Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 5

Chapter 6 – Dhyana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥

Transliteration

uddharedātmanātmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet .
ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ ॥

Meaning

One should lift oneself up by one's own self and never let oneself sink down; for the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self.

Word meanings

उद्धरेत् – should lift up, should raise
आत्मना – by oneself (by the discerning mind)
आत्मानम् – oneself
न – not
अवसादयेत् – should let sink, should degrade
आत्मा – the self (the mind)
एव – alone, indeed
हि – for
आत्मनः – of the self
बन्धुः – friend, well-wisher
रिपुः – enemy

Anvaya (word order)

आत्मना आत्मानम् उद्धरेत्, आत्मानं न अवसादयेत्; हि आत्मा एव आत्मनः बन्धुः, आत्मा एव आत्मनः रिपुः ।

Explanation

This is one of the most inspiring and widely quoted verses of the Gita. Having described the one established in yoga, Krishna now lays down a fundamental principle: raise yourself by your own effort. The responsibility for spiritual progress finally rests on one's own shoulders. The teacher shows the way, scripture gives light, and divine grace is always available, yet the walking must be done by oneself.

The word atman occurs again and again in the verse, and its sense shifts with context. Atmana means 'by the self' — by the discerning mind or intellect; atmanam means 'the self' that is sunk in worldly confusion. Within each person there is a higher level — discrimination, willpower, good understanding — and a lower level — inertia, craving, heedlessness. The higher must take the lower by the hand and lift it.

Krishna also warns: do not drag yourself down. A person can bring about his own downfall through his thoughts and habits. No external enemy can do as much harm as one's own uncontrolled mind, and no external friend can do as much good as one's own disciplined and discerning mind.

Shankara remarks that even an external friend may ultimately become a cause of bondage through attachment; therefore the only true friend is oneself. Ramanuja takes atman here to mean the mind: the mind turned away from sense objects is a friend, the mind immersed in them is an enemy. Both readings arrive at one conclusion — mastering one's inner world is the greatest of human endeavours.

The verse refutes fatalism and despair. Whatever one's circumstances, every person has both the right and the power to lift himself. This self-reliance is the foundation stone of the yoga of meditation.

Context

After defining the yogarudha in 6.4, Krishna now says that such height is reached by one's own effort. The next verse (6.6) explains when the self is a friend and when it becomes an enemy.

Life lesson

Stop blaming others or fate for your condition. Each small good decision — rising on time, restraining anger, building one healthy habit — is a step in lifting yourself. Your own mind is your greatest helper or your greatest obstacle; the choice is yours.

Key terms

Uddhara: raising oneself above bondage and decline
Avasada: sinking down, degradation
Bandhu: friend, true well-wisher
Atman (here): by context, the mind, the intellect, or one's own person