The rhythm that ends sorrow

yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasuyuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā

For one measured in food and play, measured in effort at work, measured in sleep and waking, yoga becomes the end of sorrow.

What it means

Krishna completes the thought with a gentle rule. Measure. In eating, in recreation, in work, in sleep. Notice that play is included. Rest is part of the path, not a guilty break from it. When life has this rhythm, yoga stops being a struggle. It becomes the very thing that dissolves sorrow.

The story

Yudhishthira, Arjuna's eldest brother, was wise in almost everything. But at the dice table he could not stop. Throw after throw, he gambled away his kingdom, his brothers, himself. One loss of measure led the family to this battlefield.

In your life

Ben has worked every weekend for four months and snaps at everyone. This Saturday he leaves the laptop at the office, goes for a long walk with his kids, and is in bed by ten.