Interviewer: In this sense, is some kind of punishment of the body necessary? You know, in the rigorous observance of a fitness regime?

Sri Chinmoy: It is not actually punishment. True, we feel it is better to wear out than to rust out. But actually, we do not wear out. The only thing is that if we don’t utilise the body, we don’t know how much capacity it has. The body needs exercise. If we do not take exercise, we do not know how much we are capable of achieving. If we do not eat, we do not know how much we can eat. The capacity of the body remains fast asleep. But when we take exercise, we allow the body or we encourage the body and inspire the body to play its role in the Cosmic Game.