नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः ।
न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन ॥
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु ।
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा ॥
Transliteration
nāty-aśnatas-tu yogo’sti na caikāntam-anaśnataḥ |
na cāti svapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna || 16 ||
yuktāhāra vihārasya yukta ceṣṭasya karmasu |
yukta svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥsvahā || 17 ||
Translation
O Arjuna! Yoga is not accomplished by him who either eats too much or eats too little; nor by him who sleeps too much or does not sleep enough. Yoga, which ends all miseries, is accomplished only by those who has regulated his diet, formal in performing actions and regulated in sleeping and wakefulness.
Purport
Attaining perfection in Yoga and meditation is not just a matter of practicing Ashtanga yoga or meditation at a certain time, but also regulating the whole lifestyle. Those people who have an imbalance in their lifestyles may find it difficult to achieve perfection. Those who eat too much, or eat too little, sleep too much or sleep too little may not accomplish perfection.
A balanced lifestyle helps to attain perfection in yoga and meditation. One should balance his lifestyle, maintain a discipline in which he should have good and healthy diets, a good balance between work and rest.
