Sleeping

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Taking Proper Rest in Preparation for Service

 

So that you may rise early and enthusiastically begin serving the Lord, you

should observe certain regulations regarding sleep.

If you require, arrange to be awakened on time, either by a reliable alarm

clock or a reliable person.

 

The Ayur-veda states that sleep during the hours before midnight is most

beneficial. Therefore the earlier a person takes rest, the better for his

health. One should avoid eating heavily before taking rest, as this increases

dreaming and thus the need for sleep. The digestion is slowest at night.

For psychological as well as health reasons, before taking rest you should

relieve yourself, wash your hands, and rinse your mouth with cool water. Next

wash your feet, again with cool water, and then dry them. During the day you

might not always consciously offer your service and its results to the Lord.

Therefore before taking rest you may consciously dedicate your day's activities

to Krsna with a prayer:

 

kayena vaca manasendriyair va

buddhyatmana vanusrta-svabhavat

karomi yad yat sakalam parasmai

narayanayeti samarpayami

 

Whatever I have done with my body, said with my words, thought with my mind,

perceived with my senses, or comprehended with my intelligence, I offer unto

the Supreme Lord, Narayana.

 

Resolving to correct all the mistakes you have made that day, meditate on the

form of the Lord and chant His names, especially Madhava and Padmanabha (the

presiding Deities of the evening and the second and third parts of the night,

respectively), and also meditate on the forms of the Deities you worship

regularly.

 

Offer obeisances to your spiritual master, chanting the pranama prayer(s) and

begging his blessings to continue rendering devotional service.

Also, Srila Prabhupada recommended reading Krsna book before taking rest, to

help one dream of Krsna's pastimes.

 

During sleep your head should point east or south, for sleeping with the head

pointing east brings knowledge, and sleeping with it pointing south promotes

long life and strength. You should avoid sleeping with the head pointing west

or north, for sleeping with the head pointing west brings worries, and sleeping

with it pointing north can induce premature death.

 

It is best to sleep on the left side, since this aids digestion; you should

never sleep on your stomach.

 

Try not to sleep too much or too little, or during the daytime (if possible);

one should not sleep during the three sandhyas (sunrise, noon, and sunset), as

these times are most favorable for meditation and worship. Srila Prabhupada

writes:

 

One should not sleep more than six hours daily. One who sleeps more than six

hours out of twenty-four is certainly influenced by the mode of ignorance. A

person in the mode of ignorance is lazy and prone to sleep a great deal. Such a

person cannot perform yoga. [bg. 6.16, purport]

 

Unless the body is ill, one should not sleep more than six hours at night, or

in one stretch. If more rest is required, one can take a nap during the day.*

To diminish the chances of being influenced by the mode of ignorance, avoid

sleeping in a house alone, and never sleep naked. Out of respect do not sleep

under a pippal tree during the day or in a cowshed at night. It is unclean to

sleep with oil on the head or body.

 

Counteracting Bad Dreams

 

If you have a bad dream, upon awakening, after chanting Hare Krsna you may also

chant the holy names Govinda, Narayana, Sridhara, Purusottama, Vamana,

Sarngadhara, Khadgadhari, and Nrsimha. The Hari-bhakti-vilasa also recommends

several verses that one may chant to counteract bad dreams. Sukadeva Gosvami

recommends chanting the narration of Gajendra's liberation "as it is, without

deviation, to counteract the troubles of bad dreams." (Srimad-Bhagavatam

8.4.15)

 

The Hari-bhakti-vilasa recommends several verses you may chant upon awakening

to glorify the Lord and counteract bad dreams. The following verse, spoken by

Sukadeva Gosvami, is a favorite of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's followers:

 

jayati jana-nivaso devaki-janma-vado

yadu-vara-parisat svair dorbhir asyann adharmam

sthira-cara-vrjina-ghnah susmita-sri-mukhena

vraja-pura-vanitanam vardhayan kama-devam

 

Lord Sri Krsna is He who is known as Jana-nivasa, the ultimate resort of all

living entities, and who is also known as Devaki-nandana or Yasoda-nandana, the

son of Devaki and Yasoda. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty, and with His

mighty arms He kills everything inauspicious, as well as every man who is

impious. By His presence He destroys all things inauspicious for all living

entities, moving and inert. His blissful smiling face always increases the

lusty desires of the gopis of Vrndavana. May He be all glorious and happy!

[srimad-Bhagavatam 10.90.48]