Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 24

Chapter 6 – Dhyana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः ।
मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः ॥

Transliteration

saṅkalpaprabhavānkāmāṃstyaktvā sarvānaśeṣataḥ .
manasaivendriyagrāmaṃ viniyamya samantataḥ ॥

Meaning

Abandoning completely all desires born of mental projection, and restraining the whole group of senses on every side by the mind itself —

Word meanings

सङ्कल्पप्रभवान् – born of sankalpa (mental projection)
कामान् – desires
त्यक्त्वा – having abandoned
सर्वान् – all
अशेषतः – completely, without remainder
मनसा – by the mind
एव – itself
इन्द्रियग्रामम् – the group of senses
विनियम्य – having restrained
समन्ततः – on all sides

Anvaya (word order)

सङ्कल्पप्रभवान् सर्वान् कामान् अशेषतः त्यक्त्वा मनसा एव इन्द्रियग्रामं समन्ततः विनियम्य —

Explanation

Having defined yoga, Krishna now clarifies the inner process of meditation further. This verse forms a single instruction together with the next. The first step is to abandon completely all desires born of sankalpa.

Krishna names the root of desire: sankalpa-prabhava, born of mental projection. First a thought of some object arises, then the mind imagines pleasure in it, and then desire for it awakens. To uproot desire, therefore, one must recognise its root, sankalpa. Two words carry special emphasis — sarvan, 'all', and asheshatah, 'without remainder'. It is not enough to give up some desires and keep others. As a single spark can become a fire again, so a subtle craving left behind can drag the mind away once more. Shankara stresses exactly this: without leaving any residue.

The second step is manasaivendriya-gramam viniyamya samantatah — restraining the whole group of senses on all sides by the mind itself. The senses are to be controlled not by force but by a discerning mind. When the mind understands that lasting happiness is not found in objects, it naturally holds the senses back from running toward them. Samantatah — on all sides — means that the mind should not go out through any door: sight, sound, taste, touch or smell.

These two steps — renouncing desire and restraining the senses — prepare the ground for meditation. The next verse explains how the mind is then settled in the Self.

Context

Verse 6.23 defined yoga and urged perseverance. This verse begins the inner process of meditation, which is completed in 6.25 — gradually withdrawing and establishing the mind in the Self.

Life lesson

Before chasing a desire, learn to recognise its seed — that first thought. If discrimination is applied at the level of the thought, desire never takes root. Persuading the mind is a more lasting remedy than suppressing the senses.

Key terms

Sankalpa-prabhava: born of mental projection
Asheshatah: completely, leaving nothing behind
Indriya-grama: the group of senses