necessities. Some of the yogīs, I have seen . . . there was one yogī in Calcutta—of course, in a temple, in a sanctified place—he was taking once only a little quantity of rice boiled with water, at three o'clock in the afternoon he was taking. That was his food, and nothing more. Nothing more.

Lord Kṛṣṇa says, nātyaśnatas tu yogo 'sti: "Anyone who eats more than necessary, oh, he cannot perform yoga." Na ati aśnatas yogo 'sti na ca ekāntam anaśnataḥ (BG 6.16): "A person," I mean to say, "willfully trying to keep himself in starvation, he cannot perform yoga. Neither the person who eats more than he requires, he also cannot perform yoga." The eating process should be moderate, only for keeping the body and soul together. Not for enjoyment of the tongue.

So that is the real yogic process, that you cannot eat very palatable things. Because as soon as palatable things comes before us, naturally if I take one, I must take two, three, four. You see? So, so far yogīs . . . the yogīs are concerned, they cannot take any palatable, desirable things. They have to simply take only the necessities. Some of the yogīs, I have seen . . . there was one yogī in Calcuttaof course, in a temple, in a sanctified placehe was taking once only a little quantity of rice boiled with water, at three o'clock in the afternoon he was taking. That was his food, and nothing more. Nothing more.

So nātyaśnatas tu yogo 'sti na caikāntam anaśnataḥ na cāti svapna-śīlasya: "If anyone dreams very much, he cannot also execute." Now, here Śrī Kṛṣṇa does not say that there is dreamless sleep. Dreamless sleep cannot be possible. It is not possible. If somebody says "dreamless sleep," it is also another lunacy. No. Dream there must be, more or less. As soon as you go asleep, oh, dream there must be. That may be good dream, bad dream, or for long time or for little time. But dream there must be.

But Kṛṣṇa says that na ca ati svapna-śīlasya. That means "One who dreams very much while sleeping, he cannot execute yoga." Na jāgrato naiva cārjuna." And one who cannot sleep at night . . ." I have got a young friend, he cannot sleep. So for him, it is not yoga . . . for . . . yoga process is not possible. He may note down here. So sleep also required. You cannot remain without sleeping. That is also required.

That means somehow or other, you should keep your body fit. You should not eat more, you shall not voluntarily starve, you should not be voluntarily awake, and neither, and if you keep yourself peaceful, then you'll not sleep . . . er, you'll not dream also. When the bile is very much agitated, then we see so many dreams due to the air which is coming out of agitated bile. And if you keep yourself peaceful, cool mind, cool head, cool, I mean to say, stomach, then there will, there will be ordinary sleep.

So here it is said that na ca ati svapna-śīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna. Again He repeats, yuktāhāra-vihārasya yoga-ceṣṭasya, yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu (BG 6.17).

Now here again He says, yukta kar . . . er, yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu. Now, if a yogī has to go away from home, then where is the question of karma? Karma. That means sometimes those who are practicing yoga at home, for him it is said that yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu. If you want to be a yogī at home, then your other engagement should be moderate. You cannot engage for earning your living very heavily and at the same time you can become a yogī. No, that is not possible. That is not possible.

Yuktāhāra-vihārasya. You should eat very moderately, you should gratify your senses very moderately, and your work should be anxietyless, you should not dream more, and you should not be awake. These are the rules. Then yoga process will be successful.

Page Title:There was one yogi in Calcutta - of course, in a temple, in a sanctified place - he was taking once only a little quantity of rice boiled with water, at three o'clock in the afternoon he was taking. That was his food, and nothing more
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2023-05-15, 14:57:10
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1