Another feature of the devotee is nirihaya, simple living. Niriha means “gentle,” “meek” or “simple.” A devotee should not live very gorgeously and imitate a materialistic person. Plain living and high thinking are recommended for a devotee. He should accept only so much as he needs to keep the material body fit for the execution of devotional service. He should not eat or sleep more than is required. Simply eating for living, and not living for eating, and sleeping only six to seven hours a day are principles to be followed by devotees. As long as the body is there it is subjected to the influence of climatic changes, disease and natural disturbances, the threefold miseries of material existence. We cannot avoid them. This is the world of duality. One should not think that because he has fallen sick he has fallen from Krishna consciousness. Krishna consciousness can continue without impediment from any material opposition. Lord Sri Krishna therefore advises in Bhagavad-gita (2.14), tams titiksasva bharata: “My dear Arjuna, please try to tolerate all these disturbances. Be fixed in your Krishna conscious activities.”
Source: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (2014 edition), “Srimad Bhagavatam”, Fourth Canto, Chapter 22 – Text 24
