Dhyana Yoga

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

The Supreme Lord said: One who performs prescribed duties without depending on the fruits of action is a sanyasi and a yogi, not the one who does not light the sacrificial fire or performs no work.

यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव |

O son of Pandu, know that what they call renunciation is identical to Yoga. For no one can become a yogi without renouncing selfish desires and projections.

आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते |

For the sage who wishes to ascend to the heights of Yoga, selfless action is said to be the means. For one who has ascended to Yoga, silence and tranquility are said to be the means.

यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते |

A person is said to have ascended to Yoga when they have no attachment to sense objects or to actions, and have renounced all selfish desires and projections.

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् |

Let a person elevate themselves by their own mind, and not degrade themselves. For the mind is the friend of the self, and the mind is also the enemy of the self.

बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः |

For one who has conquered the lower self by the higher Self, the mind is a friend. But for one who has failed to do so, the mind remains an enemy, behaving like an adversary.

जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः |

For one who has conquered the mind and attained tranquility, the Supreme Self is fully realized and calm in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, honor and dishonor.

ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः |

A yogi whose soul is satisfied with scriptural knowledge and experiential realization, who is unchanging, who has conquered the senses, and who looks equally upon dirt, stone, and gold, is said to be self-realized.

सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु |

One who regards with equal mind well-wishers, friends, enemies, neutrals, arbiters, the hateful, relatives, the virtuous, and even the sinners, is highly distinguished.

योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः |

A yogi should constantly engage the mind in meditation, residing alone in a secluded place, with controlled mind and body, free from desires and possessiveness.

शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः |

Having established a firm seat for oneself in a clean place, neither too high nor too low, covered with kusha grass, a deerskin, and a cloth,

तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः |

sitting on that seat, making the mind one-pointed, with the actions of the mind and senses controlled, let him practice Yoga for the purification of the self.

समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः |

Holding the body, neck, and head erect and still, staring steadily at the tip of the nose, and not looking in other directions,

प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः |

with a peaceful mind, free from fear, established in the vow of celibacy, controlling the mind, let him sit in meditation, absorbing the thoughts in Me, and having Me as the supreme goal.

युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानसः |

Thus constantly training the mind in meditation, the yogi of disciplined mind attains the peace of supreme liberation which dwells in Me.

नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः |

O Arjuna, Yoga is not for the one who eats too much or does not eat at all, nor for the one who sleeps too much or stays awake excessively.

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु |

Yoga becomes the destroyer of sorrow for one who is regulated in eating and recreation, regulated in performing work, and regulated in sleep and waking.

यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते |

When the fully controlled mind remains established in the Self alone, free from all desires, at that time a person is said to be self-realized.

यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता |

As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker, this analogy is used to describe the yogi of disciplined mind practicing meditation on the Self.

यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया |

When the mind, quieted by the practice of Yoga, attains stillness, and when seeing the Self by the Self, one finds satisfaction in the Self alone;

सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद् बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् |

when one experiences that infinite bliss which is grasped by the intellect but lies beyond the senses, and wherein established, one never wavers from the truth;

यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः |

having attained which, one considers no other gain to be superior; and established wherein, one is not shaken even by the heaviest sorrow.

तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् |

Let it be known that this state of severance from union with pain is called Yoga. This Yoga must be practiced with firm determination and an undepressed mind.

सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः |

Abandoning without exception all desires born of mental projections, and fully regulating the group of senses from all sides by the mind alone,

शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया |

Gradually, step by step, one should attain quietude by means of the intellect sustained by steadiness. Having fixed the mind on the Self alone, one should not think of anything else.

यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् |

Wherever the restless and unsteady mind wanders, one must bring it back under the control of the Self.

प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम् |

The yogi whose mind is peaceful, whose passion is quieted, who is free from sin, and who has become one with Brahman, attains the highest happiness.

युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः |

Thus constantly engaging the mind in meditation, the yogi, freed from all sins, easily experiences the infinite bliss of contact with Brahman.

सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि |

One who is integrated in Yoga sees the Self in all living beings, and all living beings in the Self. Indeed, the self-realized person looks upon all with an equal eye.

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति |

He who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost to him, and he is never lost to Me.

सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः |

He who worships Me residing in all beings, established in oneness, dwells in Me at all times, no matter how he behaves in the world.

आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन |

O Arjuna, he is considered the highest yogi who sees others as equal to himself, looking upon the pleasure and pain of all beings as if it were his own.

अर्जुन उवाच |

Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, this Yoga of equanimity that You have declared, I do not see how it can be stable, because of the restlessness of the mind.

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम् |

For the mind is restless, turbulent, strong, and obstinate, O Krishna. Controlling it seems to me as difficult as controlling the wind.

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

The Supreme Lord said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, what you say is true; the mind is indeed restless and difficult to control. But it can be conquered, O Arjuna, by regular practice and by detachment.

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः |

For one whose mind is uncontrolled, self-realization is difficult to attain, in My opinion. But one whose mind is controlled and who strives by proper means can achieve it.

अर्जुन उवाच |

Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is the fate of an unsuccessful seeker who has faith, but whose mind wanders from Yoga, and who fails to achieve perfection in Yoga?

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति |

Does such a person, fallen from both material and spiritual paths, not perish like a broken cloud, without any support, O mighty-armed one, deluded on the path of Brahman?

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः |

Please dispel this doubt of mine completely, O Krishna; for there is no one else who can destroy this doubt except You.

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

The Supreme Lord said: O Partha, neither in this world nor in the next is there destruction for him. For one who performs good deeds, My dear friend, never goes to ruin.

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः |

The unsuccessful yogi, after dwelling for many years in the worlds of the virtuous, is born again in the home of the pure and wealthy.

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् |

Or they are born directly into a family of wise yogis. Such a birth in this world is indeed very rare.

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम् |

In that birth, they regain the spiritual consciousness of their past life, O descendant of Kuru, and they strive even harder for perfection.

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः |

By virtue of their past practice, they are carried forward automatically, even against their will. Even an inquirer of Yoga transcends the ritualistic scriptures.

प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः |

Striving with dedication, purified of all sins, and perfected through many births, the yogi finally attains the supreme goal.

तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः |

A yogi is superior to the ascetics, superior to the scholars, and superior to the ritualistic workers. Therefore, O Arjuna, be a yogi!

योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना |

And of all yogis, he who worships Me with faith, his inner self absorbed in Me, is considered by Me to be the most intimately united.