Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 6 of 18 · 47 verses
The Yoga of Meditation
Dhyāna Yoga
What this chapter teaches
Practical guidance on calming the turbulent mind through steady practice, moderation, posture, breath, and the gradual mastery of restless thought.
This chapter gives the most detailed practical guidance on meditation in the Gita. Krishna teaches proper posture, diet, sleep, the right inner environment, and the gradual steadying of the mind. When Arjuna protests that the mind is as difficult to control as the wind, Krishna acknowledges this but insists: through practice (abhyāsa) and detachment (vairāgya), it can be mastered. The chapter ends with Krishna declaring that the yogi who has gone even a little way on this path is superior to the ritualist, the ascetic, or the scholar of texts.
All 47 verses — Sanskrit, transliteration, English
श्री भगवानुवाच अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः। स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः॥
śrī bhagavānuvāca anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ | sa saṁnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ ||
The Blessed Lord said He who performs an action which is his duty, without depending on the result of action, he is a monk and a yogi; (but) not (so in) he who does not keep a fire and is actionless.
यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव। न ह्यसंन्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन॥
yaṁ saṁnyāsamiti prāhuryogaṁ taṁ viddhi pāṇḍava | na hyasaṁnyastasaṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana ||
That which they call monasticism, know that to be Yoa, O Pandava, For, nobody who has not given up expectations can be a yogi.
आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते। योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते॥
ārurukṣormuneryogaṁ karma kāraṇamucyate | yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate ||
For the sage who wishes to ascend to (Dhyana-) yoga, action is said to be the means. For that person, when he has ascended to (Dhyana-)yoga, inaction alone is said to be the means.
यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते। सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते॥
yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasvanuṣajjate | sarvasaṅkalpasaṁnyāsī yogārūḍhastadocyate ||
Verily, [Verily: This word emphasizes the fact that, since attachment to sense objects like sound etc. and to actions is an obstacle in the path of Yoga, therefore the removal of that obstruction is the means to its attainment.] when a man who has given up thought about everything does not get attached to sense-objects or acitons, he is then said to be established in Yoga.
उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्। आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः॥
uddharedātmanā''tmānaṁ nātmānamavasādayet | ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ ||
One should save oneself by oneself; one should not lower oneself. For oneself is verily one's onw friend; oneself is verily one's own enemy.
बन्धुरात्माऽऽत्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः। अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत्॥
bandhurātmā''tmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ | anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat ||
Of him, by whom has been conered his very self by the self, his self is the friend of his self. But, for one who has not conered his self, his self itself acts inimically like an enemy.
जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः। शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः॥
jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ | śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ ||
The supreme Self of one who has control over the aggregate of his body and organs, and who is tranil, becomes manifest. (He should be eipoised) [These words are supplied to complete the sentence.] in the midst of cold and heat, happiness and sorrow, as also honour and dishonour.
ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः। युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः॥
jñānavijñānatṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ | yukta ityucyate yogī samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ ||
One whose mind is satisfied with knowledge and realization, who is unmoved, who has his organs under control, is sadi to be Self-absorbed. The yogi treats eally a lump of earth, a stone and gold.
सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु। साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते॥
suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu | sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate ||
He excels who has sameness of view with regard to a benefactor, a friend, a foe [Ari (foe) is one who does harm behind one's back.], a neutral, an arbiter, the hateful, [Dvesyah is one who openly hateful.] a relative, good people and even sinners.
योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः। एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः॥
yogī yuñjīta satatamātmānaṁ rahasi sthitaḥ | ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ ||
A yogi should constantly concentrate his mind by staying in a solitary place, alone, with mind and body controlled, free from expectations, (and) free from acisition.
शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः। नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम्॥
śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ | nātyucchritaṁ nātinīcaṁ cailājinakuśottaram ||
Having firmly established in a clean place his seat, neither too high nor too low, and made of cloth, skin and kusa-grass, placed successively one below the other;
तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः। उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये॥
tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ | upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye ||
(and) sitting on that seat, he should concentrate his mind for the purification of the internal organ, making the mind one-pointed and keeping the actions of the mind and senses under control.
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः। संप्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन्॥
samaṁ kāyaśirogrīvaṁ dhārayannacalaṁ sthiraḥ | saṁprekṣya nāsikāgraṁ svaṁ diśaścānavalokayan ||
Holding the body, head and neck erect and still, being steady, looking at the tip of his own nose-and not looking around;
प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः। मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः॥
praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacārivrate sthitaḥ | manaḥ saṁyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ ||
He should remain seated with a placid mind, free from fear, firm in the vow of a celibate, and with the mind fixed on Me by controlling it through concentration, having Me as the supreme Goal.
युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी नियतमानसः। शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति॥
yuñjannevaṁ sadā''tmānaṁ yogī niyatamānasaḥ | śāntiṁ nirvāṇaparamāṁ matsaṁsthāmadhigacchati ||
Concentrating the mind thus for ever, the yogi of controlled mind achieves the Peace which culminates in Liberation and which abides in Me.
नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः। न चातिस्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन॥
nātyaśnatastu yogo'sti na caikāntamanaśnataḥ | na cātisvapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna ||
But, O Arjuna, Yoga is not for one who eats too much, nor for one who does not eat at all; neither for one who habitually sleeps too long, nor surely for one who keeps awake.
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु। युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा॥
yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu | yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā ||
Yoga becomes a destroyer of sorrow of one whose eating and movements are regulated, whose effort in works is moderate, and whose sleep and wakefulness are temperate.
यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते। निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा॥
yadā viniyataṁ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate | niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā ||
A man who has become free from hankering for all desirable objects is then said to be Self-absorbed when the controlled mind rests in the Self alone.
यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता। योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः॥
yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā | yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ ||
As a lamp kept in a windless place does not flicker, such is the simile thought of for the yogi whose mind is under control, and who is engaged in concentration on the Self.
यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया। यत्र चैवात्मनाऽऽत्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति॥
yatroparamate cittaṁ niruddhaṁ yogasevayā | yatra caivātmanā''tmānaṁ paśyannātmani tuṣyati ||
At the time when the mind restrained through the practice of Yoga gets withdrawn, and just when by seeing the Self by the self one remains contented in the Self alone [A.G. construes the word eva (certainly) with tusyati (remains contented).-Tr.];
सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम्। वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः॥
sukhamātyantikaṁ yattadbuddhigrāhyamatīndriyam | vetti yatra na caivāyaṁ sthitaścalati tattvataḥ ||
When one experienece that absolute Blisss which can be intuited by the intellect and which is beyond the senses, and being established (thus) this person surely does not swerve from Reality;
यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः। यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते॥
yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ | yasminsthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate ||
Obtaining which one does not think of any other acisition to be superior to that, and being established in which one is not perturbed even by great sorrow;
तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम्। स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा॥
taṁ vidyād duḥkhasaṁyogaviyogaṁ yogasaṁjñitam | sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo'nirviṇṇacetasā ||
One should know that severance of contact with sorrow to be what is called Yoga. That Yoga has to be practised with perservance and with an undepressed heart.
सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः। मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः॥
saṅkalpaprabhavānkāmāṁstyaktvā sarvānaśeṣataḥ | manasaivendriyagrāmaṁ viniyamya samantataḥ ||
By totally eschewing all desires which arise from thoughts, and restraining with the mind itself all the organs from every side;
शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया। आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत्॥
śanaiḥ śanairuparamed buddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā | ātmasaṁsthaṁ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet ||
One should gradually withdraw with the intellect endowed with steadiness. Making the mind fixed in the Self, one should not think of anything whatsoever.
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्। ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्॥
yato yato niścarati manaścañcalamasthiram | tatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṁ nayet ||
(The yogi) should bring (this mind) under the subjugation of the Self Itself, by restraining it from all those causes whatever due to which the restless, unsteady mind wanders away.
प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम्। उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम्॥
praśāntamanasaṁ hyenaṁ yoginaṁ sukhamuttamam | upaiti śāntarajasaṁ brahmabhūtamakalmaṣam ||
Supreme Bliss comes to this yogi alone whose mind has become perfectly tranil, whose (ality of) rajas has been eliminated, who has become identified with Brahman, and is taintless.
युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः। सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते॥
yuñjannevaṁ sadā''tmānaṁ yogī vigatakalmaṣaḥ | sukhena brahmasaṁsparśamatyantaṁ sukhamaśnute ||
By concentrating his mind constantly thus, the taintless yogi easily attains the absolute Bliss of contact with Brahman.
सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि। ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः॥
sarvabhūtasthamātmānaṁ sarvabhūtāni cātmani | īkṣate yogayuktātmā sarvatra samadarśanaḥ ||
One who has his mind Self-absorbed through Yoga, and who has the vision of sameness every-where, see this Self existing in everything, and every-thing in his Self.
यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति। तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति॥
yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati | tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati ||
One who sees Me in everything, and sees all things in Me-I do not out of his vision, and he also is not lost to My vision.
सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः। सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते॥
sarvabhūtasthitaṁ yo māṁ bhajatyekatvamāsthitaḥ | sarvathā vartamāno'pi sa yogī mayi vartate ||
That yogi who, being established in unity, adores Me as existing in all things, he exist in Me-in whatever condition he may be.
आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन। सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं सः योगी परमो मतः॥
ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṁ paśyati yo'rjuna | sukhaṁ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṁ saḥ yogī paramo mataḥ ||
O Arjuna, that yogi is considered the best who judges what is happiness and sorrow in all beings by the same standard as he would apply to himself.
अर्जुन उवाच योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन। एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात् स्थितिं स्थिराम्॥
arjuna uvāca yo'yaṁ yogastvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana | etasyāhaṁ na paśyāmi cañcalatvāt sthitiṁ sthirām ||
Arjuna said O Madhusudana (Krsna), this Yoga that has been spoken of by You as sameness, I do not see its steady continuance, owing to the restlessness (of the mind).
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्। तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्॥
cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavaddṛḍham | tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyoriva suduṣkaram ||
For, O Krsna, the mind is unsteady, turbulent, strong and obstinate. I consider its control to be as greatly difficult as of the wind.
श्री भगवानुवाच असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलं। अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते॥
śrī bhagavānuvāca asaṁśayaṁ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṁ calaṁ | abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate ||
The Blessed Lord said O mighty-armed one, undoubtedly the mind is untractable and restless. But, O son of Kunti, it is brought under control through practice and detachment.
असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः। वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः॥
asaṁyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ | vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo'vāptumupāyataḥ ||
My conviction is that Yoga is difficult to be attained by one of uncontrolled mind. But it is possible to be attained through the (above) means by one who strives and has a controlled mind.
अर्जुन उवाच अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः। अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति॥
arjuna uvāca ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāccalitamānasaḥ | aprāpya yogasaṁsiddhiṁ kāṁ gatiṁ kṛṣṇa gacchati ||
Arjuna said O krsna, failing to achieve perfection in Yoga, what goal does one attain who, though possessed of faith, is not diligent and whose mind becomes deflected from Yoga?
कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति। अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि॥
kaccinnobhayavibhraṣṭaśchinnābhramiva naśyati | apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi ||
एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः। त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते॥
etanme saṁśayaṁ kṛṣṇa chettumarhasyaśeṣataḥ | tvadanyaḥ saṁśayasyāsya chettā na hyupapadyate ||
O Krsna, You should totally eradicate this doubt of mine. For, none other than Yourself can be the dispeller of this doubt!
श्री भगवानुवाच पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते। नहि कल्याणकृत्कश्िचद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति॥
śrī bhagavānuvāca pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate | nahi kalyāṇakṛtkaśicaddurgatiṁ tāta gacchati ||
The Blessed Lord said O Partha, there is certainly no ruin for him here or hereafter. For, no one engaged in good meets with a deplorable end, My son!
प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः। शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते॥
prāpya puṇyakṛtāṁ lokānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ | śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yogabhraṣṭo'bhijāyate ||
Attaining the worlds of the righteous, and residing there for eternal years, the man fallen from Yoga is born in the house of the pious and the properous.
अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम्। एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम्॥
athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām | etaddhi durlabhataraṁ loke janma yadīdṛśam ||
Or he is born in the family of wise yogis [Persons possessing knowledge of Brahman. (S. concedes that some rare householders also can have this knowledge, and he cites the instances of Vasistha, Agastya, Janaka and Asvapati of olden days, and Vacaspati and the author of Khanada of recent times.)] only. Such a birth as is of this kind is surely more difficult to get in the world.
तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम्। यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन॥
tatra taṁ buddhisaṁyogaṁ labhate paurvadehikam | yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṁsiddhau kurunandana ||
There he becomes endowed with that wisdom acired in the previous body. and he strives more than before for perfection, O scion of the Kuru dynasty.
पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः। जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते॥
pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo'pi saḥ | jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate ||
For, by that very past practice, he is carried forward even in spite of himself! Even a seeker of Yoga transcends the result of the performance of Vedic rituals!
प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः। अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम्॥
prayatnādyatamānastu yogī saṁśuddhakilbiṣaḥ | anekajanmasaṁsiddhastato yāti parāṁ gatim ||
However, the yogi, applying himself assiduously, becoming purified from sin and attaining perfection through many births, thery acheives the highest Goal.
तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः। कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन॥
tapasvibhyo'dhiko yogī jñānibhyo'pi mato'dhikaḥ | karmibhyaścādhiko yogī tasmādyogī bhavārjuna ||
A yogi is higher than men of austerity; he is considered higher even than men of knowledge. The yogi is also higher than men of action. Therefore, O Arjuna, do you become a yogi.
योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना। श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः॥
yogināmapi sarveṣāṁ madgatenāntarātmanā | śraddhāvānbhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ ||
Even among all the yogis, he who adores Me with his mind fixed on Me and with faith,he is considered by Me to be the best of the yogis.
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