It’s clear that this term encompasses a wide range of meanings, each with significant implications for a devotee’s life. Here’s a summary of the key points :
Food (Āhāra):
Devotees should avoid excessive and opulent prasādam.
Offer the best food to the Lord but consume simple prasādam personally.
Brahmacārīs and gṛhasthas should limit their intake of sweets.
Money (Āhāra):
In bhakti, atyāhāra means not collecting more funds than necessary.
Funds should be used solely for the service of the Lord.
Gṛhasthas should avoid over-accumulating money to save time for bhakti.
Impressions (Saṁskāra):
The mind’s food consists of impressions from sense objects.
Avoid unnecessary engagement with sense objects to prevent unwanted impressions.
Resolve (Saṅkalpa):
The food of the ātmā is saṅkalpa.
Devotees should have realistic and achievable saṅkalpas.
Unrealistic goals, like attaining Kṛṣṇa prem in a short time, fall under atyāhāra.
Knowledge (Jñāna):
The food of the buddhi is jñāna.
Avoid excessive or useless knowledge.
Read only as much as necessary for service.
Occupation (Āhāra):
The food of life is occupation.
Devotees should not work more than eight hours a day.
Excessive work is considered atyāhāra.
This is a comprehensive understanding of how to balance these aspects in a devotee’s life. It’s a valuable guide for anyone practicing bhakti. This balanced approach helps devotees focus on their spiritual practice while managing their worldly responsibilities.