Chapter 6 of 18 · 47 verses · 16 min
Bhagavad Gita chapter 6: Taming the mind
The Gita’s meditation manual — how to sit, breathe and steady a mind that won’t stop.
This is the Gita's meditation manual. Krishna describes how to sit, how to live — not too much and not too little of anything — and what a settled mind feels like: a flame in a place with no wind. Arjuna admits what everyone feels: “The mind is as hard to control as the wind.” Krishna doesn't argue. He says it takes practice and letting go — and that no sincere effort is ever wasted, even if you don't finish in this lifetime.
The line to remember · 6.5“Lift yourself by your own effort — be your own best friend.”All 47 verses — tap any one to read it
- 6.1“Doing your work without needing a reward — that is the real spiritual life.”
- 6.2“Letting go of selfish plans is the secret.”
- 6.3“When you begin, keep busy doing good. Later, stillness comes by itself.”
- 6.4“When you stop clinging, you reach the top of the mountain.”
- 6.5“Lift yourself up. Be your own best friend, not your own worst enemy.” — words to hold on a hard day.
- 6.6“A trained mind is your friend. An untrained mind works against you.”
- 6.7“A peaceful person stays steady in heat and cold, praise and insult.”
- 6.8“To them, mud, a stone and gold are all the same.”
- 6.9“They treat friends, strangers and even enemies with the same kind heart.”
- 6.10“To meditate, find a quiet place and sit alone for a while.”
- 6.11“Make a clean, comfortable seat — not too high, not too low.”
- 6.12“Sit, focus your mind on one thing, and let your thoughts settle.”
- 6.13“Keep your back, neck and head straight. Let your eyes rest.”
- 6.14“Be calm, unafraid, and let your mind rest on God.”
- 6.15“Do this every day and you will find deep peace.”
- 6.16“Don’t eat or sleep too much — or too little.”
- 6.17“Balance food and rest, work and play, sleep and waking — and sadness fades.”
- 6.18“When your mind rests inside, free of wanting, you are centred.”
- 6.19“A calm mind is like a candle flame where no wind blows.”
- 6.20“When the mind becomes still, you meet your true self and feel happy inside…”
- 6.21“…a joy bigger than any treat. Once you find it, you never forget.”
- 6.22“With this joy inside, even big troubles can’t knock you over.”
- 6.23“Yoga means saying goodbye to suffering. Keep practising, don’t give up.”
- 6.24“Let go of wishful thinking, and gently calm your senses…”
- 6.25“…slowly, patiently, rest your mind inside.”
- 6.26“When your mind wanders, gently bring it back. Again and again.” — the whole secret of meditation.
- 6.27“A quiet mind finds the deepest joy.”
- 6.28“With practice, that joy comes easily.”
- 6.29“A calm heart sees the same spirit in everyone.”
- 6.30“If you see me everywhere, I am never far from you.”
- 6.31“Love God in all beings, and you live with God wherever you are.”
- 6.32“The best person feels other people’s joy and pain as their own.”
- 6.33Arjuna says: “But my mind is too restless for this!”
- 6.34“The mind is wild and strong — like trying to hold the wind.”
- 6.35“Yes, the mind is restless. But with practice and letting go, it can be trained.” — hope for every overthinker.
- 6.36“It’s hard, but if you keep trying the right way, you’ll get there.”
- 6.37Arjuna asks: “What if someone tries, but falls off the path?”
- 6.38“Do they lose everything, like a cloud blown apart?”
- 6.39“Please answer this — only you can.”
- 6.40“My friend, no one who tries to do good is ever lost.” — every effort counts.
- 6.41“They rest in good places, then are born into a good family.”
- 6.42“Or they are born among wise people.”
- 6.43“There, they pick up where they left off and try even harder.”
- 6.44“Their old practice carries them forward, almost by itself.”
- 6.45“With steady effort, they finally reach the goal.”
- 6.46“A calm, loving seeker is greater than any show-off. So be one, Arjuna.”
- 6.47“And the one who loves me with their whole heart is closest to me.”
Traditional summary
Dhyana Yoga: Path of Meditation
The sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is Dhyana Yoga. In this chapter, Krishna reveals the Yoga of Meditation and how to practise this Yoga. He discusses the role of action in preparing for Meditation, how performing duties in devotion purifies one's mind and heightens one's spiritual consciousness. He explains in detail the obstacles that one faces when trying to control their mind and the exact methods by which one can conquer their mind. He reveals how one can focus their mind on Paramatma and unite with the God.
