यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते। निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा।।6.18।।
When the controlled mind rests only in the self, free from all desires, then one is said to be united in yoga.
यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता। योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः।।6.19।।
Just as a lamp in a windless place does not flicker, so is the comparison used for the yogi whose mind is controlled, practicing self-union.
यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया। यत्र चैवात्मनाऽऽत्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति।।6.20।।
When the mind, restrained by the practice of yoga, comes to rest, and when, seeing the self by the self, one is content within the self,
सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम्। वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः।।6.21।।
There, one experiences a happiness that is boundless, grasped by the intellect and beyond the senses, and established in that state, one does not waver from the truth.
यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः। यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते।।6.22।।
Having attained that, one considers no other gain greater than it; established in that, one is not shaken even by great sorrow.
तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम्। स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा।।6.23।।
Let that be known as yoga, the disconnection from union with suffering; this yoga must be practiced with determination and an unwavering mind.
सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः। मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः।।6.24।।
Abandoning entirely all desires born of intention, and restraining the group of senses on all sides by the mind alone,
शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया। आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत्।।6.25।।
Gradually, step by step, let one attain stillness by the intellect held steady; having fixed the mind on the self, let one think of nothing else.
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्। ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्।।6.26।।
Wherever the restless and unsteady mind wanders, from there let one restrain it and bring it under the control of the self alone.
प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम्। उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम्।।6.27।।
Supreme happiness comes to the yogi whose mind is peaceful, whose passion is calmed, who has become Brahman and is free from blemish.
युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः। सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते।।6.28।।
Constantly disciplining himself in this way, the yogi, freed from impurities, easily attains boundless happiness through contact with Brahman.
सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि। ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः।।6.29।।
With the mind united in yoga, seeing the self abiding in all beings and all beings in the self, he views everything with equal vision.
यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति। तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति।।6.30।।
He who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, for him I am not lost, and he is not lost to Me.
सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः। सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते।।6.31।।
He who worships Me, established in unity, abiding in all beings, that yogi lives in Me, whatever his way of life.
आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन। सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं सः योगी परमो मतः।।6.32।।
Arjuna, he who, by comparison with himself, sees the same everywhere—whether in happiness or in sorrow—such a yogi is considered supreme.
अर्जुन उवाच योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन। एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात् स्थितिं स्थिराम्।।6.33।।
Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, this yoga which you have described as equanimity, I do not see a steady foundation for it, because of the restlessness of the mind.
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्। तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्।।6.34।।
Indeed, Krishna, the mind is restless, turbulent, strong, and obstinate; I think controlling it is as difficult as controlling the wind.
श्री भगवानुवाच असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलं। अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते।।6.35।।
The Blessed Lord said: Without doubt, O mighty-armed, the mind is hard to control and restless; but by practice and detachment, O son of Kunti, it can be restrained.
असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः। वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः।।6.36।।
In my view, yoga is difficult to attain for one whose self is not controlled; but for one who has mastered the self and strives by proper means, it is attainable.
अर्जुन उवाच अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः। अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति।।6.37।।
Arjuna said: What is the fate, O Krishna, of one who, though endowed with faith, but lacking self-control, whose mind strays from yoga and does not attain perfection in yoga?
कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति। अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि।।6.38।।
Does one who has fallen from both paths perish like a broken cloud, O mighty-armed, lost and without foundation, confused on the path to Brahman?
एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः। त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते।।6.39।।
This is my doubt, Krishna; you should resolve it completely. No one but you can remove this doubt.
श्री भगवानुवाच पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते। नहि कल्याणकृत्कश्िचद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति।।6.40।।
The Blessed Lord said: O Partha, neither here nor hereafter is there destruction for him. Surely, one who acts virtuously never comes to misfortune, dear one.
प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः। शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते।।6.41।।
Having attained the worlds of the righteous and dwelled there for many ages, the one fallen from yoga is born in the home of the pure and prosperous.
अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम्। एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम्।।6.42।।
Or else, he is born in the family of wise yogis. Such a birth is indeed rarer in this world.
तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम्। यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन।।6.43।।
There, he obtains the connection with the intellect from his previous body, and strives again for perfection, O descendant of Kuru.
पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः। जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते।।6.44।।
By that former practice, he is drawn even against his will. Even one who desires to know yoga transcends the words of scripture.
प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः। अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम्।।6.45।।
But the yogi, striving with effort, purified from faults, perfected through many births, attains the highest path.
तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः। कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन।।6.46।।
The yogi is greater than ascetics, greater even than the wise, and greater than those who act. Therefore, become a yogi, Arjuna.
योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना। श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः।।6.47।।
Among all yogis, the one who worships me with faith, with his inner self absorbed in me, is considered by me to be the most united.