The sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is Dhyana Yoga. In this chapter, Krishna reveals the Yoga of Meditation and how to practise this Yoga. He discusses the role of action in preparing for Meditation, how performing duties in devotion purifies one’s mind and heightens one’s spiritual consciousness. He explains in detail the obstacles that one faces when trying to control their mind and the exact methods by which one can conquer their mind. He reveals how one can focus their mind on Paramatma and unite with the God.

slok:’6.1′,

‘śrībhagavānuvāca . anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ . sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ ||6-1||’,

‘6.1 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.’,

slok:’6.2′,

‘yaṃ saṃnyāsamiti prāhuryogaṃ taṃ viddhi pāṇḍava . na hyasaṃnyastasaṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana ||6-2||’,

‘6.2 Do thou, O Arjuna, know Yoga to be that which they call renunciation; no one verily becomes a Yogi who has not renounced thoughts.’,

slok:’6.3′,

‘ārurukṣormuneryogaṃ karma kāraṇamucyate . yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate ||6-3||’,

‘6.3 For a sage who wishes to attain to Yoga, action is said to be the means; for the same sage who has attained to Yoga, inaction (iescence) is said to be the means.’,

slok:’6.4′,

‘yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasvanuṣajjate . sarvasaṅkalpasaṃnyāsī yogārūḍhastadocyate ||6-4||’,

‘6.4 When a man is not attached to the sense-objects or to actions, having renounced all thoughts, then he is said to have attained to Yoga.’,

slok:’6.5′,

‘uddharedātmanātmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet . ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ ||6-5||’,

‘6.5 One should raise oneself by one’s Self alone; let not one lower oneself; for the Self alone is the friend of oneself, and the Self alone is the enemy of oneself.’,

slok:’6.6′,

‘bandhurātmātmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ . anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat ||6-6||’,

‘6.6 The Self is the friend of the self of him by whom the self has been conered by the Self, but to the unconered self, this Self stands in the position of an enemy, like an (external) foe.’,

slok:’6.7′,

‘jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ . śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ ||6-7||’,

‘6.7 The Supreme Self of him who is self-controlled and peaceful is balanced in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as also in honour and dishonour.’,

slok:’6.8′,

‘jñānavijñānatṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ . yukta ityucyate yogī samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ ||6-8||’,

‘6.8 The Yogi who is satisfied with the knowledge and the wisdom (of the Self), who has conered the senses, and to whom a clod of earth, a piece of stone and gold are the same, is said to be harmonied (i.e., is said to have attained Nirvikalpa Samadhi).’,

slok:’6.9′,

‘suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu . sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate ||6-9||’,

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

slok:’6.10′,

‘yogī yuñjīta satatamātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ . ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ ||6-10||’,

‘6.10 Let the Yogi try constantly to keep the mind steady, remaining in solitude, alone, with the mind and the body controlled, and free from hope and covetousness.’,

slok:’6.11′,

‘śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ . nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram ||6-11||’,

‘6.11 In a clean spot, having established a firm seat of his own, neither too high nor too low, made of a cloth, a skin and Kusa-grass, one over the other.’,

slok:’6.12′,

‘tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ . upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye ||6-12||’,

‘6.12 There, having made the mind one-pointed, with the actions of the mind and the senses controlled, let him, seated on the seat, practise Yoga for the purification of the self.’,

slok:’6.13′,

‘samaṃ kāyaśirogrīvaṃ dhārayannacalaṃ sthiraḥ . samprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan ||6-13||’,

‘6.13 Let him firmly hold his body, head and neck erect and still, gazing at the tip of his nose, without looking around.’,

slok:’6.14′,

‘praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacārivrate sthitaḥ . manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ ||6-14||’,

‘6.14 Serene-minded, fearless, firm in the vow of a Brahmachari, having controlled the mind, thinking of Me and balanced in mind, let him sit, having Me as his supreme goal.’,

slok:’6.15′,

‘yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī niyatamānasaḥ . śāntiṃ nirvāṇaparamāṃ matsaṃsthāmadhigacchati ||6-15||’,

‘6.15 Thus always keeping the mind balanced, the Yogi, with the mind controlled, attains to the peace abiding in Me, which culminates in liberation.’,

slok:’6.16′,

‘nātyaśnatastu yogo.asti na caikāntamanaśnataḥ . na cātisvapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna ||6-16||’,

‘6.16 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.’,

slok:’6.17′,

‘yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu . yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā ||6-17||’,

‘6.17 Yoga becomes the destroyer of pain for him who is moderate in eating and recreation (such as walking, etc.), who is moderate in exertion in actions, who is moderate in sleep and wakefulness.’,

slok:’6.18′,

‘yadā viniyataṃ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate . niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā ||6-18||’,

‘6.18 When the perfectly controlled mind rests in the Self only, free from longing for all the objects of desires, then it is said, ‘He is united’.’,

slok:’6.19′,

‘yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā . yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ ||6-19||’,

‘6.19 As a lamp placed in a windless spot does not flicker to such is compared the Yogi of controlled mind, practising Yoga in the Self (or absorbed in the Yoga of the Self).’,

slok:’6.20′,

‘yatroparamate cittaṃ niruddhaṃ yogasevayā . yatra caivātmanātmānaṃ paśyannātmani tuṣyati ||6-20||’,

‘6.20 When the mind, restrained by the practice of Yoga attains to quietude and when seeing the Self by the self, he is satisfied in his own Self.’,

slok:’6.21′,

‘sukhamātyantikaṃ yattad buddhigrāhyamatīndriyam . vetti yatra na caivāyaṃ sthitaścalati tattvataḥ ||6-21||’,

‘6.21 When he (the Yogi) feels that Infinite Bliss which can be grasped by the (pure) intellect and which transcends the senses, and established wherein he never moves from the Reality.’,

slok:’6.22′,

‘yaṃ labdhvā cāparaṃ lābhaṃ manyate nādhikaṃ tataḥ . yasminsthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate ||6-22||’,

‘6.22 Which, having obtained, he thinks there is no other gain superior to it; wherein estabished, he is not moved even by heavy sorrow.’,

slok:’6.23′,

‘taṃ vidyād duḥkhasaṃyogaviyogaṃ yogasaṃjñitam . sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo.anirviṇṇacetasā ||6-23||’,

‘6.23 Let that be known by the name of Yoga, the severance from union with pain. This Yoga should be practised with determination and with an undesponding mind.’,

slok:’6.24′,

‘saṅkalpaprabhavānkāmāṃstyaktvā sarvānaśeṣataḥ . manasaivendriyagrāmaṃ viniyamya samantataḥ ||6-24||’,

‘6.24 Abandoning without reserve all desires born of Sankalpa (thought and imagination) and completely restraining the whole group of the senses by the mind from all sides.’,

slok:’6.25′,

‘śanaiḥ śanairuparamed buddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā . ātmasaṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet ||6-25||’,

‘6.25 Little by little let him attain to ietude by the intellect held firmly; having made the mind establish itself in the Self, let him not think of anything.’,

slok:’6.26′,

‘yato yato niścarati manaścañcalamasthiram . tatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṃ nayet ||6-26||’,

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

slok:’6.27′,

‘praśāntamanasaṃ hyenaṃ yoginaṃ sukhamuttamam . upaiti śāntarajasaṃ brahmabhūtamakalmaṣam ||6-27||’,

‘6.27 Supreme Bliss verily comes to this Yogi whose mind is ite peaceful, whose passion is ieted, who has become Brahman and who is free from sin.’,

slok:’6.28′,

‘yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī vigatakalmaṣaḥ . sukhena brahmasaṃsparśamatyantaṃ sukhamaśnute ||6-28||’,

‘6.28 The Yogi, always engaging the mind thus (in the practice of Yoga), freed from sins, easily enjoys the Infinite Bliss of contact with Brahman (the Eternal).’,

slok:’6.29′,

‘sarvabhūtasthamātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani . īkṣate yogayuktātmā sarvatra samadarśanaḥ ||6-29||’,

‘6.29 With the mind harmonised by Yoga he sees the Self abiding in all beings and all beings in the Self; he sees the same everywhere.’,

slok:’6.30′,

‘yo māṃ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṃ ca mayi paśyati . tasyāhaṃ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati ||6-30||’,

‘6.30 He who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, he never becomes separated from Me, nor do I become separated from him.’,

slok:’6.31′,

‘sarvabhūtasthitaṃ yo māṃ bhajatyekatvamāsthitaḥ . sarvathā vartamāno.api sa yogī mayi vartate ||6-31||’,

‘6.31 He who, being established in unity, worships Me Who dwells in all beings, that Yogi abides in Me, whatever may be his mode of living.’,

slok:’6.32′,

‘ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṃ paśyati yo.arjuna . sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ sa yogī paramo mataḥ ||6-32||’,

‘6.32 He who, through the likeness of the Self, O Arjuna, sees eality everywhere, be it pleasure or pain, he is regarded as the highest Yogi.’,

slok:’6.33′,

‘arjuna uvāca . yo.ayaṃ yogastvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana . etasyāhaṃ na paśyāmi cañcalatvātsthitiṃ sthirām ||6-33||’,

‘6.33 Arjuna said This Yoga of eanimity taught by Thee, O Krishna, I do not see its steady continuance, because of the restlessness (of the mind).’,

slok:’6.34′,

‘cañcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham . tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyoriva suduṣkaram ||6-34||’,

‘6.34 The mind verily is restless, turbulent, strong and unyielding, O Krishna: I deem it as difficult to control it as to control the wind.’,

slok:’6.35′,

‘śrībhagavānuvāca . asaṃśayaṃ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṃ calam . abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate ||6-35||’,

‘6.35 The Blessed Lord said Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the mind is difficult to control and restless; but by practice and by dispassion it may be restrained.’,

slok:’6.36′,

‘asaṃyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ . vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo.avāptumupāyataḥ ||6-36||’,

‘6.36 I think Yoga is hard to be attained by one of uncontrolled self, but the self-controlled and striving one can attain to it by the (proper) means.’,

slok:’6.37′,

‘arjuna uvāca . ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāccalitamānasaḥ . aprāpya yogasaṃsiddhiṃ kāṃ gatiṃ kṛṣṇa gacchati ||6-37||’,

‘6.37 Arjuna said He who is unable to control himself though he has the faith, and whose mind wanders away from Yoga, what end does he, having failed to attain perfection in Yoga, mee,t O Krishna?’,

slok:’6.38′,

‘kaccinnobhayavibhraṣṭaśchinnābhramiva naśyati . apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi ||6-38||’,

‘Swami Sivananda did not comment on this sloka’,

slok:’6.39′,

‘etanme saṃśayaṃ kṛṣṇa chettumarhasyaśeṣataḥ . tvadanyaḥ saṃśayasyāsya chettā na hyupapadyate ||6-39||’,

‘6.39 This doubt of mine, O Krishna, do Thou dispel completely; because it is not possible for any but Thee to dispel this doubt.’,

slok:’6.40′,

‘śrībhagavānuvāca . pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate . na hi kalyāṇakṛtkaścid durgatiṃ tāta gacchati ||6-40||’,

‘6.40 The Blessed Lord said O Arjuna, neither in this world, nor in the next world is there destruction for him; none, verily, who does good, O My son, ever comes to grief.’,

slok:’6.41′,

‘prāpya puṇyakṛtāṃ lokānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ . śucīnāṃ śrīmatāṃ gehe yogabhraṣṭo.abhijāyate ||6-41||’,

‘6.41 Having attained to the worlds of the righteous and having dwelt there for everlasting years, he who fell from Yoga is rorn in a house of the pure and wealthy.’,

slok:’6.42′,

‘athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām . etaddhi durlabhataraṃ loke janma yadīdṛśam ||6-42||’,

‘6.42 Or he is born in a family of even the wise Yogis; verily a birth like this is very difficult to obtain in this world.’,

slok:’6.43′,

‘tatra taṃ buddhisaṃyogaṃ labhate paurvadehikam . yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṃsiddhau kurunandana ||6-43||’,

‘6.43 Thee he comes in touch with the knowledge acired in his former body and strives more than before for perfection, O Arjuna.’,

slok:’6.44′,

‘pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo.api saḥ . jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate ||6-44||’,

‘6.44 By that very former practice he is borne on in spite of himself. Even he who merely wishes to know Yoga goes beyond the Brahmic word.’,

slok:’6.45′,

‘prayatnādyatamānastu yogī saṃśuddhakilbiṣaḥ . anekajanmasaṃsiddhastato yāti parāṃ gatim ||6-45||’,

‘6.45 But the Yogi who strives with assiduity, purified of sins and perfected gradually through many births, reaches the highest goal.’,

slok:’6.46′,

‘tapasvibhyo.adhiko yogī jñānibhyo.api mato.adhikaḥ . karmibhyaścādhiko yogī tasmādyogī bhavārjuna ||6-46||’,

‘6.46 The Yogi is thought to be superior to the ascetics and even superior to men of knowledge (obtained through the study of scriptures); he is also superior to men of action; therefore be thou a Yogi, O Arjuna.’,

slok:’6.47′,

‘yogināmapi sarveṣāṃ madgatenāntarātmanā . śraddhāvānbhajate yo māṃ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ ||6-47||’,

‘6.47 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 devout.’,

slok:’6.48′,

‘OM tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu brahmavidyāyāṃ yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvāde ātmasaṃyamayogo nāma ṣaṣṭho.adhyāyaḥ ||6-48||’,

‘Swami Sivananda did not comment on this sloka’,