Chapter 6, Verse 35
Dhyana Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.
Original Sanskrit verse
Transliteration
Word meanings
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—Lord Krishna said; asanśhayam—undoubtedly; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; manaḥ—the mind; durnigraham—difficult to restrain; chalam—restless; abhyāsena—by practice; tu—but; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; vairāgyeṇa—by detachment; cha—and; gṛihyate—can be controlled
English translation
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."
— Swami Sivananda
Listen to Shloka 6.35
Commentary
The constant or repeated effort to keep the wandering mind steady by constant meditation on the Lakshya (centre; ideal; goal or object of meditation) is Abhyasa or practice. The same idea or thought of the Self or God is constantly repeated. This constant repetition destroys Vikshepa or the vacillation of the mind and desires; and makes it steady and onepointed. Vairagya is dispassion or indifference to senseobjects in this world or in the other; here or hereafter; seen or unseen; heard or unheard; achieved through constantly looking into the evil in them (DoshaDrishti). You will have to train the mind by constant reflection on the immortal; allblissful Self. You must make the mind realise the transitory nature of the wordly enjoyments. You must suggest to the mind to look for its enjoyment not in the perishable and changing external objects but in the immortal; changeless Self within. Gradually the mind will be withdrawn from the external objects.
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
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