All ChaptersMAHABHARAT

Chapter 6 of 18

आत्मसंयम योग

The Yoga of Self-Mastery

Krishna describes the practices of meditation and self-discipline, the characteristics of a true yogi, and the state of union with the divine that results from sustained practice.

47 verses

6.1

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

The Blessed Lord said He who performs his bounden duty without depending on the fruits of…

6.2

यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव |

Do thou, O Arjuna, know Yoga to be that which they call renunciation; no one verily become…

6.3

आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते |

For a sage who wishes to attain to Yoga, action is said to be the means; for the same sage…

6.4

यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते |

When a man is not attached to the sense-objects or to actions, having renounced all though…

6.5

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् |

One should raise oneself by one's Self alone; let not one lower oneself; for the Self alon…

6.6

बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः |

The Self is the friend of the self of him by whom the self has been conered by the Self, b…

6.7

जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः |

The Supreme Self of him who is self-controlled and peaceful is balanced in cold and heat, …

6.8

ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः |

The Yogi who is satisfied with the knowledge and the wisdom (of the Self), who has conered…

6.9

सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु |

He who is of the same mind to the good-hearted, friends, enemies, the indifferent, the neu…

6.10

योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः |

Let the Yogi try constantly to keep the mind steady, remaining in solitude, alone, with th…

6.11

शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः |

In a clean spot, having established a firm seat of his own, neither too high nor too low, …

6.12

तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः |

There, having made the mind one-pointed, with the actions of the mind and the senses contr…

6.13

समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः |

Let him firmly hold his body, head and neck erect and still, gazing at the tip of his nose…

6.14

प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः |

Serene-minded, fearless, firm in the vow of a Brahmachari, having controlled the mind, thi…

6.15

युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानसः |

Thus always keeping the mind balanced, the Yogi, with the mind controlled, attains to the …

6.16

नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः |

Verily Yoga is not possible for him who eats too much, nor for him who does not eat at all…

6.17

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु |

Yoga becomes the destroyer of pain for him who is moderate in eating and recreation (such …

6.18

यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते |

When the perfectly controlled mind rests in the Self only, free from longing for all the o…

6.19

यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता |

As a lamp placed in a windless spot does not flicker to such is compared the Yogi of cont…

6.20

यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया |

When the mind, restrained by the practice of Yoga attains to quietude and when seeing the …

6.21

सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद् बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् |

When he (the Yogi) feels that Infinite Bliss which can be grasped by the (pure) intellect …

6.22

यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः |

Which, having obtained, he thinks there is no other gain superior to it; wherein estabishe…

6.23

तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् |

Let that be known by the name of Yoga, the severance from union with pain. This Yoga shoul…

6.24

सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः |

Abandoning without reserve all desires born of Sankalpa (thought and imagination) and comp…

6.25

शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया |

Little by little let him attain to ietude by the intellect held firmly; having made the mi…

6.26

यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् |

From whatever cause the restless and unsteady mind wanders away, from that let him restrai…

6.27

प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम् |

Supreme Bliss verily comes to this Yogi whose mind is ite peaceful, whose passion is ieted…

6.28

युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः |

The Yogi, always engaging the mind thus (in the practice of Yoga), freed from sins, easily…

6.29

सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि |

With the mind harmonised by Yoga he sees the Self abiding in all beings and all beings in …

6.30

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति |

He who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, he never becomes separated from Me, n…

6.31

सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः |

He who, being established in unity, worships Me Who dwells in all beings, that Yogi abides…

6.32

आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन |

He who, through the likeness of the Self, O Arjuna, sees eality everywhere, be it pleasure…

6.33

अर्जुन उवाच |

Arjuna said This Yoga of eanimity taught by Thee, O Krishna, I do not see its steady cont…

6.34

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम् |

The mind verily is restless, turbulent, strong and unyielding, O Krishna: I deem it as dif…

6.35

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

The Blessed Lord said Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the mind is difficult to contro…

6.36

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः |

I think Yoga is hard to be attained by one of uncontrolled self, but the self-controlled a…

6.37

अर्जुन उवाच |

Arjuna said He who is unable to control himself though he has the faith, and whose mind w…

6.38

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति |

Swami Sivananda did not comment on this sloka

6.39

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः |

This doubt of mine, O Krishna, do Thou dispel completely; because it is not possible for a…

6.40

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

The Blessed Lord said O Arjuna, neither in this world, nor in the next world is there des…

6.41

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः |

Having attained to the worlds of the righteous and having dwelt there for everlasting year…

6.42

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् |

Or he is born in a family of even the wise Yogis; verily a birth like this is very difficu…

6.43

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम् |

Thee he comes in touch with the knowledge acired in his former body and strives more than …

6.44

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः |

By that very former practice he is borne on in spite of himself. Even he who merely wishes…

6.45

प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः |

But the Yogi who strives with assiduity, purified of sins and perfected gradually through …

6.46

तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः |

The Yogi is thought to be superior to the ascetics and even superior to men of knowledge (…

6.47

योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना |

And among all the Yogis he who, full of faith and with his inner self merged in Me, worshi…