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Bhagavad Geeta · Krishna

Chapter 6

ध्यानयोग

Path of Meditation

Verses

  1. Verse 1

    śrī bhagavānuvāca anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ| sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ||6.1||

    Meaning

    Lord Shri Krishna said: He who acts out of duty, without considering the consequences, is truly spiritual and a true ascetic; not he who merely observes rituals or shuns all action.

  2. Verse 2

    yaṃ saṃnyāsamiti prāhuryogaṃ taṃ viddhi pāṇḍava| na hyasaṃnyastasaṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana||6.2||

    Meaning

    O Arjuna, renunciation is indeed what is known as right action. No one can become spiritually enlightened who has not renounced all desires.

  3. Verse 3

    ārurukṣormuneryogaṃ karma kāraṇamucyate| yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate||6.3||

    Meaning

    For the sage who seeks the heights of spiritual meditation, practice is the only method, and when they have attained it, they must maintain themselves there through continual self-control.

  4. Verse 4

    yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasvanuṣajjate| sarvasaṅkalpasaṃnyāsī yogārūḍhastadocyate||6.4||

    Meaning

    When a man renounces even the thought of initiating action, and is not interested in sense objects or any results that may flow from his acts, then he truly understands spirituality.

  5. Verse 5

    uddharedātmanā''tmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet| ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ||6.5||

    Meaning

    Let him seek liberation with the help of his Highest Self, and never disgrace his own Self. For that Self is his only friend; yet it can also be his enemy.

  6. Verse 6

    bandhurātmā''tmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ| anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat||6.6||

    Meaning

    To one who has conquered their lower nature with its help, the Self is a friend; but to one who has not done so, it is an enemy.

  7. Verse 7

    jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ| śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ||6.7||

    Meaning

    The Self of one who is self-controlled and has attained peace is equally unmoved by heat or cold, pleasure or pain, honor or dishonor.

  8. Verse 8

    jñānavijñānatṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ| yukta ityucyate yogī samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ||6.8||

    Meaning

    He who desires nothing but wisdom and spiritual insight, who has conquered his senses, and who looks upon a lump of earth, a stone, and fine gold with the same eye, is a real saint.

  9. Verse 9

    suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu| sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate||6.9||

    Meaning

    He looks impartially on all—lovers, friends, or foes; indifferent, hostile, alien, or relative; virtuous or sinful.

  10. Verse 10

    yogī yuñjīta satatamātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ| ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ||6.10||

    Meaning

    Let the student of spirituality try unceasingly to concentrate his mind; let him live in seclusion, absolutely alone, with his mind and personality controlled, free from desire and without possessions.

  11. Verse 11

    śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ| nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram||6.11||

    Meaning

    Having chosen a holy place, let him sit in a firm posture on a seat that is neither too high nor too low, and cover it with a grass mat, a deer skin, and a cloth.

  12. Verse 12

    tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ| upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye||6.12||

    Meaning

    Seated thus, with his mind concentrated, his functions controlled, and his senses governed, let him practice meditation for the purification of his lower nature.

  13. Verse 13

    samaṃ kāyaśirogrīvaṃ dhārayannacalaṃ sthiraḥ| saṃprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan||6.13||

    Meaning

    Let him hold his body, head, and neck erect, motionless and steady; let him look fixedly at the tip of his nose, turning neither to the right nor to the left.

  14. Verse 14

    praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacārivrate sthitaḥ| manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ||6.14||

    Meaning

    With peace in his heart and no fear, observing the vow of celibacy, with his mind controlled and fixed on Me, let the student lose himself in contemplation of Me.

  15. Verse 15

    yuñjannevaṃ sadā''tmānaṃ yogī niyatamānasaḥ| śāntiṃ nirvāṇaparamāṃ matsaṃsthāmadhigacchati||6.15||

    Meaning

    Thus, keeping his mind always in communion with Me and subduing his thoughts, he shall attain that Peace which is Mine and will lead him to liberation at last.

  16. Verse 16

    nātyaśnatastu yogo'sti na caikāntamanaśnataḥ| na cātisvapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna||6.16||

    Meaning

    Meditation is not for him who eats too much, nor for him who eats not at all; not for him who is overly addicted to sleep, nor for him who is always awake.

  17. Verse 17

    yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu| yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā||6.17||

    Meaning

    But for him who regulates his food and recreation, who is balanced in action, in sleep, and in waking, it shall dispel all unhappiness.

  18. Verse 18

    yadā viniyataṃ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate| niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā||6.18||

    Meaning

    When the mind is completely controlled, centered in the Self, and free from all earthly desires, then the man is truly spiritual.

  19. Verse 19

    yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā| yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ||6.19||

    Meaning

    The wise man who has conquered his mind and is absorbed in the Self is like a lamp that does not flicker, as it stands sheltered from every wind.

  20. Verse 20

    yatroparamate cittaṃ niruddhaṃ yogasevayā| yatra caivātmanā''tmānaṃ paśyannātmani tuṣyati||6.20||

    Meaning

    There, where the whole of nature is seen in the light of the Self, where the person abides within their Self and is satisfied there, their functions restrained by their union with the Divine, the mind finds rest.

  21. Verse 21

    sukhamātyantikaṃ yattadbuddhigrāhyamatīndriyam| vetti yatra na caivāyaṃ sthitaścalati tattvataḥ||6.21||

    Meaning

    When he enjoys the bliss that surpasses the senses and can only be grasped by the pure intellect, when he comes to rest within his highest self, he will never again stray from reality.

  22. Verse 22

    yaṃ labdhvā cāparaṃ lābhaṃ manyate nādhikaṃ tataḥ| yasminsthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate||6.22||

    Meaning

    Finding That, he will realize that there is no possession so precious. And once established there, no calamity can disturb him.

  23. Verse 23

    taṃ vidyād duḥkhasaṃyogaviyogaṃ yogasaṃjñitam| sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo'nirviṇṇacetasā||6.23||

    Meaning

    This inner severance from the affliction of misery is spirituality. It should be practiced with determination and with a heart that refuses to be depressed.

  24. Verse 24

    saṅkalpaprabhavānkāmāṃstyaktvā sarvānaśeṣataḥ| manasaivendriyagrāmaṃ viniyamya samantataḥ||6.24||

    Meaning

    Renouncing every desire that can be imagined, controlling the senses at every point through the power of the mind;

  25. Verse 25

    śanaiḥ śanairuparamed buddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā| ātmasaṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet||6.25||

    Meaning

    Little by little, with the help of his reason controlled by fortitude, let him attain peace; and, fixing his mind on the Self, let him not think of anything else.

  26. Verse 26

    yato yato niścarati manaścañcalamasthiram| tatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṃ nayet||6.26||

    Meaning

    When the volatile and wavering mind wanders, let him restrain it and bring it back to its allegiance to the Self.

  27. Verse 27

    praśāntamanasaṃ hyenaṃ yoginaṃ sukhamuttamam| upaiti śāntarajasaṃ brahmabhūtamakalmaṣam||6.27||

    Meaning

    Supreme bliss is the lot of the sage whose mind attains peace, whose passions subside, who is without sin, and who becomes one with the Absolute.

  28. Verse 28

    yuñjannevaṃ sadā''tmānaṃ yogī vigatakalmaṣaḥ| sukhena brahmasaṃsparśamatyantaṃ sukhamaśnute||6.28||

    Meaning

    Thus, free from sin, abiding always in the Eternal, the saint enjoys, without effort, the bliss that flows from the realization of the Infinite.

  29. Verse 29

    sarvabhūtasthamātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani| īkṣate yogayuktātmā sarvatra samadarśanaḥ||6.29||

    Meaning

    He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks upon everything with an impartial eye.

  30. Verse 30

    yo māṃ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṃ ca mayi paśyati| tasyāhaṃ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati||6.30||

    Meaning

    He who sees Me in everything and everything in Me, I shall never forsake him, nor shall he lose Me.

  31. Verse 31

    sarvabhūtasthitaṃ yo māṃ bhajatyekatvamāsthitaḥ| sarvathā vartamāno'pi sa yogī mayi vartate||6.31||

    Meaning

    The sage who realizes the unity of life and who worships Me in all beings, lives in Me, no matter what their lot may be.

  32. Verse 32

    ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṃ paśyati yo'rjuna| sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ saḥ yogī paramo mataḥ||6.32||

    Meaning

    O Arjuna! He is the perfect saint who, having been taught by the likeness within himself, sees the same Self everywhere, regardless of whether the outer form be pleasurable or painful.

  33. Verse 33

    arjuna uvāca yo'yaṃ yogastvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana| etasyāhaṃ na paśyāmi cañcalatvāt sthitiṃ sthirām||6.33||

    Meaning

    Arjuna said: I do not see how I can attain this state of equanimity which You have revealed, owing to the restlessness of my mind.

  34. Verse 34

    cañcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavaddṛḍham| tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyoriva suduṣkaram||6.34||

    Meaning

    My Lord! Verily, the mind is fickle and turbulent, obstinate, and strong; indeed, it is extremely difficult to control, like the wind.

  35. Verse 35

    śrī bhagavānuvāca asaṃśayaṃ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṃ calaṃ| abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate||6.35||

    Meaning

    Lord Shri Krishna replied: Doubtless, O Mighty One, the mind is fickle and exceedingly difficult to restrain; however, O Son of Kunti, with practice and renunciation, it can be done.

  36. Verse 36

    asaṃyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ| vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo'vāptumupāyataḥ||6.36||

    Meaning

    It is not possible to attain Self-Realization unless one knows how to control oneself; however, for one who, striving by the proper means, learns such control, it is possible.

  37. Verse 37

    arjuna uvāca ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāccalitamānasaḥ| aprāpya yogasaṃsiddhiṃ kāṃ gatiṃ kṛṣṇa gacchati||6.37||

    Meaning

    Arjuna asked: What of him who fails to control himself, whose mind falls from spiritual contemplation, yet retains his faith and does not attain perfection?

  38. Verse 38

    kaccinnobhayavibhraṣṭaśchinnābhramiva naśyati| apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi||6.38||

    Meaning

    Having failed in both, my Lord, is he without hope, like a riven cloud with no support, lost on the spiritual path?

  39. Verse 39

    etanme saṃśayaṃ kṛṣṇa chettumarhasyaśeṣataḥ| tvadanyaḥ saṃśayasyāsya chettā na hyupapadyate||6.39||

    Meaning

    My Lord! You are worthy to solve this doubt once and for all; there is no one else competent to do so, save Yourself.

  40. Verse 40

    śrī bhagavānuvāca pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate| nahi kalyāṇakṛtkaściddurgatiṃ tāta gacchati||6.40||

    Meaning

    Lord Shri Krishna replied: My beloved child! There is no destruction for him, either in this world or the next. No evil fate awaits him who treads the path of righteousness.

  41. Verse 41

    prāpya puṇyakṛtāṃ lokānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ| śucīnāṃ śrīmatāṃ gehe yogabhraṣṭo'bhijāyate||6.41||

    Meaning

    Having reached the worlds where the righteous dwell, and having remained there for many years, he who has strayed from the path of spirituality will be born again into the family of the pure, benevolent, and prosperous.

  42. Verse 42

    athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām| etaddhi durlabhataraṃ loke janma yadīdṛśam||6.42||

    Meaning

    Or, he may be born in the family of wise sages, though such a birth is indeed very difficult to obtain.

  43. Verse 43

    tatra taṃ buddhisaṃyogaṃ labhate paurvadehikam| yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṃsiddhau kurunandana||6.43||

    Meaning

    Then, the experience acquired in his former life will revive, and with it, he will more eagerly strive for perfection than before.

  44. Verse 44

    pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo'pi saḥ| jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate||6.44||

    Meaning

    Unconsciously, he will return to the practices of his old life; thus, one who strives to attain spiritual consciousness is certainly superior to one who merely talks about it.

  45. Verse 45

    prayatnādyatamānastu yogī saṃśuddhakilbiṣaḥ| anekajanmasaṃsiddhastato yāti parāṃ gatim||6.45||

    Meaning

    Then, after many lives of earnest striving and absolution of sins, the student of spirituality attains perfection and reaches the Supreme.

  46. Verse 46

    tapasvibhyo'dhiko yogī jñānibhyo'pi mato'dhikaḥ| karmibhyaścādhiko yogī tasmādyogī bhavārjuna||6.46||

    Meaning

    The wise person is superior to the ascetic, the scholar, and the man of action; therefore, be thou a wise person, O Arjuna!

  47. Verse 47

    yogināmapi sarveṣāṃ madgatenāntarātmanā| śraddhāvānbhajate yo māṃ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ||6.47||

    Meaning

    I look upon him as the best of mystics, who, full of faith, worships Me and abides in Me.

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