यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता। योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः
Just as a lamp in a windless place does not flicker—this is the comparison given for the yogi of controlled mind, practicing union with the self.
यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया । यत्र चैवात्मनात्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति
When the mind, restrained by yoga practice, becomes still, and seeing the self by the self, one is satisfied within the self,
मुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्वुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम्। वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः
That state, which is grasped by the intellect and is beyond the senses, where established, one does not move from the truth,
यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः। यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते
Having attained which, one does not consider any other gain greater than it, and established in which, one is not shaken even by great sorrow—
तं विद्याद्दुःखसंयोगवयोगं योगसंज्ञितम्। स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा
Let that be known as the separation from union with sorrow, called yoga. This yoga must be practiced with determination and undepressed mind.
संकल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः । मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनिवम्य समन्ततः
Having completely abandoned all desires born of intention, restraining the group of senses on all sides by the mind,
शनैः शनैरुपरमेद्भुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया । आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किंचिदपि चिन्तयेत्
He should gradually withdraw, with intellect held steady, making the mind established in the self, and think of nothing else.
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् । ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्
Wherever the restless, unsteady mind wanders, from there he should restrain it and bring it under the control of the self alone.
प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं मुखमुत्तमम् । उपैति श्चान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम्
The supreme face of the yogin, whose mind is truly tranquil, free from inner passion, pure and become Brahman, shines forth.
युञ्चयेवं सदात्मानं योगी विमतकल्मषःक । मुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्कपर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्रुते
Thus, the yogin, always uniting himself, his doubts dispelled, attains through discipline a happiness that is supreme and beyond the senses.
सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि। ईक्षते कयोगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः
With a mind joined in yoga, seeing equally everywhere, he beholds the Self abiding in all beings and all beings in the Self.
यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति । तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति
Whoever 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
He who, established in unity, worships Me abiding in all beings, that yogin, however he lives, dwells in Me.
आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन । सुखंक वा यदि वा दुःखं स योगी मरमो मतः
He who, by comparison with himself, sees the same everywhere, O Arjuna, whether in pleasure or in pain, is considered a supreme yogin.
योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन। एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात्स्थितिं स्थिरां
This yoga, which you have described as equality, O Madhusudana, I do not see its steady endurance, because of the restlessness of the mind.
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम् । तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्
For the mind, O Krishna, is indeed restless, turbulent, strong, and obstinate; I think restraining it is as difficult as restraining the wind.
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम्। अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते
Without doubt, O mighty-armed one, the mind is hard to restrain and unsteady; but by practice, O son of Kunti, and by detachment, it is controlled.
असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः। वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽऽवाप्तुमुपायतः
In my view, yoga is hard to attain for one whose self is uncontrolled; but for one who is self-controlled and striving, it is attainable by proper means.
अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः। अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति
If a man, lacking effort but endowed with faith, his mind straying from yoga, fails to attain perfection in yoga, O Krishna, what path does he take?
कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति। अप्रतिकष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि
Does he not perish, fallen from both paths, like a scattered cloud, O mighty-armed one, bewildered on the path to Brahman and without support?
एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः । त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते
This doubt of mine, O Krishna, you ought to dispel completely; for besides you, there is no one who can dispel this doubt.
पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते। न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति
O Partha, neither here nor hereafter is there destruction for him; for no one who does good, my dear, ever comes to a bad end.
प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः । शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते
Having attained the worlds of the righteous and dwelt there for many years, the one fallen from yoga is born in a pure and prosperous family.
अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् । एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृश्यम्
Or else he is born in the family of wise yogins; such a birth as this is indeed very hard to obtain in this world.
तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम् । यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन
There he regains the understanding connected to his former body, and strives again for perfection, O descendant of the Kurus.
पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशेऽपि सः। जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते
By that very former practice, he is carried forward even against his will; even one who merely wishes to know yoga goes beyond the word of scripture.
प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्विषः । अनेकन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम्
But the yogi, striving with effort and purified from faults, perfected through many births, attains the supreme path.
तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योपि मतोऽधिकः । कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भावार्जुन
The yogi is considered superior to ascetics, superior even to those possessing knowledge, and superior to those engaged in action; therefore, Arjuna, become a yogi.
योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना। श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः
Among all yogis, the one who, with inner self absorbed in me and with faith, worships me, is regarded by me as the most united.
मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः। असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु
With your mind attached to me, O Partha, practicing yoga under my shelter, hear how you will know me fully and without doubt.