Khushal Jethava Gita Gyan · Chapter 6 of 18
ध्यानयोग
The Yoga of Meditation · 47 verses
Krishna turns to meditation: lift yourself by your own self, sit on a steady seat with spine straight, eat and sleep in moderation, and let the mind become like a lamp in a windless place. Arjuna objects that the mind is as hard to hold as the wind. Krishna agrees, and gives the answer: practice and detachment. And no sincere effort is ever lost.
Verses 6.1–6.9
The true renunciate is the one who does the work without leaning on its fruit. For one climbing to yoga, action is the means; for one who has arrived, calm is the means. You are your own friend and your own enemy (6.5).
Krishna said
अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः।
स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः ॥
anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ
sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ
Whoever does the work that is to be done without depending on its fruit is a renunciate and a yogi; not the one who merely gives up the sacred fire, or all activity.
यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव।
न ह्यसंन्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ॥
yaṃ saṃnyāsamiti prāhuryogaṃ taṃ viddhi pāṇḍava
na hyasaṃnyastasaṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana
What they call renunciation, know that to be yoga, Pandava; for no one becomes a yogi without renouncing selfish intention.
आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते।
योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते ॥
ārurukṣormuneryogaṃ karma kāraṇamucyate
yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate
For the sage who wishes to climb to yoga, action is said to be the means; for the one who has climbed it, calm is said to be the means.
यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते।
सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते ॥
yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasvanuṣajjate
sarvasaṅkalpasaṃnyāsī yogārūḍhastadocyate
When one is attached neither to sense objects nor to actions, and has renounced all selfish intention, one is said to have climbed to yoga.
उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥
uddharedātmanā''tmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet
ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ
Lift yourself by your own self; do not let yourself sink. For the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is its enemy.
बन्धुरात्माऽऽत्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः।
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥
bandhurātmā''tmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ
anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat
The self is a friend to one who has conquered oneself by oneself; but for one who has not, the self turns hostile, like an enemy.
जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः।
शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः ॥
jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ
śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ
For one who has conquered the self and is at peace, the supreme Self stays steady, in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, honour and dishonour.
ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः।
युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः ॥
jñānavijñānatṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ
yukta ityucyate yogī samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ
Satisfied with knowledge and its realisation, unshakable, senses conquered, the yogi to whom a clod, a stone and gold are the same is called disciplined.
सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु।
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥
suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu
sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate
Excellent is the one who is even-minded toward well-wishers, friends, enemies, the indifferent, the neutral, the hateful and relatives, toward the good and the wicked alike.
Verses 6.10–6.17
Krishna gives practical instructions: a clean, quiet place; a seat neither too high nor too low, of kusha grass, deerskin and cloth; body, head and neck straight; the gaze resting. And balance: neither too much food nor too little, neither too much sleep nor too little.
योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः।
एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः ॥
yogī yuñjīta satatamātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ
ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ
The yogi should keep concentrating the mind, staying in seclusion, alone, with mind and body controlled, free from hope and from possessiveness.
शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः।
नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् ॥
śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ
nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram
In a clean place, setting up a firm seat for oneself, neither too high nor too low, covered with kusha grass, a deerskin and a cloth,
तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः।
उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये ॥
tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ
upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye
sitting there, making the mind one-pointed, controlling the workings of thought and sense, one should practise yoga to purify the self.
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः।
संप्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥
samaṃ kāyaśirogrīvaṃ dhārayannacalaṃ sthiraḥ
saṃprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan
Holding body, head and neck erect and still, steady, gazing at the tip of one's nose and not looking around,
प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः।
मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः ॥
praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacārivrate sthitaḥ
manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ
serene, fearless, firm in the vow of celibacy, the mind restrained and thinking of me, one should sit disciplined, intent on me.
युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी नियतमानसः।
शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति ॥
yuñjannevaṃ sadā''tmānaṃ yogī niyatamānasaḥ
śāntiṃ nirvāṇaparamāṃ matsaṃsthāmadhigacchati
Always practising in this way, mind controlled, the yogi reaches the peace that rests in me, the supreme nirvana.
नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः।
न चातिस्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन ॥
nātyaśnatastu yogo'sti na caikāntamanaśnataḥ
na cātisvapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna
Yoga is not for one who eats too much, nor for one who does not eat at all; not for one who sleeps too much, nor for one who stays awake too long, Arjuna.
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु।
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा ॥
yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu
yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā
For one moderate in food and recreation, measured in action, moderate in sleep and waking, yoga becomes the destroyer of sorrow.
Verses 6.18–6.28
The settled mind is like a lamp in a windless place (6.19). There, beyond the senses, is a happiness nothing can shake. And when the restless mind wanders off, simply bring it back, gently, again and again.
यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते।
निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा ॥
yadā viniyataṃ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate
niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā
When the disciplined mind rests in the Self alone, free from longing for any desire, one is called united in yoga.
यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता।
योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः ॥
yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā
yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ
"As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker": that is the image for the yogi of controlled mind, practising union with the Self.
यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया।
यत्र चैवात्मनाऽऽत्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति ॥
yatroparamate cittaṃ niruddhaṃ yogasevayā
yatra caivātmanā''tmānaṃ paśyannātmani tuṣyati
Where the mind, restrained by the practice of yoga, comes to rest; where, seeing the Self by the self, one is content in the Self;
सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम्।
वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः ॥
sukhamātyantikaṃ yattadbuddhigrāhyamatīndriyam
vetti yatra na caivāyaṃ sthitaścalati tattvataḥ
where one knows that boundless happiness, grasped by the intellect and beyond the senses, and, established there, never moves from the truth;
यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः।
यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते ॥
yaṃ labdhvā cāparaṃ lābhaṃ manyate nādhikaṃ tataḥ
yasminsthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate
having gained which, one thinks no other gain greater; established in which, one is not shaken even by heavy sorrow;
तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम्।
स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा ॥
taṃ vidyād duḥkhasaṃyogaviyogaṃ yogasaṃjñitam
sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo'nirviṇṇacetasā
know that to be yoga: the breaking of the bond with sorrow. This yoga should be practised with determination and an undiscouraged mind.
सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः।
मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः ॥
saṅkalpaprabhavānkāmāṃstyaktvā sarvānaśeṣataḥ
manasaivendriyagrāmaṃ viniyamya samantataḥ
Giving up completely all desires born of selfish intention, restraining the whole crowd of senses on every side with the mind,
शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया।
आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ॥
śanaiḥ śanairuparamed buddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā
ātmasaṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet
little by little one should come to rest, the intellect held firm; making the mind abide in the Self, one should think of nothing else.
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥
yato yato niścarati manaścañcalamasthiram
tatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṃ nayet
Wherever the restless, unsteady mind wanders off, from there one should draw it back and bring it under the control of the Self alone.
प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम्।
उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम् ॥
praśāntamanasaṃ hyenaṃ yoginaṃ sukhamuttamam
upaiti śāntarajasaṃ brahmabhūtamakalmaṣam
Supreme happiness comes to the yogi whose mind is at peace, whose passion is calmed, who is free of impurity and has become one with Brahman.
युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः।
सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते ॥
yuñjannevaṃ sadā''tmānaṃ yogī vigatakalmaṣaḥ
sukhena brahmasaṃsparśamatyantaṃ sukhamaśnute
Always practising in this way, free from impurity, the yogi easily enjoys the boundless happiness of contact with Brahman.
Verses 6.29–6.32
The yogi sees the Self in every being and every being in the Self, like a net of jewels where each one reflects all the others. Whoever sees Krishna everywhere is never lost to him, and feels another's joy and pain as their own.
सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि।
ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः ॥
sarvabhūtasthamātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani
īkṣate yogayuktātmā sarvatra samadarśanaḥ
With the self disciplined by yoga, seeing the same everywhere, one sees the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self.
यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति।
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति ॥
yo māṃ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṃ ca mayi paśyati
tasyāhaṃ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati
Whoever sees me everywhere and sees everything in me, I am never lost to them, and they are never lost to me.
सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः।
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते ॥
sarvabhūtasthitaṃ yo māṃ bhajatyekatvamāsthitaḥ
sarvathā vartamāno'pi sa yogī mayi vartate
Whoever, established in oneness, worships me as dwelling in all beings, that yogi lives in me, however they live.
आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन।
सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं सः योगी परमो मतः ॥
ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṃ paśyati yo'rjuna
sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ saḥ yogī paramo mataḥ
Whoever, by comparison with oneself, sees the same in everything, Arjuna, whether pleasure or pain, is considered the highest yogi.
Verses 6.33–6.36
Arjuna is honest: the mind is restless, stubborn and strong, as hard to hold as the wind. Krishna doesn't argue. Yes, he says, but it can be held, by practice (abhyasa) and detachment (vairagya), the way a string holds a kite in the wind.
Arjuna said
योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन।
एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात् स्थितिं स्थिराम् ॥
yo'yaṃ yogastvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana
etasyāhaṃ na paśyāmi cañcalatvāt sthitiṃ sthirām
This yoga of evenness that you have taught, Madhusudana: I cannot see how it can last, because the mind is so restless.
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥
cañcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavaddṛḍham
tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyoriva suduṣkaram
The mind is restless, Krishna, turbulent, strong and stubborn. Controlling it seems to me as hard as controlling the wind.
Krishna said
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलं।
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥
asaṃśayaṃ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṃ calaṃ
abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate
No doubt, mighty-armed, the mind is restless and hard to restrain. But by practice (abhyasa) and detachment (vairagya), son of Kunti, it can be held.
असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः।
वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः ॥
asaṃyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ
vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo'vāptumupāyataḥ
Yoga is hard to reach for one who is not self-controlled, I agree. But one who is self-controlled and keeps striving can reach it by the right means.
Verses 6.37–6.47
And if someone tries and falls short, do they vanish like a torn cloud? Never, says Krishna. No one who does good comes to a bad end. The practice carries over, life after life, until it reaches the goal. So be a yogi, Arjuna.
Arjuna said
अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः।
अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति ॥
ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāccalitamānasaḥ
aprāpya yogasaṃsiddhiṃ kāṃ gatiṃ kṛṣṇa gacchati
What becomes of one who has faith but does not strive enough, whose mind wanders from yoga, and who fails to reach its perfection, Krishna?
कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति।
अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि ॥
kaccinnobhayavibhraṣṭaśchinnābhramiva naśyati
apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi
Fallen from both, does such a one not perish like a torn cloud, mighty-armed, without support, lost on the path to Brahman?
एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः।
त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते ॥
etanme saṃśayaṃ kṛṣṇa chettumarhasyaśeṣataḥ
tvadanyaḥ saṃśayasyāsya chettā na hyupapadyate
Please cut away this doubt of mine completely, Krishna; no one but you can dispel it.
Krishna said
पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते।
नहि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति ॥
pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate
nahi kalyāṇakṛtkaściddurgatiṃ tāta gacchati
Partha, there is no destruction for such a one, neither here nor hereafter. No one who does good, my friend, ever comes to a bad end.
प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः।
शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते ॥
prāpya puṇyakṛtāṃ lokānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ
śucīnāṃ śrīmatāṃ gehe yogabhraṣṭo'bhijāyate
Having reached the worlds of the righteous and lived there for countless years, the one who fell from yoga is born in the home of the pure and prosperous.
अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम्।
एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् ॥
athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām
etaddhi durlabhataraṃ loke janma yadīdṛśam
Or they are born into a family of wise yogis, though a birth like that is harder to find in this world.
तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम्।
यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन ॥
tatra taṃ buddhisaṃyogaṃ labhate paurvadehikam
yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṃsiddhau kurunandana
There they regain the understanding of their former life, and from there they strive again for perfection, joy of the Kurus.
पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः।
जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते ॥
pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo'pi saḥ
jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate
By that earlier practice they are carried along, even without wanting to. Even one who only wishes to know yoga goes beyond the ritual of the Vedas.
प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः।
अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥
prayatnādyatamānastu yogī saṃśuddhakilbiṣaḥ
anekajanmasaṃsiddhastato yāti parāṃ gatim
But the yogi who strives with effort, cleansed of impurities and perfected over many births, then reaches the highest goal.
तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः।
कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन ॥
tapasvibhyo'dhiko yogī jñānibhyo'pi mato'dhikaḥ
karmibhyaścādhiko yogī tasmādyogī bhavārjuna
The yogi is greater than the ascetics, greater even than the learned, greater than those who perform ritual works. So be a yogi, Arjuna.
योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना।
श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः ॥
yogināmapi sarveṣāṃ madgatenāntarātmanā
śraddhāvānbhajate yo māṃ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
And of all yogis, the one who worships me with faith, their inner self absorbed in me, I consider the most united with me.