In a Pandemic is there a Secret of Health?
By Prahladananda Swami
In this unprecedented period in the world’s history where health has become a constant source of concern, a pure devotee can give us some secrets of health.
What is the most important secret of health? Srila Prabhupada reveals it in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.10:
“In Kali-yuga, the duration of life is shortened not so much because of insufficient food but because of irregular habits. By keeping regular habits and eating simple food, any man can maintain his health. Overeating, over-sense gratification, over-dependence on another’s mercy, and artificial standards of living sap the very vitality of human energy. Therefore the duration of life is shortened.”
Ayurveda explains that one of the main causes of ill health is stress. Stress can result from natural changes like the fall in temperature from day to night. When the stresses of material life occur, an imbalance in the body’s energies (doshas) may prevent the body from adjusting adequately. The result is disease. Regulating our lives, however, will minimize the effect of stress, and therefore it may be said that the more regulated one’s life, the healthier one will be.
REPLY;
“In Kali-yuga, the duration of life is shortened not so much because of insufficient food but because of irregular habits. By keeping regular habits and eating simple food, any man can maintain his health. Overeating, over-sense gratification, over-dependence on another’s mercy, and artificial standards of living sap the very vitality of human energy. Therefore the duration of life is shortened.” pamho
In 2001 I applied for sannyasa, my right as Srila Prabhupada's senior disciple, many years of service over Prahladananada Swami, and Iskcon member since 1971. I was obliged to expect his mercy, was overdependent upon it, as noted above in the quote, but when the "forms" arrived, they insisted on my vowing eternal obedience to the GBC. This was never Srila Prabhupada's orders, so I could not sign such a farce. He himself left the Gaudiya maths to preach. As a result of depending on organizations composed of neophytes with mundane political motivations, my own life was negatively impacted. Srila Prabhupada ordered me to take sannyasa, and this scuttled the effort. So yes, he is right, do not depend upon faulty persons or questionable groups, or it can make you quite ill. .