Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6: The Discipline of Meditation

Bhagavad Gita chapter 6 in English

Every verse below comes from Diya's Bhagavad Gita library, in verse order.

Sanskrit and transliteration	English
6.1 अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः। स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः॥ anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ \| sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ \|\|	Whoever performs the required action without depending on its fruit is both a renunciant and a yogi—not one who merely gives up the sacred fire or ceases to act.
6.2 यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव। न ह्यसंन्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन॥ yaṃ saṃnyāsamiti prāhuryogaṃ taṃ viddhi pāṇḍava \| na hyasaṃnyastasaṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana \|\|	Know that what is called renunciation is yoga, O Pandava; no one becomes a yogi without renouncing self-centered intentions.
6.3 आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते। योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते॥ ārurukṣormuneryogaṃ karma kāraṇamucyate \| yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate \|\|	For a sage seeking to ascend to yoga, action is said to be the means; for that same sage once established in yoga, quiet is said to be the means.
6.4 यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते। सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते॥ yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasvanuṣajjate \| sarvasaṅkalpasaṃnyāsī yogārūḍhastadocyate \|\|	When one is attached neither to sense objects nor to actions, and has renounced all self-centered intentions, one is said to be established in yoga.
6.5 उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्। आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः॥ uddharedātmanātmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet \| ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ \|\|	One should lift oneself by oneself and not degrade oneself, for the self alone is one’s friend and the self alone is one’s enemy.
6.6 बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः। अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत्॥ bandhurātmātmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ \| anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat \|\|	For one who has conquered oneself by oneself, the self is a friend. But for one who has not mastered oneself, that very self behaves as an enemy.
6.7 जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः। शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः॥ jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ \| śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ \|\|	To the self-controlled and serene, the Supreme Self is truly the object of constant realisation, in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as well as in honour and dishonour.
6.8 ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः। युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः॥ jñānavijñānatṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ \| yukta ityucyate yogī samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ \|\|	Whose heart is filled with satisfaction by wisdom and realisation, and is changeless, whose senses are conquered, and to whom a lump of earth, stone, and gold are the same: that yogi is called steadfast.
6.9 सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु। साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते॥ suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu \| sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate \|\|	One is distinguished who regards well-wishers, friends, foes, neutrals, mediators, the hateful, relatives, the righteous, and the unrighteous with equal vision.
6.10 योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः। एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः॥ yogī yuñjīta satatamātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ \| ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ \|\|	A yogi should continually discipline the self while dwelling in solitude, alone, with mind and self-controlled, free from expectation and possessiveness.
6.11 शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः। नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम्॥ śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ \| nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram \|\|	In a clean place, one should prepare a steady seat, neither too high nor too low, arranged with kusa grass, skin, and cloth.
6.12 तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः। उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये॥ tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ \| upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye \|\|	Seated there, making the mind one-pointed and restraining the activities of mind and senses, one should practice yoga for purification of the self.
6.13 समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः। सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन्॥ samaṃ kāyaśirogrīvaṃ dhārayannacalaṃ sthiraḥ \| samprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan \|\|	Let him firmly hold his body, head and neck erect and still, (with the eyes fixed, as if) gazing at the tip of his nose, and not looking around.
6.14 प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः। मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः॥ praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacārivrate sthitaḥ \| manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ \|\|	With the heart serene and fearless, firm in the vow of a Brahmachari, with the mind controlled, and ever thinking of Me, let him sit (in yoga) having Me as his supreme goal.
6.15 युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानसः। शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति॥ yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī niyatamānasaḥ \| śāntiṃ nirvāṇaparamāṃ matsaṃsthāmadhigacchati \|\|	Thus always keeping the mind steadfast, the yogi of subdued mind attains the peace residing in Me,—the peace which culminates in Nirvana (Moksha).
6.16 नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः। न चातिस्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन॥ nātyaśnatastu yogo’sti na caikāntamanaśnataḥ \| na cātisvapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna \|\|	(Success in) yoga is not for one who eats too much or too little—nor, O Arjuna, for one who sleeps too much or too little.
6.17 युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु। युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा॥ yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu \| yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā \|\|	For one moderate in food and recreation, balanced in actions, and regulated in sleep and waking, yoga becomes the destroyer of suffering.
6.18 यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते। निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा॥ yadā viniyataṃ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate \| niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā \|\|	When the completely controlled mind rests serenely in the Self alone, free from longing after all desires, then is truly one called steadfast, (in the Self).
6.19 यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता। योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः॥ yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā \| yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ \|\|	"As a lamp in a spot sheltered from the wind does not flicker,"—even such has been the simile used for a yogi of subdued mind, practicing concentration in the Self.
6.20 यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया। यत्र चैवात्मनात्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति॥ yatroparamate cittaṃ niruddhaṃ yogasevayā \| yatra caivātmanātmānaṃ paśyannātmani tuṣyati \|\|	Through the practice of yoga, the restrained mind becomes quiet; seeing the Self through the self, one rests satisfied in the Self.
6.21 सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम्। वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः॥ sukhamātyantikaṃ yattadbuddhigrāhyamatīndriyam \| vetti yatra na caivāyaṃ sthitaścalati tattvataḥ \|\|	There one experiences infinite bliss, grasped by the purified intellect and beyond the senses. established in that reality, one does not depart from it.
6.22 यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः। यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते॥ yaṃ labdhvā cāparaṃ lābhaṃ manyate nādhikaṃ tataḥ \| yasminsthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate \|\|	Having attained that state, one regards no other gain as greater and is truly not shaken even by profound sorrow.
6.23 तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम्। स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा॥ taṃ vidyād duḥkhasaṃyogaviyogaṃ yogasaṃjñitam \| sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo’nirviṇṇacetasā \|\|	Let that be known as yoga—a state of severance from contact with pain. This yoga should be practiced with perseverance, undisturbed by depression of heart.
6.24 सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः। मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः॥ saṅkalpaprabhavānkāmāṃstyaktvā sarvānaśeṣataḥ \| manasaivendriyagrāmaṃ viniyamya samantataḥ \|\|	Abandon all desires born of imagination without reserve, and restrain the senses from every side by the mind.
6.25 शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया। आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत्॥ śanaiḥ śanairuparamed buddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā \| ātmasaṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet \|\|	With the intellect set in patience, with the mind fastened on the Self, let him attain quiet by degrees: let him not think of anything.
6.26 यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्। ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्॥ yato yato niścarati manaścañcalamasthiram \| tatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṃ nayet \|\|	Wherever the restless and unsteady mind wanders, one should restrain it from there and bring it under the control of the Self alone.
6.27 प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम्। उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम्॥ praśāntamanasaṃ hyenaṃ yoginaṃ sukhamuttamam \| upaiti śāntarajasaṃ brahmabhūtamakalmaṣam \|\|	The supreme bliss comes to that yogi, of perfectly tranquil mind, with passions quieted, Brahman-become, and freed from stain.
6.28 युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः। सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते॥ yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī vigatakalmaṣaḥ \| sukhena brahmasaṃsparśamatyantaṃ sukhamaśnute \|\|	The yogi freed from stain (of good and evil), constantly engaging the mind thus, with ease attains the infinite bliss of contact with Brahman.
6.29 सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि। ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः॥ sarvabhūtasthamātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani \| īkṣate yogayuktātmā sarvatra samadarśanaḥ \|\|	One whose self is joined in yoga and whose vision is equal sees the Self abiding in all beings and all beings in the Self.
6.30 यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति। तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति॥ yo māṃ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṃ ca mayi paśyati \| tasyāhaṃ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati \|\|	One who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me is never lost to Me, nor am I ever lost to that person.
6.31 सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः। सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते॥ sarvabhūtasthitaṃ yo māṃ bhajatyekatvamāsthitaḥ \| sarvathā vartamāno’pi sa yogī mayi vartate \|\|	One who being established in unity, worships Me, who am dwelling in all beings, whatever his mode of life, that yogi abides in Me.
6.32 आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन। सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं स योगी परमो मतः॥ ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṃ paśyati yo’rjuna \| sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ sa yogī paramo mataḥ \|\|	The yogi who, by comparison with oneself, sees the same everywhere—whether pleasure or pain—is regarded as the highest.
6.33 योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन। एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात् स्थितिं स्थिराम्॥ yo’yaṃ yogastvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana \| etasyāhaṃ na paśyāmi cañcalatvāt sthitiṃ sthirām \|\|	This yoga which has been taught by You, O killer of Madhu, as characterised by evenness, I do not see (the possibility of) its lasting endurance, owing to restlessness (of the mind).
6.34 चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्। तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्॥ cañcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavaddṛḍham \| tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyoriva suduṣkaram \|\|	The mind, O Krishna, is restless, turbulent, strong, and unyielding. I regard it quite as hard to achieve its control, as that of the wind.
6.35 असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम्। अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते॥ asaṃśayaṃ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṃ calam \| abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate \|\|	Without doubt, O mighty-armed one, the mind is restless and difficult to restrain; yet it is brought under control through practice and dispassion, O son of Kunti.
6.36 असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः। वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः॥ asaṃyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ \| vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo’vāptumupāyataḥ \|\|	Yoga is hard to be attained by one of uncontrolled self: such is My conviction. but the self-controlled, striving by right means, can obtain it.
6.37 अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः। अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति॥ ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāccalitamānasaḥ \| aprāpya yogasaṃsiddhiṃ kāṃ gatiṃ kṛṣṇa gacchati \|\|	One endowed with faith but lacking perseverance, whose mind has wandered from yoga—what destination does such a person reach after failing to attain perfection in yoga, O Krishna?
6.38 कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति। अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि॥ kaccinnobhayavibhraṣṭaśchinnābhramiva naśyati \| apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi \|\|	Does he not, fallen from both, perish, without support, like a torn cloud, O mighty-armed, deluded in the path of Brahman?
6.39 एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः। त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते॥ etanme saṃśayaṃ kṛṣṇa chettumarhasyaśeṣataḥ \| tvadanyaḥ saṃśayasyāsya chettā na hyupapadyate \|\|	This doubt of mine, O Krishna, You should completely dispel; for it is not possible for any but You to dispel this doubt.
6.40 पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते। नहि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति॥ pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate \| nahi kalyāṇakṛtkaściddurgatiṃ tāta gacchati \|\|	O Partha, there is no destruction for such a person, either here or hereafter. one who does good never comes to grief, My son.
6.41 प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः। शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते॥ prāpya puṇyakṛtāṃ lokānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ \| śucīnāṃ śrīmatāṃ gehe yogabhraṣṭo’bhijāyate \|\|	Having reached the worlds of the righteous and dwelt there for many years, one fallen from yoga is born in the home of the pure and prosperous.
6.42 अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम्। एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम्॥ athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām \| etaddhi durlabhataraṃ loke janma yadīdṛśam \|\|	Or else he is born into a family of wise Yogis only; a birth such as that is very rare to obtain in this world.
6.43 तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम्। यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन॥ tatra taṃ buddhisaṃyogaṃ labhate paurvadehikam \| yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṃsiddhau kurunandana \|\|	There he is truly united with the intelligence acquired in his former body, and strives more than before, for perfection, O son of the Kurus.
6.44 पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः। जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते॥ pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo’pi saḥ \| jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate \|\|	By that previous practice alone, he is borne on in spite of himself. Even the enquirer after yoga rises superior to the performer of Vedic actions.
6.45 प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः। अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम्॥ prayatnādyatamānastu yogī saṃśuddhakilbiṣaḥ \| anekajanmasaṃsiddhastato yāti parāṃ gatim \|\|	The yogi, striving steadily, purified of stain, gradually gaining perfection through many births, then reaches the highest goal.
6.46 तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः। कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन॥ tapasvibhyo’dhiko yogī jñānibhyo’pi mato’dhikaḥ \| karmibhyaścādhiko yogī tasmādyogī bhavārjuna \|\|	The yogi is regarded as superior to those who practice asceticism, also to those who have obtained wisdom (through the Shastras). He is also superior to the performers of action, (enjoined in the Vedas). Therefore, be you a yogi, O Arjuna,.
6.47 योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना। श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः॥ yogināmapi sarveṣāṃ madgatenāntarātmanā \| śraddhāvānbhajate yo māṃ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ \|\|	And of all Yogis, one who with the inner self merged in Me, with Shraddha devotes himself to Me, is considered by Me the most steadfast.

You can read all 18 chapters in Diya. To see where chapter 6 sits in the whole text, start with the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, or read how to start the Bhagavad Gita as a beginner.

Previous chapter: Chapter 5: Renunciation and Action. Next chapter: Chapter 7: Knowing the Divine.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6: The Discipline of Meditation

Bhagavad Gita chapter 6 in English

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Bhagavad Gita chapter 6 in English

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