Chapter 6

Shree Krishna continues the comparative evaluation between karm yog (the practice of spirituality while performing worldly duties) and karm sanyas (the practice of spirituality in a renounced state) in this chapter. He reiterates that karm yog is a more practicable path than karm sanyas. When work is done with devotion, it purifies the mind and enhances the spiritual realization. The mind then becomes tranquil, and meditation becomes the primary means of elevation. The yogis strive to conquer the mind through meditation because, while a trained mind is the best friend, an untrained mind can be the worst enemy for a spiritual aspirant. Shree Krishna cautions Arjun that by merely engaging in severe austerities, one cannot progress on the spiritual path. Therefore, moderation must be maintained, even in basic necessities like food, sleep, work, recreation, etc. Shree Krishna then explains yog sādhanā or the spiritual practice for uniting the mind with God. He says, similar to a lamp that does not flicker in a windless place: a sādhak should practice keeping his mind steady in meditation. He agrees that it is difficult to restrain the mind, but it can be controlled by practice and detachment. Therefore, whenever it wanders away, one needs to bring it back and continue to focus on God. Then the mind gets purified and is established in transcendence or samādhi, which is a joyous state where one experiences infinite divine bliss. Arjun asks what happens to those spiritual aspirants who begin their journey, but due to an unsteady mind, they are unable to reach their goal. Shree Krishna reassures him that those who strive for God-realization are able to overcome evil. God keeps an account of all our accumulated spiritual merits from past lives and reawakens their wisdom in future births.  In this way, they can continue their journey from where they had left off. And with the help of their accrued merits from previous lives, in their present life, the yogis fast track towards God. The Lord then concludes this chapter with a declaration that the yogi (who strives to unite with God) is superior to the tapasvī (ascetic), the jñānī (person of learning), and the karmī (ritualistic performer). And highest among all the yogis is the one who engages in bhakti (loving devotion of God).

Verse 1

The Blessed Lord said: He who performs his bounden duty without depending on the fruits of his actions—he is a sannyasi and a yogi, not he who is without fire and without action.

Verse 2

Do you, O Arjuna, know that Yoga is what they call renunciation; no one indeed becomes a Yogi who has not renounced their thoughts.

Verse 3

For a sage who wishes to attain to Yoga, action is said to be the means; for the same sage who has attained Yoga, inaction is said to be the means.

Verse 4

When a person is not attached to the sense-objects or to actions, having renounced all thoughts, then they are said to have attained Yoga.

Verse 5

One should raise oneself by one's own self alone; let not one lower oneself; for the self alone is one's own friend, and the self alone is one's own enemy.

Verse 6

The Self is the friend of the self of him by whom the Self has been conquered; but to the unconquered self, this Self stands in the position of an enemy, like an external foe.

Verse 7

The Supreme Self of him who is self-controlled and peaceful remains balanced in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as well as in honor and dishonor.

Verse 8

The Yogi who is satisfied with the knowledge and wisdom of the Self, who has conquered the senses, and to whom a clod of earth, a piece of stone, and gold are all the same, is said to have attained Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

Verse 9

He who is of the same mind towards the good-hearted, friends, enemies, the indifferent, the neutral, the hateful, the relatives, the righteous, and the unrighteous, excels.

Verse 10

Let the yogi constantly strive to keep the mind steady, remaining in solitude, alone, with the body and mind controlled, and free from hope and greed.

Verse 11

In a clean spot, having established a firm seat of his own, neither too high nor too low, made of cloth, skin, and kusha grass layered one over the other.

Verse 12-13

There, having made the mind one-pointed, with the actions of the mind and senses controlled, let him, seated on the seat, practice Yoga for the purification of the self. Let him firmly hold his body, head, and neck erect and still, gazing at the tip of his nose without looking around.

Verse 14

Serene-minded, fearless, firm in the vow of a Brahmachari, having controlled their mind, thinking of Me and balanced in mind, let them sit, having Me as their supreme goal.

Verse 15

Thus, always keeping the mind balanced, the yogi, with the mind controlled, attains the peace abiding in Me, culminating in liberation.

Verse 16

Verily, Yoga is not possible for him who eats too much, nor for him who does not eat at all, nor for him who sleeps too much, nor for him who is always awake, O Arjuna.

Verse 17

Yoga becomes the destroyer of pain for him who is moderate in eating and recreation (such as walking, etc.), who exercises moderation in action, and who is moderate in sleep and wakefulness.

Verse 18

When the perfectly controlled mind rests in the Self alone, free from longing for any of the objects of desire, then it is said, 'He is united'.

Verse 19

As a lamp placed in a windless spot does not flicker, so is the Yogi of a controlled mind, who practices Yoga in the Self, compared.

Verse 20

When the mind, restrained by the practice of yoga, attains quietude, and when one sees the Self by the Self, they are satisfied in their own Self.

Verse 21

When he (the Yogi) feels that infinite bliss which can be grasped by the pure intellect and which transcends the senses, and is established therein, never moving away from the reality.

Verse 22

Having obtained it, he thinks there is no other gain superior to it; established in it, he is not moved even by heavy sorrow.

Verse 23

Let this be known by the name of Yoga, the severance from union with pain. This Yoga should be practiced with determination and with an undespairing mind.

Verse 24-25

Abandoning unreservedly all desires born of Sankalpa (thought and imagination) and completely restraining the whole group of senses by the mind from all sides. Little by little, let him attain steadiness of the intellect by holding it firmly; having made the mind establish itself in the Self, let him not think of anything else.

Verse 26

From whatever cause the restless and unsteady mind wanders away, let him restrain it from that and bring it under the control of the Self alone.

Verse 27

Supreme Bliss indeed comes to this Yogi whose mind is made peaceful, whose passion is quelled, who has become Brahman, and who is free from sin.

Verse 28

The yogi, always engaging the mind thus (in the practice of yoga), is freed from sins and easily enjoys the infinite bliss of contact with Brahman (the Eternal).

Verse 29

With the mind harmonized by Yoga, he sees the Self abiding in all beings and all beings in the Self; he sees the same everywhere.

Verse 30

He who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, never becomes separated from Me, nor do I from him.

Verse 31

He who, being established in unity, worships Me, who dwells in all beings, that yogi abides in Me, whatever their mode of living may be.

Verse 32

He who, through the likeness of the Self, O Arjuna, sees reality everywhere, be it pleasure or pain, is regarded as the highest Yogi.

Verse 33

Arjuna said, "O Krishna, I do not see how this Yoga of equanimity, which you have taught me, can be maintained steadily, due to the restlessness of the mind."

Verse 34

The mind is indeed restless, turbulent, strong, and unyielding, O Krishna; I consider it as difficult to control as controlling the wind.

Verse 35

The Blessed Lord said, "Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the mind is difficult to control and restless; but with practice and dispassion, it can be restrained."

Verse 36

I think Yoga is hard to be attained by one with an uncontrolled self, but the self-controlled and striving one can attain it by the appropriate means.

Verse 37

Arjuna said, "He who is unable to control himself, even though he has faith, and whose mind wanders away from Yoga, what end does he meet, having failed to attain perfection in Yoga, O Krishna?"

Verse 38

Fallen from both, does he not perish like a rent cloud, supportless, O mighty-armed one, deluded on the path of Brahman?

Verse 39

O Krishna, please completely dispel this doubt of mine, for it is not possible for anyone but You to do so.

Verse 40

The Blessed Lord said, "O Arjuna, neither in this world nor in the next will there be destruction for him; none, indeed, who does good, O my son, ever comes to grief."

Verse 41-42

Having attained to the worlds of the righteous and having dwelt there for everlasting years, he who fell from Yoga is born in a house of the pure and wealthy. Or he is born in a family of even the wisest of yogis; verily, such a birth is very difficult to obtain in this world.

Verse 43

Then he comes into contact with the knowledge acquired in his former body and strives even more for perfection, O Arjuna.

Verse 44

By that same former practice, he is borne on in spite of himself. Even he who merely wishes to know Yoga goes beyond the Brahmanic word.

Verse 45

But the Yogi who strives assiduously, purified of sins and perfected gradually over many births, reaches the highest goal.

Verse 46

The yogi is thought to be superior to the ascetics, even superior to those who have knowledge obtained through the study of scriptures; he is also superior to men of action; therefore, be thou a yogi, O Arjuna.

Verse 47

And among all the Yogis, he who, full of faith and with his inner self merged in Me, worships Me is deemed by Me to be the most devoted.