Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 18

Chapter 6 – Dhyana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते ।
निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा ॥

Transliteration

yadā viniyataṃ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate .
niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā ॥

Meaning

When the well-disciplined mind rests in the Self alone, free from longing for all objects of desire, then one is said to be 'yukta', established in yoga.

Word meanings

यदा – when
विनियतम् – thoroughly disciplined
चित्तम् – the mind
आत्मनि – in the Self
एव – alone
अवतिष्ठते – rests, abides
निःस्पृहः – free from longing
सर्वकामेभ्यः – from all desires
युक्तः – established in yoga
इति – thus
उच्यते – is said
तदा – then

Anvaya (word order)

यदा विनियतं चित्तम् आत्मनि एव अवतिष्ठते, (तदा) सर्वकामेभ्यः निःस्पृहः (पुरुषः) युक्तः इति उच्यते ।

Explanation

Having described the method of meditation and the balanced life, Krishna now begins to describe the state of perfection in meditation; this description runs from 6.18 to 6.23. The first mark is that the disciplined mind settles 'in the Self alone'.

Ordinarily the mind keeps searching for a place to rest — sometimes in a person, sometimes in an object, sometimes in an idea. It jumps from one to another because nowhere does it find complete satisfaction. When, through practice, the mind becomes viniyata — thoroughly disciplined — it gives up wandering outside and begins to rest in its own source, the Self. The word eva, 'alone', shows that it now needs no other support.

The second mark is nihsprihah sarva-kamebhyah — free from longing for all objects of desire. The two marks are linked. When the mind is fulfilled in the Self, it no longer craves any pleasure seen or heard of. Shankara explains that such a person is free from thirst for both seen pleasures of this world and unseen pleasures of the hereafter.

Only one established in this state is truly called yukta. The next verse illuminates this state with a beautiful image.

Context

Verses 6.16–17 described the balanced life. From here (6.18–23) comes the description of the state of absorption. The next verse (6.19) offers the image of a lamp in a windless place.

Life lesson

Make your mind less dependent on outer supports. Practise sitting quietly each day without external stimulation — no phone, no noise. Gradually the mind learns to find rest within itself.

Key terms

Viniyata chitta: a thoroughly disciplined mind
Nihspriha: free from longing
Yukta: established in yoga