Bhagvad Gita - Chapter: 6 Dhyana Yogah

Chapter 6

Dhyana Yogah

श्रीभगवानुवाच अनाश्रित: कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति य: |
स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रिय: ||1||

One who performs duties without depending on the fruits of action is both a renunciate and a yogi, not one who is without fire or action.

Anāśritaḥ: Detached or independent.
Sannyāsī: One who renounces.
Karma-phala: Fruits of action.

The opening shloka sets the foundation of karma yoga, emphasizing the importance of performing duties without attachment. It challenges the conventional notion of renunciation, presenting a deeper interpretation of true renunciation as inner detachment.

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यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव |
न ह्यसंन्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ||2||

What is called renunciation, know that to be yoga, O Pandava; for one cannot become a yogi without renouncing desires.

Sannyāsam: Renunciation.
Saṅkalpa: Resolution or intention.

Krishna highlights that yoga and renunciation are inherently connected. This shloka invites reflection on the mental discipline required to balance renunciation with engagement in life’s duties.

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आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते |
योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शम: कारणमुच्यते ||3||

For a sage who seeks to ascend to yoga, action is said to be the means; for one who has ascended, calmness is said to be the means.

Ārurukṣoḥ: One aspiring to climb or ascend.
Yoga: Union of the self with the divine.
Śamaḥ: Calmness or tranquility.

For beginners, action serves as a preparatory path to yoga. Krishna implies that serenity can only come after mastering selfless action, introducing a progressive journey toward spiritual growth.

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यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते |
सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते ||4||

When one is unattached to sense objects or actions, having renounced all thoughts, then one is said to have reached yoga.

Indriyārtheṣu: Objects of the senses.
Saṅkalpa: Thought or determination.

True renunciation is a state of inner detachment from the outcomes of actions. This verse subtly questions societal norms, urging individuals to introspect on their motivations behind actions.

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उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् |
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: ||5||

Let a person elevate himself by his own mind, and let him not degrade himself; for the mind can be the friend or enemy of the self.

Bandhuḥ: Friend or well-wisher.
Ātmanā: By the self or soul.
Ripuh: Enemy or foe.

This shloka emphasizes self-responsibility, advocating for personal effort in self-upliftment. It reminds us that the mind, when disciplined, becomes a valuable ally, but when neglected, it can lead to self-sabotage.

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बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जित: |
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्ते तात्मैव शत्रुवत् ||6||

The self is a friend of one who has conquered it; but for one who has not conquered the self, the self acts as an enemy.

Jitaḥ: Conquered or subdued.
Anātmanah: One who is without self-control.

Self-mastery is positioned as the cornerstone of inner harmony. This verse contrasts the empowered individual who controls their mind with one who is enslaved by it, highlighting the stakes involved in self-discipline.

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