Yoga as Body and Mind Control
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system, Kṛṣṇa proclaims that  yoga  cannot be properly performed by one who eats too much or eats too little. One who starves himself cannot properly perform  yoga . Nor can the person who eats more than required. The eating process should be moderate, just enough to keep body and soul together; it should not be for the enjoyment of the tongue. When palatable dishes come before us, we are accustomed to take not just one of the preparations but two, three and four—and upwards. Our tongue is never satisfied. But it is not unusual in India to see a  yogī  take only a small spoonful of rice a day and nothing more. Nor can one execute the meditational  yoga  system if one sleeps too much or does not sleep sufficiently. Kṛṣṇa does not say that there is such a thing as dreamless sleep. As soon as we go to sleep, we will have a dream, although we may not remember it. In the  Gītā  Kṛṣṇa cautions that one who dreams too much while sleeping cannot properly execute  yoga . One should not sleep more than six hours daily. Nor can one infected by insomnia, who cannot sleep at night, successfully execute  yoga , for the body must be kept fit. Thus Kṛṣṇa outlines so many requirements for disciplining the body. All these requirements, however, can essentially be broken down into four basic rules: no illicit sexual connection, no intoxication, no meat-eating and no gambling. These are the four minimum regulations for the execution of any  yoga  system. And in this age who can refrain from these activities? We have to test ourselves accordingly to ascertain our success in  yoga  execution.