1176
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 3, Ch. 28]
mita-medhyādanam śaśvad vivikta-kṣema-sevanam
grāmya —conventional;  dharma —religious practice;  nivṛttiḥ —ceasing;  ca —and;  mokṣa —for salvation;  dharma —religious practice;  ratiḥ —being attracted to;  tathā —in that way;  mita —little;  medhya —pure;  adanam —eating;  śaśvat —always;  vivikta —secluded;  kṣema —peaceful;  sevanam —dwelling.
TRANSLATION
One should cease performing conventional religious practices and should be attracted to those which lead to salvation. One should eat very frugally and should always remain secluded so that he can achieve the highest perfection of life.
PURPORT
It is recommended herein that religious practice for economic development or the satisfaction of sense desires should be avoided. Religious practices should be executed only to gain freedom from the clutches of material nature. It is stated in the beginning of  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  that the topmost religious practice is that by which one can attain to the transcendental devotional service of the Lord, without reason or cause. Such religious practice is never hampered by any impediments, and by its performance one actually becomes satisfied. Here this is recommended as  mokṣa-dharma , religious practice for salvation or transcendence of the clutches of material contamination. Generally people execute religious practices for economic development or for sense gratification, but that is not recommended for one who wants to advance in  yoga .
The next important phrase is  mita-medhyādanam , which means that one should eat very frugally. It is recommended in the Vedic literatures that a  yogī  eat only half what he desires according to his hunger. If one is so hungry that he could devour one pound of foodstuffs, then instead of eating one pound, he should consume only half a pound and supplement this with four ounces of water; one fourth of the stomach should be left empty for passage of air in the stomach. If one eats in this manner he will avoid indigestion and disease. The  yogī  should eat in this way, as recommended in the  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  and all other standard scriptures. The  yogī  should live in a secluded place where his  yoga  practice will not be disturbed.