Bhagavad Gita BG 6.26
Chapter 6, Verse 26 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् । ततस्ततो नियम्यैतद् आत्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥
yato yato nishcarati manas cancalam asthiram tatas tato niyamyaitad atmany eva vasham nayet
Meaning
Wherever the fickle, unstable mind wanders — from there, from there — restraining it, bring it back under the control of the Self alone.
Understanding
The practical instruction for returning from distraction — the core of mindfulness in the Gita. Yato yato (wherever, from wherever) the cancala asthiram manah (the fickle, unstable mind) nishcarati (wanders out) — tatas tatah (from there, from there) — niyamya (restraining it, gathering it) — atmani eva (to the Self alone) vasham nayet (bring it under control). No judgment about the wandering — it is acknowledged. The instruction is simply: from wherever it wanders, bring it back. Repeatedly, without frustration.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| निश्चरति | nishcarati | wanders out, goes forth, roams |
| चञ्चलम् | cancalam | fickle, wavering, restless |
| अस्थिरम् | asthiram | unstable, not steady |
| नियम्य | niyamya | having restrained, gathering back |
| वशम् नयेत् | vasham nayet | bring under control, lead to mastery |
| यतः यतः | yataḥ yataḥ | wherever / from wherever (the restless mind wanders) |
| मनः | manaḥ | the mind |
| ततः ततः | tataḥ tataḥ | from there / from that very place |
| एतद् | etat | it / this (the mind) |
| आत्मनि | ātmani | in the self / back to the self |
| एव | eva | only / alone (into the self alone) |