06.028
śrībhagavānuvāca॥
The Blessed Lord spoke:
anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ। sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ ॥6-28-1॥
A true renunciant and yogi is one who performs his duties without attachment to the results, not merely one who has renounced fire rituals or is inactive.
yaṁ saṁnyāsamiti prāhuryogaṁ taṁ viddhi pāṇḍava। na hyasaṁnyastasaṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana ॥6-28-2॥
The state which is called renunciation, understand that as yoga, O Pandava. Without giving up desires, no one can become a true yogi.
ārurukṣor muner yogaṃ karma kāraṇam ucyate। yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇam ucyate ॥6-28-3॥
For the sage who wishes to ascend in yoga, action is the means. However, for one who has already attained yoga, tranquility is the sole means.
yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasvanuṣajjate। sarvasaṅkalpasaṃnyāsī yogārūḍhastadocyate ॥6-28-4॥
When one is not attached to sensory objects or actions and has renounced all desires, then such a person is considered to have attained the state of yoga.
uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet। ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhuraatmaiva ripurātmanaḥ ॥6-28-5॥
One must elevate, not degrade, oneself by one's own efforts. For the self is one's own friend as well as one's own enemy.
bandhurātmātmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ। anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat ॥6-28-6॥
For one who has mastered himself, the self acts as a friend. However, for one who lacks self-control, the self behaves like an enemy.
jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ। śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānāvamānayoḥ ॥6-28-7॥
For one who has mastered the mind and is serene, the Supreme Soul is well-established, remaining balanced in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as well as in honor and dishonor.
jñānavijñānatṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ। yukta ityucyate yogī samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ ॥6-28-8॥
A yogi, whose soul is content with knowledge and wisdom, who is steadfast and has conquered his senses, is said to be united, viewing a clod, stone, and gold as the same.
suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu। sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate ॥6-28-9॥
A person who maintains an equal mind towards friends, companions, enemies, neutrals, mediators, those who are hateful, relatives, the virtuous, and even the sinful, stands out as exceptional.
yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ। ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ ॥6-28-10॥
A yogi should constantly engage in meditation, remaining in solitude, alone, with a controlled mind and self, free from desires and possessions.
śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiram-āsanam-ātmanaḥ। nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram ॥6-28-11॥
In a clean place, one should establish a firm seat of their own, which is neither too high nor too low, and should be covered with cloth, deer skin, and kusha grass.
tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ। upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye ॥6-28-12॥
There, with a focused mind and controlled senses, one should sit on the seat and practice yoga for self-purification.
samaṁ kāyaśirogrīvaṁ dhārayannacalaṁ sthiraḥ। samprekṣya nāsikāgraṁ svaṁ diśaścānavalokayan ॥6-28-13॥
One should hold the body, head, and neck erect and still, gaze steadily at the tip of the nose, and not look around in other directions.
praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacārivrate sthitaḥ। manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ ॥6-28-14॥
The one who has a peaceful mind, is fearless, follows the vow of celibacy, controls the mind, focuses on Me, and is engaged in devotion, should be dedicated to Me.
yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī niyatamānasaḥ। śāntiṃ nirvāṇaparamāṃ matsaṃsthāmadhigacchati ॥6-28-15॥
By constantly engaging the self in this manner, the yogi with a disciplined mind attains peace, which is the supreme state of liberation, and is established in Me.
nātyaśnatastu yogo'sti na caikāntamanaśnataḥ। na cātisvapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna ॥6-28-16॥
O Arjuna, yoga is not possible for those who eat too much or too little, nor for those who sleep too much or too little.
yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu। yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā ॥6-28-17॥
For one who is balanced in eating, recreation, working, sleeping, and waking, yoga becomes the path to dispel sorrow.
yadā viniyataṃ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate। niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā ॥6-28-18॥
"When one's mind is fully controlled and remains steadfast in the self, free from all desires, then one is said to be in perfect union."
yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā। yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ ॥6-28-19॥
"Just as a lamp in a windless place remains steady, so is the mind of the yogi who is absorbed in meditation on the self."
yatroparamate cittaṁ niruddhaṁ yogasevayā। yatra caivātmanātmānaṁ paśyannātmani tuṣyati ॥6-28-20॥
In that state where the mind is controlled through yoga practice, it comes to rest; and where one sees the self by the self and finds satisfaction within the self.
sukham ātyantikaṃ yat tad buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam। vetti yatra na caivāyaṃ sthitaś calati tattvataḥ ॥6-28-21॥
The ultimate happiness, which can be grasped by the intellect and is beyond the senses, is realized where one remains steadfast and does not waver from the truth.
yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ। yasminsthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate ॥6-28-22॥
Upon attaining this state, one does not consider any other gain superior to it. Being established in this state, one is not disturbed even by the greatest of sorrows.
taṁ vidyādduḥkhasaṁyogaviyogaṁ yogasañjñitam। sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo' nirviṇṇacetasā ॥6-28-23॥
Yoga is the process of separating oneself from the bonds of sorrow. It should be practiced with firm resolve and a mind free from despair.
saṅkalpaprabhavānkāmāṃstyaktvā sarvānaśeṣataḥ। manasaivendriyagrāmaṃ viniyamya samantataḥ ॥6-28-24॥
By completely giving up all desires born of imagination, and by controlling all the senses with the mind from every direction, one achieves tranquility.
śanaiḥ śanair uparamed buddhyā dhṛti-gṛhītayā। ātma-saṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcid api cintayet ॥6-28-25॥
Gradually, step by step, with a firm resolve, one should withdraw the mind and fix it on the self alone, without thinking of anything else.
yato yato niścarati manaścañcalamasthiram। tatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṃ nayet ॥6-28-26॥
Wherever the restless and unsteady mind wanders, one should restrain it and bring it back under the control of the self.
praśāntamanasaṃ hy enaṃ yoginaṃ sukham uttamam। upaiti śāntarajasaṃ brahmabhūtam akalmaṣam ॥6-28-27॥
The yogi, whose mind is tranquil, who has subdued passions, and who is one with Brahman, indeed attains supreme happiness, free from all impurities.
yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī vigatakalmaṣaḥ। sukhena brahmasaṃsparśamatyantaṃ sukham-aśnute ॥6-28-28॥
The yogi, who constantly engages the self in this manner and is free from sin, effortlessly attains the ultimate bliss through union with the divine essence.
sarvabhūtastham ātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani। īkṣate yogayuktātmā sarvatra samadarśanaḥ ॥6-28-29॥
The yogi who is united with the self sees the self abiding in all beings and all beings in the self, and he sees with an equal vision everywhere.
yo māṃ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṃ ca mayi paśyati। tasyāhaṃ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati ॥6-28-30॥
"He who sees me everywhere and sees everything in me, I am never lost to him, nor is he ever lost to me."
sarvabhūtasthitaṃ yo māṃ bhajatyekatvamāsthitaḥ। sarvathā vartamāno'pi sa yogī mayi vartate ॥6-28-31॥
The yogi who worships me, seeing me in all beings and established in oneness, lives in me regardless of his way of life.
ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṃ paśyati yo'rjuna। sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ sa yogī paramo mataḥ ॥6-28-32॥
O Arjuna, one who sees all with an equal eye, comparing everything with oneself, whether in happiness or distress, is considered the supreme yogi.
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said:
yo'yaṁ yogastvayā proktaḥ sāmyeṇa madhusūdana। etasyāhaṁ na paśyāmi cañcalatvātsthitiṁ sthirām ॥6-28-33॥
O Madhusudana, the yoga you have described with equanimity, I cannot perceive a steady state of it due to its restlessness.
cañcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavaddṛḍham। tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyoriva suduṣkaram ॥6-28-34॥
O Krishna, the mind is restless, turbulent, strong, and unyielding. I find it as difficult to control as the wind.
śrībhagavānuvāca॥
The Blessed Lord spoke:
asaṁśayaṁ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṁ calam। abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate ॥6-28-35॥
O mighty-armed, undoubtedly the mind is restless and difficult to control. However, with practice and detachment, O son of Kunti, it can be controlled.
asaṃyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ। vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo'vāptumupāyataḥ ॥6-28-36॥
In my opinion, yoga is difficult to attain with an unrestrained mind. However, with a controlled mind and effort, it is possible to achieve through the right means.
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said:
ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāccalitamānasaḥ। aprāpya yogasaṁsiddhiṁ kāṁ gatiṁ kṛṣṇa gacchati ॥6-28-37॥
O Krishna, what is the fate of a person who, though endowed with faith, is not self-controlled and whose mind has deviated from yoga without attaining perfection in yoga?
kaccinnobhayavibhraṣṭaśchinnābhramiva naśyati। apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi ॥6-28-38॥
O mighty-armed, is he not deviated from both, like a cloud cut off, perishing without foundation, bewildered on the spiritual path?
etanme sanśayaṃ kṛṣṇa chettumarhasyaśeṣataḥ। tvadanyaḥ sanśayasyāsya chettā na hyupapadyate ॥6-28-39॥
Krishna, you are the only one who can completely dispel my doubt. No one else is capable of doing so.
śrībhagavānuvāca॥
The Blessed Lord said:
pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate। na hi kalyāṇakṛtkaściddurgatiṃ tāta gacchati ॥6-28-40॥
O Arjuna, there is no destruction for the righteous either in this world or the next. Indeed, my dear, one who performs good deeds never falls into misfortune.
prāpya puṇyakṛtāṁllokānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ। śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yogabhraṣṭo'bhijāyate ॥6-28-41॥
After reaching the worlds of the virtuous and residing there for countless years, a person who has fallen from yoga is reborn in a family of purity and wealth.
atha vā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām। etaddhi durlabhataraṃ loke janma yadīdṛśam ॥6-28-42॥
Then, or he is born in the family of wise yogis; such a birth is indeed very rare in this world.
tatra taṁ buddhisaṁyogaṁ labhate paurvadehikam। yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṁsiddhau kurunandana ॥6-28-43॥
In that place, he regains the connection with the wisdom from his past life and endeavors once more to achieve perfection, O descendant of Kuru.
pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo'pi saḥ। jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate ॥6-28-44॥
Due to the influence of previous practice, he is carried away helplessly. Even a seeker of yoga transcends the sound form of Brahman.
prayatnādyatamānastu yogī sanśuddhakilbiṣaḥ। anekajanmasaṁsiddhastato yāti parāṁ gatim ॥6-28-45॥
The yogi, through persistent effort and purification from sins over many lifetimes, ultimately reaches the highest state of spiritual realization.
tapasvibhyo'dhiko yogī jñānibhyo'pi mato'dhikaḥ। karmibhyaścādhiko yogī tasmādyogī bhavārjuna ॥6-28-46॥
A yogi is considered superior to ascetics, the wise, and those engaged in action. Therefore, Arjuna, you should strive to be a yogi.
yoginām api sarveṣāṃ mad-gatenāntarātmanā। śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṃ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ ॥6-28-47॥
Among all yogis, the one who worships Me with unwavering faith and whose mind is fully absorbed in Me is considered by Me to be the most devoted.
