FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 6.17

యుక్తాహారవిహారస్య యుక్తచేష్టస్య కర్మసు । యుక్తస్వప్‍నావబోధస్య యోగో భవతి దు:ఖహా ॥ ౧౭ ॥
yuktāhāra-vihārasya
[yuktaahaara-vihaarasya]
yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu
[yukta-cheshtasya karmasu]
yukta-svapnāvabodhasya
[yukta-svapnaavabodhasya]
yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā
[yogo bhavati duhkha-haa]
Word-for-word
yukta — regulated āhāra — eating vihārasya — recreation yukta — regulated ceṣṭasya — of one who works for maintenance karmasu — in discharging duties yukta — regulated svapna - avabodhasya — sleep and wakefulness yogaḥ — practice of yoga bhavati — becomes duḥkha - hā — diminishing pains .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yuktāhāra-vihārasya
yukta
regulated
āhāra
eating
vihārasya
recreation
yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu
yukta
regulated
ceṣṭasya
of one who works for maintenance
karmasu
in discharging duties
yukta-svapnāvabodhasya
yukta
regulated
svapna - avabodhasya
sleep and wakefulness
yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā
yogaḥ
practice of yoga
bhavati
becomes
duḥkha - hā
diminishing pains .
Important Words
  • yukta-āhāra — regulated eating
    Yukta — 'yoked, fitting, appropriate.' The same root that gives yoga itself. Eating becomes a limb of yoga the moment it is yukta.
  • vihārasya — of recreation
    Genitive of vihāra — 'going about, amusement, pastime.' Even recreation is brought under regulation. The yogī's leisure is not anarchic; it too is yukta.
  • ceṣṭasya — of one who works for maintenance
    From √ceṣṭ, 'to strive, to exert.' The verse covers the full daily round — eating, recreating, working, sleeping. Nothing is left outside the discipline of regulation.
  • svapna-avabodhasya — of sleep and wakefulness
    A dvandva pairing sleep with waking. Both halves of the day are named: yoga is not a practice for one stretch only. The yukta yogī is yukta in both.
  • duḥkha-hā — diminishing pains
    Duḥkha + √han, 'pain-slayer.' The fruit of yukta living is the slaying of misery itself. Not its avoidance, not its endurance — its diminishment at the root.
He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.
Purport

Extravagance in the matter of eating, sleeping, defending and mating – which are demands of the body – can block advancement in the practice of yoga. As far as eating is concerned, it can be regulated only when one is practiced to take and accept prasādam, sanctified food. Lord Kṛṣṇa is offered, according to the Bhagavad-gītā (9.26) , vegetables, flowers, fruits, grains, milk, etc. In this way, a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness becomes automatically trained not to accept food not meant for human consumption, or not in the category of goodness. As far as sleeping is concerned, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is always alert in the discharge of his duties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and therefore any unnecessary time spent sleeping is considered a great loss. Avyartha-kālatvam: a Kṛṣṇa conscious person cannot bear to pass a minute of his life without being engaged in the service of the Lord. Therefore, his sleeping is kept to a minimum. His ideal in this respect is Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, who was always engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa and who could not sleep more than two hours a day, and sometimes not even that. Ṭhākura Haridāsa would not even accept prasādam nor even sleep for a moment without finishing his daily routine of chanting with his beads three hundred thousand names. As far as work is concerned, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not do anything which is not connected with Kṛṣṇa’s interest, and thus his work is always regulated and is untainted by sense gratification. Since there is no question of sense gratification, there is no material leisure for a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And because he is regulated in all his work, speech, sleep, wakefulness and all other bodily activities, there is no material misery for him.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
17. If one has regulated eating, regulated walking, regulated use of organs in both material and spiritual activities, regulated sleep and regulated waking, his yoga destroys all suffering.
Commentary

Yukta here means “controlled.” One who controls eating and walking (ahāra, vihārasya), and controls actions such as speech (ceṣṭasya) during execution of both material and spiritual duties (karmaṣu), performs yoga which destroys suffering.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
17. If one has regulated eating, regulated recreation, regulated use of organs in both material and spiritual activities, regulated sleep and regulated waking, yoga destroys all suffering.
Commentary

For one with regulated eating and recreation, with controlled actions of the sense organs (such as speaking) related to spiritual and mundane duties, with regulated sleeping and waking, yoga destroys all suffering. Therefore the yogī will conduct himself in that way.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Next is another definition of the perfected stage. [ 6 . Yogarudha: Fixing the mind in samadhi: Thus the yogi regulates his habits. By his pure mind, he, devoid of material desires, sees and enjoys the self. (18‑19) ]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Regulated lifestyle – A yogi must keep careful balance in eating, sleeping, recreation and

work

Focus of Learning

(c) ‘Vigata-bhir’ – It means “devoid of fear”- It is a very important quality to practice astanga-yoga

Krishna consciousness is the only basis of fearlessness (6.14 purport)
Cause of fear – It is due to the perverted memory of forgetfulness of one’s eternal relationship with Krishna
Supporting References: Ref. SB 11.2.37 – “bhayam dvitiya...”

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEXTS 6.16 – 6.17

Regulation of body is essential in spiritual life.

It provides peacefulness and a fit body conducive for spiritual life

(a) Description of “param dhama”/ superior abodes (study 6.15 purport)

Kingdom of God is everywhere, but spiritual sky and planets thereof are called ‘param-dhama’
Supporting references for Lord’s abode
Abode of the Lord is clearly described in Bhagavad-gita as that place where there is no need of sun, moon and electricity (Ref. Bg. 15.6)
Ref. Brahma Samhit 5.37 “Goloka eva...”
Qualification to reach kingdom of God for any yogi – A person with proper understanding of Krishna’s position and His plenary expansion Vishnu indicated by the Lord in the words ‘mac-chitah’ and ‘mat-parah’ (6.13 – 6.14)
Ref. Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.8 “tam eva...” – One can overcome the path of birth and death only by understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEXT 6.15

This text proves that astanga-yoga is not meant for

Health improvement/material facility, entering into void or magical jugglery/gymnastic feats

SUMMARIZED THEME 6B

COMPARING ASTANGA YOGA & KRISHNA CONCIOUSNESS
IN TERMS OF PRACTICE (6.10 – 6.17)

This table shows that all precautions and perfections for transcendentalists are perfectly executed when one

is directly in Krishna consciousness

S.

No

Criteria

Text

No.

Astanga-Yoga

Krishna Consciousness

Principle

6.10

Constantly engage body, mind and

self in relationship with Supreme

Constantly engage body, mind and self

in relationship with Supreme

Relationship

with Supreme

6.10

Impersonalists and yogis are

partially, imperfectly and

indirectly Krishna consciousness

Devotee is fully Krishna consciousness

– perfect and direct relationship with

Supreme

Place of

practice

6.10

Live alone and secluded place

Purpose: To avoid disturbance by

external objects

Devotee – Stays in good association

/Avoid unwanted association – Thus

always aloof from material things

Mind Control –

First business

of any trans-

cendentalist

6.10

Struggles hard to fix mind on

Supersoul

Devotee always thinks of Krishna and

never forgets Him (Concentration of

mind on the Supreme is called Samadi)

Consciousness

Free of desire

and

possessiveness

6.10

A prerequisite to practice

yogarudha stage. In perfect

determination, one should not

hanker after unnecessary material

things that entangle him by

“feelings of material

possessiveness”

Direct Krishna conciosness means

“Self-abnegation” right in the

beginning stages wherein there is very

little chance for material

possessiveness. Rupa Goswami’s

“Yukta-Vairagya” principle

(Study 6.10 purport)

Manner of

sitting

6.11

6.12

Not too high or too low
Deer Skins / Kusha grass
Straight posture / vision on tip of the nose

No such specifications

Celibacy

6.13

6.14

Must for jnana and dhyana

schools

Only school which allows Grhasta

Brahmachari concept

Fearlessness

6.13

6.14

Full Krishna consciousness is the only

basis of “fearlessness”

Object of

meditation

6.13

6.14

To see “Vishnu-murti” (object of

yoga practice) in the heart, an

expansion of Krishna only

Devotee always sees Krishna

everywhere

Goal of life

6.13

-

6.14

Krishna in the heart of every living

entity (indicated by ‘mac-chitah’

and ‘mat-parah’ in Text 14)

Krishna

Result –

Ultimate goal

of yoga

practice

6.15

Cessation of all material existence
Kingdom of God (achieved only by one in perfect understanding of Krishna)

Devotee is a perfect yogi because

always absorbed in Krishna’s service

and has perfect understanding of

Krishna

Ref. Ambarish Maharaja

S.

No

Criteria

Text

No.

Astanga-Yoga

Krishna Consciousness

Regulation in

lifestyle

6.16

6.17

Extravagance in the 4 demands of the body – eating, sleeping, mating,

defending – is a block in advancement of any yoga

Eating

Quantity: Yogis should eat only

what is required to keep body and

soul together, anything more is

“too much eating”

Quantity for a devotee:

Eats only limited

Fast only according to scriptural

injunctions

No artificial concocted fasting

Quality:

1) Only food in “goodness”

2) Food must be offered In

yajna – Otherwise one

eats only sin (Ref. Bg.

3.13)

3) No meat

eating/intoxications

Quality:

Only Krishna prasadam (Ref. Bg. 9.26)

Sleeping

If more than 6 hours

1. Lazy

2. Dreaming

Following Avyartha-Kalatvam

Eg: Rupa Goswami and Srila Haridasa

Thakura (study purports)

Regulated in work and recreation

Works only for Krishna; no desire for

sense gratification, therefore no

material leisure

Benefit of Regulation for a Krishna conscious person – Regulation in all above bodily activities brings

to a state of no material misery

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 6.17 & 6.18: In Texts 6.10 – 6.17, Krishna has described how to meditate. Now

Krishna will describe the perfectional stage of astanga-yoga

SUBSECTION B (TEXT 6.18 – 6.32): PERFECTIONAL STAGE OF MEDITATION / ASTANGA YOGA

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
6.17 Yogah bhavati, Yoga becomes; duhkha-ha, a destroyer of sorrow-that which destroys (hanti) all sorrows (duhkhani)-, i.e., Yoga destroys all worldly sorrows; yukta-ahara-viharasya, of one whose eating and movements are regulated- ahara (lit. food) means all that is gathered in, [According to the Commentator, ahara, which also means food, includes mental 'food as well. See Ch. 7.26.2.-Tr.] and vihara means moving about, walking; one for whom these two are regulated (yukta) is yukta-ahara-vihara-; and also yukta-cestasya, of one whose effort (cesta) is moderate (yukta); karmasu, in works; similarly, yukta-svapna-avabodhasya, of one whose sleep (svapna) and wakefulness (avabodha) are temperate (yukta), have regulated periods. To him whose eating and movements are regulated, whose effort in work is moderate, whose sleep and wakefulness are temperate, Yoga becomes a destroyer of sorrows. When does a man become concentrated? That is being presently stated:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
6.17 The 'yoga which destroys all sorrows,' i.e., unties bondages, is successfully practised by him who is temperate in eating and recreation, temperate in exertion, and temperate in sleep and vigil.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
6.16-17 Yogosti etc. Yuktahara etc. For foods : for sense-objects that are being brought [by sense-organs]. Effort : activity for enjoying [them]. Its appropriateness is neither to have unlimited indulgence, nor to have unlimited abstention. The same is in all cases. The rest [of the text] is clear. On the authority of the Sage [Vyasa], the form jagaratah etc. [may be viewed correct] as those in the Vedic literature. The same is in other similar instances also.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
6.17 Yoga becomes the destroyer of pain for him who is moderate in eating and recreation (such as walking, etc.), who is moderate in exertion in actions, who is moderate in sleep and wakefulness.
Commentary

6.17 युक्ताहारविहारस्य of one who is moderate in eating and recreation (such as walking? etc.)? युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु of one who is moderate in exertion in actions? युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य of one who is moderate in sleep and wakefulness? योगः Yoga? भवति becomes? दुःखहा the destroyer of pain.Commentary In this verse the Lord prescribes for the student of Yoga? diet? recreation and th like. The student of Yoga should always adopt the happy medium or the middle course. Lord Buddha went to the extremes in the beginning in matters of food? drink? etc. He was very abstemious and became extremely weak. He tortured his body very much. Therefore he was not able to attain to success in Yoga. Too much of austerity is not necessary for Selfrealisation. This is condemned by the Lord in chapter XVII? verses 5 and 6. Austerity should not mean selftorture. Then it becomes diabolical. The Buddi Yoga of Krishna is a wise approach to austerity. Some aspirants take asceticism as the goal it is only the means but not the end. The nervous system is extremely,sensitive. It responds even to very slight changes and causes distraction of the mind. It is? therefore? very necessary that you should lead a very regulated and disciplined life and should be moderate in food? sleep and recreation. Take measured food. Sleep and wake up at the prescribed time. Sleeo at 9 or 10 p.m. and get up at 3 or 4 a.m. Only then will you attain to success in Yoga which will kill all sorts or pains and sorrows of this life.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
6.17 Yoga becomes a destroyer of sorrow of one whose eating and movements are regulated, whose effort in works is moderate, and whose sleep and wakefulness are temperate.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
6.17 But for him who regulates his food and recreation, who is balanced in action, in sleep and in waking, it shall dispel all unhappiness.
Related values & verses
Related values
Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)
Related verses
BG 6.16 BG 17.10 BG 18.52 SB 11.18.34 SB 11.8.7 SB 7.12.22 CC Antya 6.227 CC Antya 6.310 CC Madhya 22.78 Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.26.2BRS 1.2.91
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
He who is regulated in eating, sleeping, recreation, and work — by the practice of yoga, all material pains are diminished.
Practical Applications
  • Regulate not only sādhana but also recreation and work.
  • Recognize that disciplined ordinary life supports deep practice.
  • Don't compartmentalize 'spiritual' from 'mundane.'
Reflection Questions
  • Which area of regulation has slipped?
  • What single restoration would help most?
Analogy

A well-tuned veena — every string regulated to its proper tension — yields music; one string slack or one too tight, and the whole instrument is unfit. The yogī's life is that veena: āhāra, vihāra, ceṣṭa, svapna — four strings. Yoga plays when each is yukta. Pain itself diminishes not because life is silent but because life is tuned.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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