Bhagavad Gita — Chapter 6

BG 6.1

श्री भगवानुवाच अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः। स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः

śrī bhagavānuvāca anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ| sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ

The Blessed Lord said: He that performeth such action as his duty, independently of the fruit of action, he is an ascetic, he is a Yogî, not he that is without fire, and without rites.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.2

यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव। न ह्यसंन्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन

yaṃ saṃnyāsamiti prāhuryogaṃ taṃ viddhi pāṇḍava| na hyasaṃnyastasaṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana

That which is called renunciation, know thou that as yoga, O Pândava; nor doth any one become a Yogî with the formative will unrenounced.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.3

आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते। योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते

ārurukṣormuneryogaṃ karma kāraṇamucyate| yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate

For a Sage who is seeking Yoga, action is called the means; for the same Sage, when he is enthroned in yoga, serenity is called the means.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.4

यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते। सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते

yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasvanuṣajjate| sarvasaṅkalpasaṃnyāsī yogārūḍhastadocyate

When a man feeleth no attachment either for the objects of sense or for actions, renouncing the formative will, then, he is said to be enthroned in yoga.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.5

उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्। आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः

uddharedātmanā''tmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet| ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ

Let him raise the self by the Self and not let the self become depressed; for verily is the Self the friend of the self, and also the Self the self's enemy;

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.6

बन्धुरात्माऽऽत्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः। अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत्

bandhurātmā''tmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ| anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat

The Self is the friend of the self of him in whom the self by the Self is vanquished; but to the unsubdued self the Self verily becometh hostile as an enemy.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.7

जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः। शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः

jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ| śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ

The higher Self of him who is Self -controlled and peaceful is uniform in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as well as in honour and dishonour.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.8

ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः। युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः

jñānavijñānatṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ| yukta ityucyate yogī samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ

The Yogî who is satisfied with wisdom and knowledge, unwavering, whose senses are sub dued, to whom a lump of earth, a stone and gold are the same, is said to be harmonised.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.9

सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु। साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते

suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu| sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate

He who regards impartially lovers, friends, and foes, strangers, neutrals, foreigners and relatives, also the righteous and unrighteous, he excelleth.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.10

योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः। एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः

yogī yuñjīta satatamātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ| ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ

Let the Yogî constantly engage himself in yoga, remaining in a secret place by himself, with thought and self subdued, free from hope and greed.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.11

शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः। नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम्

śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ| nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram

In a pure place, established on a fixed seat of his own, neither very much raised nor very low, made of a cloth, a black antelope skin, and kusha grass, one over the other;

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.12

तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः। उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये

tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ| upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye

There, having made the mind one-pointed, with thought and the functions of the senses subdued, steady on his seat, he should practise yoga for the purification of the self.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.13

समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः। संप्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन्

samaṃ kāyaśirogrīvaṃ dhārayannacalaṃ sthiraḥ| saṃprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan

Holding the body, head and neck erect, immovably steady, looking fixedly at the point of the nose, with unseeing gaze,

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.14

प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः। मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः

praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacārivrate sthitaḥ| manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ

The self serene, fearless, firm in the vow of the Brahmachâri, the mind controlled, thinking on Me, harmonised, let him sit aspiring after Me.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.15

युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी नियतमानसः। शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति

yuñjannevaṃ sadā''tmānaṃ yogī niyatamānasaḥ| śāntiṃ nirvāṇaparamāṃ matsaṃsthāmadhigacchati

The Yogî ever united thus with the Self , with the mind controlled, goeth to Peace, to the supreme Bliss that abideth in Me.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.16

नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः। न चातिस्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन

nātyaśnatastu yogo'sti na caikāntamanaśnataḥ| na cātisvapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna

Verily yoga is not for him who eateth too much, nor who abstaineth to excess, nor who is too much addicted to sleep, nor even to wakefulness, O Arjuna.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.17

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु। युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा

yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu| yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā

Yoga killeth out all pain for him who is regulated in eating and amusement, regulated in performing actions, regulated in sleeping and waking.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.18

यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते। निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा

yadā viniyataṃ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate| niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā

When his subdued thought is fixed on the Self , free from longing after all desirable things, then it is said, "he is harmonised."

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.19

यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता। योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः

yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā| yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ

As a lamp in a windless place flickereth not, to such is likened the Yogî of subdued thought, absorbed in the yoga of the Self .

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.20

यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया। यत्र चैवात्मनाऽऽत्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति

yatroparamate cittaṃ niruddhaṃ yogasevayā| yatra caivātmanā''tmānaṃ paśyannātmani tuṣyati

That in which the mind finds rest, quieted by the practice of yoga: that in which he, seeing the Self by the Self , in the Self is satisfied;

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.21

सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम्। वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः

sukhamātyantikaṃ yattadbuddhigrāhyamatīndriyam| vetti yatra na caivāyaṃ sthitaścalati tattvataḥ

That in which he findeth the supreme delight which the Reason can grasp beyond the senses, wherein established he moveth not from the Reality;

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.22

यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः। यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते

yaṃ labdhvā cāparaṃ lābhaṃ manyate nādhikaṃ tataḥ| yasminsthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate

Which, having obtained, he thinketh there is no greater gain beyond it; wherein, established, he is not shaken even by heavy sorrow;

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.23

तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम्। स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा

taṃ vidyād duḥkhasaṃyogaviyogaṃ yogasaṃjñitam| sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo'nirviṇṇacetasā

One should know that (state) — the severing of contact with suffering — to be what is called yoga. That yoga is to be practiced with resolve, with a mind that does not despair.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BG 6.24

सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः। मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः

saṅkalpaprabhavānkāmāṃstyaktvā sarvānaśeṣataḥ| manasaivendriyagrāmaṃ viniyamya samantataḥ

Abandoning without reserve all desires born of the imagination, by the mind curbing in the aggregate of the senses on every side,

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.25

शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया। आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत्

śanaiḥ śanairuparamed buddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā| ātmasaṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet

Little by little let him gain tranquillity, by means of Reason controlled by steadiness; having made the mind abide in the Self , let him not think of anything.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.26

यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्। ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्

yato yato niścarati manaścañcalamasthiram| tatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṃ nayet

As often as the wavering and unsteady mind goeth forth, so often reining it in, let him bring it under the control of the Self .

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.27

प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम्। उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम्

praśāntamanasaṃ hyenaṃ yoginaṃ sukhamuttamam| upaiti śāntarajasaṃ brahmabhūtamakalmaṣam

Supreme joy is for this Yogi whose mind is peaceful, whose passion-nature is calmed, who is sinless and of the nature of the Eternal .

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.28

युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः। सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते

yuñjannevaṃ sadā''tmānaṃ yogī vigatakalmaṣaḥ| sukhena brahmasaṃsparśamatyantaṃ sukhamaśnute

The Yogî who thus, ever harmonising the self, hath put away sin, he easily enjoyeth the infinite bliss of contact with the Eternal .

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.29

सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि। ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः

sarvabhūtasthamātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani| īkṣate yogayuktātmā sarvatra samadarśanaḥ

The self, harmonised by yoga, seeth the Self abiding in all beings, all beings in the Self ; everywhere he seeth the same.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.30

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति। तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति

yo māṃ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṃ ca mayi paśyati| tasyāhaṃ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati

He who seeth Me everywhere, and seeth everything in Me, of him will I never lose hold, and he shall never lose hold of Me.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.31

सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः। सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते

sarvabhūtasthitaṃ yo māṃ bhajatyekatvamāsthitaḥ| sarvathā vartamāno'pi sa yogī mayi vartate

He who, established in unity, worshippeth Me abiding in all beings, that Yogi liveth in Me, whatever his mode of living.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.32

आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन। सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं सः योगी परमो मतः

ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṃ paśyati yo'rjuna| sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ saḥ yogī paramo mataḥ

He who, through the likeness of the Self , O Arjuna, seeth equality in everything, whether pleasant or painful, he is considered a perfect Yogî.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.33

अर्जुन उवाच योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन। एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात् स्थितिं स्थिराम्

arjuna uvāca yo'yaṃ yogastvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana| etasyāhaṃ na paśyāmi cañcalatvāt sthitiṃ sthirām

This yoga which Thou hast declared to be by equanimity, O Madhusûdana, I see not a stable foundation for it, owing to restlessness;

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.34

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्। तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्

cañcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavaddṛḍham| tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyoriva suduṣkaram

For the mind is verily restless, O Krishna; it is impetuous, strong and difficult to bend. I deem it as hard to curb as the wind.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.35

श्री भगवानुवाच असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलं। अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते

śrī bhagavānuvāca asaṃśayaṃ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṃ calaṃ| abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

The Blessed Lord said: Without doubt, O mighty-armed, the mind is hard to curb and restless; but it may be curbed by constant practice and by dispassion.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.36

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः। वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः

asaṃyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ| vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo'vāptumupāyataḥ

Yoga is hard to attain, methinks, by a self that is uncontrolled; but by the Self -controlled it is attainable by properly directed energy.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.37

अर्जुन उवाच अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः। अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति

arjuna uvāca ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāccalitamānasaḥ| aprāpya yogasaṃsiddhiṃ kāṃ gatiṃ kṛṣṇa gacchati

Arjuna said: He who is unsubdued but who possesseth faith, with the mind wandering away from yoga, failing to attain perfection in yoga, what path doth he tread, O Krishna?

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.38

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति। अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि

kaccinnobhayavibhraṣṭaśchinnābhramiva naśyati| apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi

Fallen from both, is he destroyed like a rent cloud, unsteadfast, O mighty-armed, deluded in the path of the Eternal ?

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.39

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः। त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते

etanme saṃśayaṃ kṛṣṇa chettumarhasyaśeṣataḥ| tvadanyaḥ saṃśayasyāsya chettā na hyupapadyate

Deign, O Krishna, to completely dispel this doubt of mine; for there is none to be found save Thyself able to destroy this doubt.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.40

श्री भगवानुवाच पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते। नहि कल्याणकृत्कश्िचद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति

śrī bhagavānuvāca pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate| nahi kalyāṇakṛtkaśicaddurgatiṃ tāta gacchati

The Blessed Lord said: O son of Prithâ, neither in this world nor in the life to come is there destruction for him; never doth any who worketh righteousness, O beloved, tread the path of woe.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.41

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः। शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते

prāpya puṇyakṛtāṃ lokānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ| śucīnāṃ śrīmatāṃ gehe yogabhraṣṭo'bhijāyate

Having attained to the worlds of the pure-doing, and having dwelt there for immemorial years, he who fell from yoga is reborn in a pure and blessed house;

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.42

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम्। एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम्

athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām| etaddhi durlabhataraṃ loke janma yadīdṛśam

Or he may even be born into a family of wise Yogîs; but such a birth as that is most difficult to obtain in this world.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.43

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम्। यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन

tatra taṃ buddhisaṃyogaṃ labhate paurvadehikam| yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṃsiddhau kurunandana

There he recovereth the characteristics belonging to this former body, and with these he again laboureth for perfection, O joy of the Kurus.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.44

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः। जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते

pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo'pi saḥ| jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate

By that former practice he is irresistibly swept away. Only wishing to know yoga, even the seeker after yoga goeth beyond the Brâhmic world;

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.45

प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः। अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम्

prayatnādyatamānastu yogī saṃśuddhakilbiṣaḥ| anekajanmasaṃsiddhastato yāti parāṃ gatim

But the Yogî, labouring with assiduity, purified from sin, fully perfected through manifold births, he reacheth the supreme goal.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.46

तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः। कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन

tapasvibhyo'dhiko yogī jñānibhyo'pi mato'dhikaḥ| karmibhyaścādhiko yogī tasmādyogī bhavārjuna

The Yogî is greater than the ascetics; he is thought to be greater than even the wise; the Yogî is greater than the men of action; therefore become thou a Yogî, O Arjuna!

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)

BG 6.47

योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना। श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः

yogināmapi sarveṣāṃ madgatenāntarātmanā| śraddhāvānbhajate yo māṃ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

And among all Yogîs, he who, full of faith, with the inner Self abiding in Me, adoreth Me, he is considered by Me to be the most completely harmonised.

— tr. Annie Besant (1922) (public domain)