Verse-17
Chapter 6 — Atma Sanyam Yoga
Verse 17
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceşțasya karmasu
yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duhkhahā
🕉 English Translation
Karte uchit jo ahaar aur vihar,
Kare karmo mein bhi sahi vyavhar.
Na jage veh aur na hee soye bahut,
Toh ho yoga se duur sab uske dukh.
📜 Translation
English
The yoga which is the destroyer of sorrows can be perfected by the one who egulates his food habits and movements, who puts forth a regulated effort in the performance of actions and is regulated in sleep and wakefulness.
Life is not just meant for eating, drinking, sleeping, waking, trade and conduct. These may be necessary for life. Life is meant for achieving the state of yoga; as the end of all suffering lies there. "Yogo bhavati dukhaha" on the yoga being perfected sorrows will be destroyed. The craving of life is that there should be total annihilation of suffering and sorrow and the experience of joy. This can be achieved only through yoga and not through worldly indulgence. Therefore, it should be positively accepted that the ultimate goal of life is yoga. How to attain this state of yoga? For this here is given a very simple inspirational indication by the preacher of the Gita.
The middle path! The sitar maestro should not tighten the sitar strings so much that the string breaks. It should also not be left so slack that a hoarse sound is emitted. Eating and drinking, sleeping and waking should be done in such a manner, that the effort in these actions is so much that one is not always exhausted and to attain self-upliftment there is left no time for devotion, worship, religious company and remembrance of the Lord. On the other hand, there should not be total inactivity and idleness. The machinery of the body will start deteriorating then. The indication of eating, drinking, sleeping and waking has already been made in the previous verse. Whatever is proper, necessary in a discriminative manner that much only should be done. Keep your discernment ever vigilant! The aim is yoga and not indulgence; this should always be kept in mind.
Bow down to these precious inspirations from the Gita! Indebtness for this deep and well-thought-out inspiration for the seekers of the spiritual path, towards the singer of the song of the Gita who is the Lord of the world. Maintaining constant vigilance towards every aspect of conduct is the Mother Gita! A homage-thousand times to you!