Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6

श्रीभगवानुवाच । अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः । स सन्न्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः ॥

The Blessed Lord said: One who performs obligatory action without depending on the fruits of action — that one is both a…

यं सन्न्यासमिति प्राहुर् योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव । न ह्यसन्न्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ॥

What they call sannyasa, know that to be yoga, O Pandava. No one becomes a yogi who has not renounced sankalpa (will-to-…

आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते । योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते ॥

For the sage seeking to ascend to yoga, action is said to be the means. For the one who has already ascended to yoga, st…

यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते । सर्वसङ्कल्पसन्न्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते ॥

When one is attached neither to sense-objects nor to actions — having renounced all sankalpas — that one is then said to…

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् । आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुर् आत्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥

Lift up the self by the Self; do not let the self sink. The Self alone is the self's friend; the Self alone is the self'…

बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः । अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥

For that one by whom the self has been conquered by the Self — the Self is the friend of the self. But for one who has n…

जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः । शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः ॥

For the self-conquered, supremely peaceful one — the Paramatman (supreme Self) is steadily present, equally in cold and …

ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः । युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः ॥

Satisfied in the Self by jnana and vijnana, immovable (kutastha), with conquered senses — such a yogi is called yukta (u…

सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु । साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥

One who is equal-minded toward well-wisher, friend, enemy, the neutral, the mediator, the hateful, and the relative — an…

योगी युञ्जीत सततं आत्मानं रहसि स्थितः । एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः ॥

Let the yogi constantly yoke the mind to the Self, dwelling in solitude, alone, with controlled mind and self, without l…

शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः । नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् ॥

Establishing for oneself a firm seat in a clean place — not too high, not too low — with cloth, deerskin, and kusha gras…

तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः । उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद् योगमात्मविशुद्धये ॥

There, seated on that seat, having made the mind one-pointed, with the activities of mind and senses controlled — let on…

समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः । सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥

Holding the body, head, and neck erect and still — gazing at the tip of one's own nose, not looking in any direction.…

प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर् ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः । मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः ॥

With serene mind, fearless, established in the vow of brahmacarya — controlling the mind, with thought fixed on Me — let…

युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानसः । शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति ॥

Ever yoking the self in this way, the yogi of restrained mind attains the supreme peace of nirvana — which abides in Me.…

नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः । न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन ॥

Yoga is not for one who eats too much, nor for one who eats not at all; not for one who sleeps too much, nor for one who…

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु । युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा ॥

For one who is yukta (moderate) in food and recreation, yukta in actions, yukta in sleep and waking — yoga becomes the d…

यदा विनियतं चित्तं आत्मन्येवावतिष्ठते । निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा ॥

When the thoroughly disciplined mind rests in the Self alone — free from longing for all desires — then that one is call…

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

As a lamp standing in a windless place does not flicker — that simile is recalled for the yogi of restrained mind who pr…

यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया । यत्र चैवात्मनात्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति ॥

Where the mind, restrained by the practice of yoga, rests in cessation — and where, seeing the Self by the Self, one is …

सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद् बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् । वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः ॥

That absolute happiness — which is grasped by the intellect and beyond the senses — once knowing it there, one does not …

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

Having gained which, no other gain is considered greater. Established in which, one is not shaken even by the heaviest s…

तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् । स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा ॥

Know that to be yoga — called by the name yoga — which is the disconnection from the connection with suffering. This yog…

सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस् त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः । मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः ॥

Completely abandoning (without remainder) all desires born of sankalpa — thoroughly restraining the whole group of sense…

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

Gradually, step by step, let one reach cessation — with the intellect held by steadfastness. Having established the mind…

यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् । ततस्ततो नियम्यैतद् आत्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥

Wherever the fickle, unstable mind wanders — from there, from there — restraining it, bring it back under the control of…

प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम् । उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम् ॥

Supreme happiness comes to this yogi whose mind is perfectly serene, whose rajas has been stilled, who has become Brahma…

युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः । सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शं अत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते ॥

Ever yoking the self in this way, the yogi free of impurities — easily touching Brahman — enjoys supreme, boundless happ…

सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि । ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः ॥

The yogi whose self is united in yoga sees the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self — everywhere, with equal vi…

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

One who sees Me everywhere and sees all in Me — I am never lost to that one, nor is that one ever lost to Me.…

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

The yogi who worships Me dwelling in all beings, established in oneness — no matter how they are living (in all conditio…

आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन । सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं स योगी परमो मतः ॥

One who sees equality everywhere by analogy with the self — whether in pleasure or in pain, O Arjuna — that yogi is cons…

अर्जुन उवाच । योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन । एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात्स्थितिं स्थिराम् ॥

Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, this yoga of equanimity which you have taught — I do not see its steady establishment, becau…

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम् । तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥

The mind is truly fickle, O Krishna — turbulent, powerful, unyielding. I consider its control to be as difficult as cont…

श्रीभगवानुवाच । असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् । अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥

The Blessed Lord said: Undoubtedly, O Mighty-armed, the mind is difficult to control and fickle. But, O Kaunteya, it is …

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

For one whose self is uncontrolled, yoga is difficult to attain — this is My view. But for the controlled self, striving…

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

Arjuna said: One who has shraddha but lacks effort, whose mind has slipped away from yoga, having not attained perfectio…

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश् छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति । अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि ॥

O mighty-armed one, does he not — fallen from both (yoga and action), without support, deluded on the path of Brahman — …

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः । त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते ॥

O Krishna, You alone are able to completely dispel this doubt of mine. No one other than You is fit to cut away this dou…

श्रीभगवानुवाच । पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते । न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद् दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति ॥

The Blessed Lord said: O Partha, there is no destruction for that one — neither here nor in any other world. No one who …

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकान् उषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः । शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते ॥

Having reached the worlds of the meritorious, and having dwelt there for immeasurable years, the yoga-fallen one is rebo…

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

Or else, he is born into the family of wise yogis. Indeed, such a birth as this is very difficult to obtain in this worl…

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

There, he regains that same understanding acquired from his previous body (birth), and from that, O joy of the Kurus, he…

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः । जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते ॥

By that very previous practice, one is involuntarily carried along. Even the sincere seeker of yoga transcends the word-…

प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः । अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस् ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥

The yogi who strives with effort, purified of impurities, perfected through many births — that one then attains the supr…

तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः । कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन ॥

The yogi is superior to the ascetic (tapasvi), considered superior even to the man of knowledge (jnani), and superior to…

योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना । श्रद्धावान् भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः ॥

Of all yogis, the one who worships Me with shraddha, inner self gone to Me — that one is considered by Me to be the most…