Chapter 6

Dhyana Yoga

ध्यानयोग

Dhyān Yog•“Path of Meditation”•47 Verses

A Reading - Rantideb

Chapter 5 said acting without attachment is the more available path, but it didn't explain how you actually train a mind to do that. Chapter 6 is the how, a detailed, practical guide to meditation, posture, moderation in eating and sleeping, and steadily working with a mind that keeps wandering back to its old habits. Why this matters: it's easy to agree with the idea of a disciplined mind and still have no real method for getting there, this chapter gives Arjuna, and the reader, the actual mechanics. In life, this is the chapter for anyone who has tried to build a consistent practice, meditation, focus, self-control, and quit after a few failed attempts, assuming they simply weren't cut out for it. The teaching, stated directly by Krishna near the end, is that no sincere effort toward this is ever wasted, even an incomplete practice carries you forward into your next attempt, which makes this less about perfection and more about simply not giving up on returning to the practice.

Chapter Summary

The sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Dhyana Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna reveals the "Yoga of Meditation" and how to practise this Yoga. He discusses the role of action in preparing for Meditation, how performing duties in devotion purifies one's mind and heightens one's spiritual consciousness. He explains in detail the obstacles that one faces when trying to control their mind and the exact methods by which one can conquer their mind. He reveals how one can focus their mind on Paramatma and unite with the God.

Verses in this Chapter (47)

Verse 1

श्री भगवानुवाच अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः। स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः।।6.1।।

The Lord said, "He who performs works that ought to be done without seeking their fruits - he is a sannyasin and yogin, and not he who maintains no sacred fires and performs no actions."

Verse 2

यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव। न ह्यसंन्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन।।6.2।।

That which is called Sannyasa (Jnana Yoga), know that to be Yoga (Karma Yoga), O Arjuna. For no one, among Karma Yogins, whose delusive identification of the body with the self has not been abandoned, becomes a true Karma Yogin.

Verse 3

आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते। योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते।।6.3।।

Action is said to be the means for the sage who seeks to climb the heights of Yoga; but when he has climbed the heights of Yoga, tranquility is said to be the means.

Verse 4

यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते। सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते।।6.4।।

For, when one loses attachment to the things of the senses and to actions, then they have abandoned all desires and are said to have climbed the heights of Yoga.

Verse 5

उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्। आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः।।6.5।।

One should raise oneself by one's own mind and not allow oneself to sink; for the mind alone is the friend of the self, and the mind alone is the foe of the self.

Verse 6

बन्धुरात्माऽऽत्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः। अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत्।।6.6।।

The mind is the friend of him by whom it has been conquered. But for him whose mind is not conquered, the mind, like an enemy, remains hostile.

Verse 7

जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः। शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः।।6.7।।

Of him whose mind is conquered and who is serene, the great self is well-secured in heat and cold, in pleasure and pain, and in honor and dishonor.

Verse 8

ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः। युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः।।6.8।।

The yogin whose mind is content with knowledge of the self and also with knowledge of the difference between the self and Prakrti, who is established in the self, whose senses are subdued, and to whom earth, stone, and gold all seem alike, is called integrated.

Verse 9

सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु। साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते।।6.9।।

He who regards with an equal eye well-wishers, friends, foes, the indifferent, neutrals, the hateful, the relations, and even the good and the sinful - he excels.

Verse 10

योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः। एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः।।6.10।।

The yogin should constantly fix his mind on yoga, remaining in a solitary place all alone, controlling his thoughts and mind, free from desire and a sense of possession.

Verse 11

शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः। नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम्।।6.11।।

Having established for himself, in a clean spot, a firm seat that is neither too high nor too low, and covering it with cloth, deer-skin, and Kusa grass in reverse order -

Verse 12

तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः। उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये।।6.12।।

Sitting on the seat, with a concentrated mind, controlling the mind and senses, one should practice Yoga for the purification of the self.

Verse 13

समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः। संप्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन्।।6.13।।

Holding the trunk, head, and neck erect, motionless and steady, gazing at the tip of the nose and not looking in any direction;

Verse 14

प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः। मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः।।6.14।।

Serene and fearless, firm in their vow of celibacy, controlling their minds and fixing their thoughts on Me, they should sit in Yoga, intent on Me.

Verse 15

युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी नियतमानसः। शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति।।6.15।।

Applying his mind in this way, the Yogin of controlled mind, ever attains the peace which is the summit of beatitude and which abides in Me.

Verse 16

नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः। न चातिस्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन।।6.16।।

Yoga is not for him who overeats, nor for him who fasts excessively; not for him, O Arjuna, who sleeps too much, nor for him who stays awake too long.

Verse 17

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु। युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा।।6.17।।

Yoga becomes the destroyer of sorrows for those who are temperate in food and recreation, temperate in their actions, and temperate in their sleep and wakefulness.

Verse 18

यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते। निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा।।6.18।।

When the subdued mind rests solely on the Self, then, free from all yearning for objects of desire, one is said to be fit for Yoga.

Verse 19

यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता। योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः।।6.19।।

A lamp does not flicker in a windless place" - that is the simile used for the tranquil mind of a yogi who practices yoga.

Verse 20

यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया। यत्र चैवात्मनाऽऽत्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति।।6.20।।

Where the mind, controlled through the practice of Yoga, rests, and where one sees the Self by the Self and is delighted by the Self alone.

Verse 21

सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम्। वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः।।6.21।।

Where one knows that infinite happiness which can be grasped by the intellect but is beyond the reach of the senses, and is established in that condition, one does not swerve from it.

Verse 22

यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः। यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते।।6.22।।

Having gained it, one holds that there is no greater gain; being established in it, one is not moved even by the heaviest sorrow.

Verse 23

तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम्। स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा।।6.23।।

Know this deliverance from association with misery to be Yoga. This Yoga must be practiced with determination and with a mind free from despondency.

Verse 24

सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः। मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः।।6.24।।

Renouncing entirely all desires born of volition and restraining the mind from all the senses on all sides,

Verse 25

शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया। आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत्।।6.25।।

Little by little, one should withdraw oneself from objects other than the self, with the help of the intellect held by firm resolution; and then one should think of nothing else, having fixed the mind upon the Self.

Verse 26

यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्। ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्।।6.26।।

Wherever the fickle and unsteady mind wanders, one should subdue it and then bring it back under the control of the self alone.

Verse 27

प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम्। उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम्।।6.27।।

For supreme happiness comes to the Yogin whose mind is at peace, who is free from evil, from whom Rajas has departed, and who has become the Brahman.

Verse 28

युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः। सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते।।6.28।।

Thus, devoting himself to the Yoga of the Self, freed from impurities, the yogin easily attains the supreme bliss of contact with the Brahman.

Verse 29

सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि। ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः।।6.29।।

He whose mind is fixed in Yoga sees reality everywhere; he sees his Self as abiding in all beings and all beings in his Self.

Verse 30

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति। तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति।।6.30।।

To him who sees Me in every self and every self in Me - I am not lost to him, nor is he lost to Me.

Verse 31

सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः। सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते।।6.31।।

The yogi who, fixed in oneness, worships Me dwelling in all beings - he abides in Me, no matter how he may live.

Verse 32

आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन। सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं सः योगी परमो मतः।।6.32।।

He who, due to the similarity of selves everywhere, sees pleasure or pain as the same everywhere - that yogi, O Arjuna, is considered the closest.

Verse 33

अर्जुन उवाच योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन। एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात् स्थितिं स्थिराम्।।6.33।।

Arjuna said, "O Krsna, this Yoga of reality, which You have declared, I do not see how it can be steady due to the fickleness of the mind."

Verse 34

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्। तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्।।6.34।।

For the mind is fickle, O Krsna, impetuous, powerful, and stubborn; I think that restraining it is as difficult as restraining the wind.

Verse 35

श्री भगवानुवाच असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलं। अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते।।6.35।।

The Lord said, "The mind is indeed hard to subdue and fickle, O mighty-armed one, but, O son of Kunti, it can be brought under control through practice and the exercise of dispassion."

Verse 36

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः। वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः।।6.36।।

In my opinion, Yoga is hard to attain by a person of an unrestrained mind; however, it can be attained through the right means by one who strives for it and has a subdued mind.

Verse 37

अर्जुन उवाच अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः। अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति।।6.37।।

Arjuna said, "If a person who is possessed of faith but has put in only inadequate effort finds his mind wandering away from Yoga, and then fails to attain perfection - what way does he go, O Krishna?"

Verse 38

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति। अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि।।6.38।।

Without any support, confused in the path leading to the Brahman, and thus having fallen from both, does he not perish, O mighty-armed one, like a rent cloud?

Verse 39

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः। त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते।।6.39।।

O Krsna, you should altogether remove this doubt of mine, for there is no other remover of this doubt than you.

Verse 40

श्री भगवानुवाच पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते। नहि कल्याणकृत्कश्िचद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति।।6.40।।

The Lord said, "Neither here in this world nor there in the next is there destruction for him. For no one who does good ever comes to an evil end."

Verse 41

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः। शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते।।6.41।।

He who has fallen away from Yoga is born again in the house of the pure and prosperous, having attained to the worlds of doers of good deeds and dwelled there for many long years.

Verse 42

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम्। एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम्।।6.42।।

Or he is born into a family of wise yogis. But such a birth in this world is rare.

Verse 43

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम्। यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन।।6.43।।

There, O Arjuna, he regains the disposition of mind that he had in his former body, and from there he strives even more for success in Yoga.

Verse 44

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः। जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते।।6.44।।

By the power of his earlier practice, he is carried forward even against his will. Even though he is an enquirer about Yoga, he transcends the Sabda-Brahman, i.e., Prakṛti or matter.

Verse 45

प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः। अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम्।।6.45।।

But the yogi, striving earnestly, cleansed of all his stains and perfected through many births, reaches the supreme state.

Verse 46

तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः। कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन।।6.46।।

Greater than the ascetics, greater than those who possess knowledge, greater than the ritualists is the Yogin. Therefore, O Arjuna, become a Yogin.

Verse 47

योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना। श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः।।6.47।।

He who, with faith, worships Me, and whose innermost self is fixed in Me, I consider him to be the greatest of the Yogins.

Previous chapter Next chapter

Verses

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47