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 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.Frugal
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 3
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
- kāmasya nendriya-prītir
- lābho jīveta yāvatā
- jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā
- nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Antya-lila
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Conversations and Morning Walks
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No. That we shall... He is not bringing all the goods at a time.
Guru dāsa: Oh.
Prabhupāda: Partially. We have to pay.
Guru dāsa: All right. [break] Śrīla Prabhupāda, I want you to feel that we will do this, and this work, and spend frugally and thrifty.
Prabhupāda: Very frugally. You have already become very unfrugal.
Guru dāsa: I am agitated that you are anxious about it, because yes, I commit many mistakes, no doubt.
Prabhupāda: So, that's all right. Don't commit more, that's all.
Guru dāsa: Yes. But there's also some mistakes I have not committed. There's some very good things that have happened.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. Don't commit mistake.
Guru dāsa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Devotee should not commit mistake. He's above it.1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: That New Orleans, our farm? It was nice.
Guru-kṛpā: Māyāpura is the best farm.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And it will be still better when our plan is made.
Guru-kṛpā: We want to set the example this year by also giving a big donation to Māyāpura and also building here.
Prabhupāda: At the same time you see that it is not misspent. That is another defect, that our spending is not very frugal and spend like anything. There must be.... But in India they want to cheat you, and you are very expert, being cheated.Prabhupāda: They are all bogus. Bogus. We are not going to follow the bogus. At least in these seven days they must not have any sex. Then he will be all right. They'll get some benefit.
Hari-śauri: Yes. That's described here also. That will come out automatically in the class, that one has to sit...
Prabhupāda: They will have to take thrice bath and eat frugally, not voraciously. If they want real treatment, that will benefit them. If they have got some ideas of yoga and we have to cheat them, that is impossible.1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes you see a very wealthy may living in only two, three rooms with his whole family.
Prabhupāda: That's all. And generally one room. Otherwise two rooms—one stock room, one sleeping room. They live very economically and save money.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Frugal.
Prabhupāda: Frugal, yes. And when there is enough money, they construct their own house. Then they live very luxuriously. In the beginning, no.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. And they'll work sixteen hours sometimes.Correspondence
1977 Correspondence
Yes, try to reduce the expenditures more and more. It is only with great difficulty upon all our book distributers that BBT gets its funds. So those who are responsible should be very frugal to see that not one penny is unnecessarily spent.
Thank you all for praying to Lord Nrsimhadeva for my good health.Page Title: | Frugal |
Compiler: | Vrindi, Serene |
Created: | 20 of Dec, 2008 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=2, CC=1, OB=0, Lec=2, Con=5, Let=1 |
No. of Quotes: | 11 |