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धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः।योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी।।18.33।।

dhṛityā yayā dhārayate manaḥ-prāṇendriya-kriyāḥ yogenāvyabhichāriṇyā dhṛitiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 18, Verse 33
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
The unwavering firmness, through which Yoga restrains the functions of the mind, life-force, and senses - that firmness, O Arjuna, is Sattvic (pure).

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: the unwavering steadiness by which one controls the activities of the mind, life-breath, and senses, through unbroken yoga, is of the nature of goodness, defining the clearest kind of steadiness by its consistency and its grounding in ongoing, unbroken practice.

In life: real steadiness, the kind that actually holds up under pressure, tends to come from sustained, unbroken practice rather than occasional bursts of willpower deployed only when things get hard.

Teaching: audit whether your own steadiness in an important area is coming from sustained, unbroken practice or from occasional bursts of willpower deployed only during crises, the first kind, this verse suggests, is considerably more reliable.

dhṛityāby determining
yayāwhich
dhārayatesustains
manaḥof the mind
prāṇalife-airs
indriyasenses
kriyāḥactivities
yogenathrough Yog
avyabhichāriṇyāwith steadfastness
dhṛitiḥdetermination
sāthat
pārthaArjun, the son of Pritha
sāttvikīin the mode of goodness

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
18.33 धृत्या by firmness? यया (by) which? धारयते holds? मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः the functions of the mind? the Prana and the senses? योगेन by Yoga? अव्यभिचारिण्या unswerving? धृतिः firmness? सा that? पार्थ O Arjuna? सात्त्विकी Sattvic (pure).Commentary When firmness is awakened in the mind? the activities of the mind? the lifeforce and the senses are brought under control. The senses are withdrawn into the mind. The Prana and the Apana pass into the Sushumna Nadi.Yoga Samadhi or concentration of the mind. You cannot restrain the mind? the lifeforce and the senses by mere firmness. You can control them only by firmness which is ever accompanied by concentration of the mind.When the mind? the lifeforce and the senses are curbed by unwarvering firmness? they cannot run towards external sensual objects? they cannot do any mischief? they cannot move in ways which are opposed to the scriptures? they will be absorbed into their respective causes and their outgoing tendencies will be totally checked.This firmness is not repression or suppression? but an intelligent sublimation and inner transformation.