RE: sleep less, but chant 16 rounds- If there is no sleep, the brain

February 17, 2000

HH Kavichandra Swami writes:

> I think that Srila Prabhupada was simply stressing that fulfilling one's

> vow to chant 16 rounds has top priority, and in his way he was stressing

> that. Prabhupada never advocated sleep devrivation, and he sometimes

> ordered devotees to rest.

> Temple presidents at that time were telling devotees the work was

> worship and more important than their rounds. Srila Prabhupada was not

> happy when he heard that.

You are right Maharaj. Srila Prabhupada says sleep allows the brain to work

properly. In my humble experience, when I sleep early, the next day I feel

great energy to chant more, read more. I am able to chant japa while sitting

at one place and I can concentrate better and I can chant rounds faster. I

get the enthusiasm to memorize verses which is normally not there when I

sleep less. Also I get a zillion new ideas about increasing my devotional

service when I take proper rest. If I don't then the whole day goes by and I

am not able to do much tangible work for Krsna. If I sleep less I don't feel

like dancing in kirtana and feel like doing japa during kirtana which is not

recommended. I feel it is better to sleep (early) a full 6 or 7 hours at

night and engage with full vigour in Krsna's service for the remaining

hours, then to sleep less at night and doze off throughout the day. I feel

the poor health of the senior devotees in ISKCON is more due to sleeping

less than necessary than anyhting else. Like you point out that sometimes

devotees want to imitate the six Goswamis and then suffer (or completely

break down) after a few years because of neglecting to take proper sleep.

SB 3.26.30

Translation:

Doubt, misapprehension, correct apprehension, memory and sleep, as

determined by their different functions, are said to be the distinct

characteristics of intelligence.

Purport:

[...]

Smrti means "memory," and svapa means "sleep." Sleep is also necessary to

keep the intelligence in working order. If there is no sleep, the brain

cannot work nicely. In Bhagavad-gita it is especially mentioned that persons

who regulate eating, sleeping and other necessities of the body in the

proper proportion become very successful in the yoga.

Your servant,

Nayana-rañjana d€sa

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