Shloka 17
अक्षरब्रह्मयोगः | Akṣara-Brahma-Yoga
The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman
हे अर्जुन! यह योग< न तो बहुत खानेवालेका, न बिलकुल न खानेवालेका, न बहुत शयन करनेके स्वभाव-वालेका और न सदा जागनेवालेका ही सिद्ध होता है? ।।
na aty-aśnatas tu yogo 'sti na ca ekāntam anaśnataḥ | na ca ati-svapna-śīlasya jāgrato na eva cārjuna || yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu | yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā ||
O Arjuna! Ang disiplina ng yoga ay hindi nagtatagumpay sa taong labis kung kumain, ni sa taong ganap na tumatanggi sa pagkain; hindi rin ito nagtatagumpay sa taong labis kung matulog, ni sa taong laging gising na walang pahinga. Ang Yoga—tagapagwasak ng dalamhati—ay sumisibol sa taong may timbang sa pagkain at paglilibang, may sukat sa pagsisikap habang ginagampanan ang tungkulin, at may kaayusan sa pagtulog at paggising.
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yoga succeeds through moderation: regulated eating and recreation, measured effort in one’s duties, and balanced sleep and wakefulness. Extremes—overindulgence or harsh deprivation—disturb steadiness of mind and obstruct the removal of sorrow.
In the midst of the Kurukṣetra context, the dialogue turns to practical discipline. Arjuna voices (and the teaching emphasizes) that inner steadiness is supported by an orderly daily life, linking spiritual practice to ethical self-regulation rather than ascetic extremes.