Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.28.35-36

tatra candravasā nāma

tāmraparnī vatodakā

tat-punya-salilair nityam

ubhayatrātmano mrijan

kandāshtibhir mūla-phalaih

pushpa-parnais trinodakaih

vartamānah śanair gātra-

karśanam tapa āsthitah

SYNONYMS

tatra — there; candravasā — the Candravasā River; nāma — named; tāmraparnī — the Tāmraparnī River; vatodakā — the Vatodakā River; tat — of those rivers; punya — pious; salilaih — with the waters; nityam — daily; ubhayatra — in both ways; ātmanah — of himself; mrijan — washing; kanda — bulbs; ashtibhih — and by seeds; mūla — roots; phalaih — and by fruits; pushpa — flowers; parnaih — and by leaves; trinā — grass; udakaih — and by water; vartamānah — subsisting; śanaih — gradually; gātra — his body; karśanam — rendering thin; tapah — austerity; āsthitah — he underwent.

TRANSLATION

In the province of Kulācala, there were rivers named Candravasā, Tāmraparnī and Vatodakā. King Malayadhvaja used to go to those pious rivers regularly and take his bath there. Thus he purified himself externally and internally. He took his bath and ate bulbs, seeds, leaves, flowers, roots, fruits and grasses and drank water. In this way he underwent severe austerities. Eventually he became very skinny.

PURPORT

We can definitely see that to advance in Krishna consciousness one must control his bodily weight. If one becomes too fat, it is to be assumed that he is not advancing spiritually. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākura severely criticized his fat disciples. The idea is that one who intends to advance in Krishna consciousness must not eat very much. Devotees used to go to forests, high hills or mountains on pilgrimages, but such severe austerities are not possible in these days. One should instead eat only prasāda and no more than required. According to the Vaishnava calendar, there are many fasts, such as Ekādaśī and the appearance and disappearance days of God and His devotees. All of these are meant to decrease the fat within the body so that one will not sleep more than desired and will not become inactive and lazy. Overindulgence in food will cause a man to sleep more than required. This human form of life is meant for austerity, and austerity means controlling sex, food intake, etc. In this way time can be saved for spiritual activity, and one can purify himself both externally and internally. Thus both body and mind can be cleansed.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness