Sleeping is very dangerous. It is to be understood that I am under the clutches of māyā the more we sleep, because the symptom of tamo-guṇa is laziness and sleep. This is the symptom of tamo-guṇa, laziness and sleeping. And symptoms of rajo-guṇa—very active, but just like monkey. Monkeys are very active, but all injurious. Wherever they will sit, they "Gata-gata-gat-gat-gat." Not a single moment they are inactive—but all foolishness. That is passion. And goodness means knowledge.
So in the previous verse it is described how to come to the platform of goodness. When one comes to the platform of goodness, then he becomes prasanna-manasa, because he is not attacked by the modes of ignorance and passion, means laziness, sleep and foolishly active. Foolishly active is more dangerous than less active. Because if one is dangerous, it is better not to become very much active, because . . . just like this monkey. You will find always very active, but nobody likes them. As soon as a monkey comes, everyone drives them away: "Get out! Get out! Get out!"
Therefore we should not be lazy and sleepy, at the same time not foolishly active. We must come to the real standard of life, goodness. Then we can begin our devotional service. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
- na śocati na kāṅkṣati
- samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
- mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
- (BG 18.54)
After being brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), after understanding clearly ahaṁ brahmāsmi, one can take to transcendental loving service of the Lord. Not that before. Before, if we take bhakti-yoga . . . of course, we shall become gradually brahma-bhūta also . . . Bhakti-yoga is so nice that it does not depend on any condition. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā means not under any condition.
You can begin . . . in whichever position you are, you can begin immediately. You can begin hearing about Kṛṣṇa from any point. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). It doesn't matter. And if you follow strictly the bhagavad-bhakti-yoga process, then automatically you are situated above goodness. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).
Anyone who has taken seriously devotional service . . . vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7). Liberation means knowledge and detachment. Knowledge, full knowledge, means that, "I am not this body; I am spirit soul, and my bodily activities are not congenial for my ultimate goal of life. I must engage myself in spiritual activity." This is called jñāna and vairāgya. When one knows that he is not body, then why should he work hard day and night for maintaining this body? That is knowledge.
And karmīs, they are trying to maintain this body. Sometimes karmīs also take to bhakti-yoga—not bhakti-yoga; so-called bhakti—but their aim is how to maintain this body nicely. That is also accepted. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ (SB 2.3.10). Because if you take to bhakti-yoga even for maintaining this body nicely, that is also very nice, because gradually, due to the influence of bhakti-yoga, you will come to the platform of mukta, mukta-saṅga. Bhakti-yoga is so strong.
Therefore śāstra recommends that either you are karmī, either you are jñānī, either you are yogī, you take to devotional service, your all desires will be fulfilled. That is the injunction.