आत्मसंयमयोग

श्रीभगवानुवाच अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः । स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः ॥

śrī bhagavān uvāca anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ | sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ ||

The Blessed Lord said: One who performs obligatory duty without depending on the fruits of action — that person is both a renunciant and a yogi. Not one who has given up fire and not one who has given up action.

यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव । न ह्यसंन्यस्तसंकल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ॥

yaṃ sannyāsamiti prāhuryogaṃ taṃ viddhi pāṇḍava | na hyasannyastasaṃkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana ||

Know that what they call renunciation is the same as yoga, O Pandava. No one becomes a yogi without having renounced selfish resolve.

आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते । योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते ॥

ārurukṣormuneryogaṃ karma kāraṇamucyate | yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate ||

For the sage who wishes to ascend to yoga, action is said to be the means. For one who has already ascended to yoga, tranquility is said to be the means.

यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते । सर्वसंकल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते ॥

yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasvanusajjate | sarvasaṃkalpasannyāsī yogārūḍhastadocyate ||

When one neither clings to sense objects nor to actions, having renounced all selfish resolves — then that person is said to have ascended to yoga.

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् । आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥

uddharedātmanātmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet | ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ ||

Let a person lift themselves up by the Self; let them not degrade the Self. The Self alone is the friend of the self; the Self alone is the enemy of the self.

बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः । अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥

bandhurātmātmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ | anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat ||

The Self is the friend of that self by whom the self has been conquered by the Self. But for one who has not conquered the self, the Self remains in hostility, like an enemy.

जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः । शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः ॥

jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ | śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānaapamānayoḥ ||

For the self-conquered and serene one, the Supreme Self is steadily realized — in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain, in honor and dishonor.

ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः । युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः ॥

jñānavijñānatṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ | yukta ityucyate yogī samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ ||

The yogi who is content in knowledge and wisdom, who is unmoved like a peak, who has conquered the senses, who regards equally a clod of earth, a stone, and gold — such a one is said to be established in yoga.

सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु । साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥

suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu | sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate ||

One who has equal intelligence toward the well-wisher, friend, enemy, the indifferent, the neutral, the hateful, the kinsman, the righteous, and the unrighteous — such a one excels.

योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः । एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः ॥

yogī yuñjīta satatamātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ | ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ ||

The yogi should constantly engage the self in meditation, staying in a solitary place, alone, with mind and body controlled, free from hope, free from possessiveness.

शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः । नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् ॥

śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ | nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram ||

In a clean spot, having established a firm seat for oneself — neither too high nor too low — covered with cloth, deerskin, and kusha grass —

तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः । उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये ॥

tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ | upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye ||

There, seated on that seat, making the mind one-pointed, with the activities of the mind and senses controlled — one should practice yoga for self-purification.

समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः । सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥

samaṃ kāyaśiroghrīvaṃ dhārayannacalaṃ sthiraḥ | samprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan ||

Holding the body, head, and neck erect and motionless, gazing at the tip of the nose without looking in any direction —

प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः । मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः ॥

praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacarivrate sthitaḥ | manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ ||

Serene in self, fearless, established in the vow of brahmacharya, having restrained the mind — seated, united in yoga, with the mind on Me, with Me as the supreme goal.

युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानसः । शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति ॥

yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī niyatamānasaḥ | śāntiṃ nirvāṇaparamāṃ matsaṃsthāmadhigacchati ||

Thus constantly engaging the self in yoga, the yogi with mind controlled attains the peace culminating in nirvana — which abides in Me.

नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः । न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन ॥

nātyaśnatastu yogo'sti na caikāntamanaśnataḥ | na cāti svapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna ||

Yoga is not for one who eats too much or who eats too little; not for one who sleeps too much or who remains awake too long, O Arjuna.

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु । युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा ॥

yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu | yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā ||

For one who is moderate in eating and recreation, who is balanced in performing actions, and who is regulated in sleep and waking — yoga becomes the destroyer of suffering.

यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते । निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा ॥

yadā viniyataṃ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate | nihspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā ||

When the perfectly controlled mind rests in the Self alone, free from longing for all objects of desire — then it is said to be established in yoga.

यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता । योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः ॥

yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā | yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ ||

As a lamp placed in a windless spot does not flicker — this is the traditional metaphor cited for the yogi of controlled mind who practices the yoga of the Self.

यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया । यत्र चैवात्मनात्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति ॥

yatroparamate cittaṃ niruddhaṃ yogasevayā | yatra caivātmanātmānaṃ paśyannātmani tuṣyati ||

Where the mind is restrained by the practice of yoga and comes to rest, where one sees the Self by the Self and is content in the Self —

सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् । वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः ॥

sukhamātyantikaṃ yattadbuddhigrāhyamatīndriyam | vetti yatra na caivāyaṃ sthitaścalati tattvataḥ ||

Where one knows the infinite happiness, which is grasped by the intellect and beyond the senses — established there, one does not move from the truth.

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

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

Having obtained which, one considers no other gain greater than that. Established in which, one is not shaken even by the greatest suffering.

तं विद्याद्दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् । स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा ॥

taṃ vidyādduḥkhasaṃyogaviyogaṃ yogasaṃjñitam | sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo'nirviṇṇacetasā ||

Let that be known as yoga — the severance of the union with suffering. This yoga must be practiced with determination and with an undiscouraged mind.

संकल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः । मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः ॥

saṃkalpaprabhavānkāmāṃstyaktvā sarvānaśeṣataḥ | manasaivendriyagrāmaṃ viniyamya samantataḥ ||

Abandoning without remainder all desires born of resolve, and completely restraining the whole group of senses by the mind alone —

शनैः शनैरुपरमेद्बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया । आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ॥

śanaiḥ śanairuparamedbhuddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā | ātmasaṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet ||

Gradually, gradually, let one come to rest by intellect held with firmness; having established the mind in the Self, one should think of nothing at all.

यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् । ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥

yato yato niścarati manaścañcalamasthiram | tatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṃ nayet ||

Wherever the wavering and unsteady mind wanders, from there, restraining it, one should bring it back under the control of the Self alone.

प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम् । उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम् ॥

praśāntamanasaṃ hyenaṃ yoginaṃ sukhamuttamam | upaiti śāntarajasaṃ brahmabhūtamakalmam ||

Supreme happiness comes to this yogi of perfectly serene mind, whose passion is pacified, who has become Brahman, who is free from stain.

युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः । सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते ॥

yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī vigatakalmaṣaḥ | sukhena brahmasaṃsparśamatyantaṃ sukhamaśnute ||

The yogi who is thus constantly uniting the self, free from sins, easily attains the infinite bliss of contact with Brahman.

सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि । ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः ॥

sarvabhūtasthamātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani | īkṣate yogayuktātmā sarvatra samadarśanaḥ ||

With the self united in yoga, the yogi who sees equally everywhere sees the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self.

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 ||

For one who sees Me everywhere and sees all in Me — I am never lost to that person, and that person is never lost to Me.

सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः । सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते ॥

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

The yogi who, established in oneness, worships Me dwelling in all beings — that yogi lives in Me, in whatever manner they move.

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

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

One who sees everywhere, by comparison with the self, equal in pleasure as in pain — that yogi, O Arjuna, is considered the highest.

अर्जुन उवाच योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन । एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात्स्थितिं स्थिराम् ॥

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

Arjuna said: This yoga of equanimity that you have declared, O Madhusudana — I do not see its steady foundation, because of the mind's restlessness.

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

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

The mind is indeed restless, O Krishna, turbulent, powerful, and stubborn. I think controlling it is as difficult as controlling the wind.

श्रीभगवानुवाच असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् । अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥

śrī bhagavān uvāca asaṃśayaṃ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṃ calam | abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate ||

The Blessed Lord said: Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed one, the mind is difficult to control and restless. But through practice and through dispassion, O son of Kunti, it is controlled.

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः । वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः ॥

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

For one with an uncontrolled self, yoga is difficult to attain — this is my opinion. But for one who has a self under control and who strives through proper means, it is possible to attain.

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

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

Arjuna said: One who is endowed with faith but who has not striven, whose mind has slipped from yoga — what path does such a person go, O Krishna, having failed to attain the perfection of yoga?

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति । अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि ॥

kaccinnobhayavibhraṣṭaśchinnābhramiva naśyati | apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi ||

Does such a person, fallen from both, without foundation, confused on the path to Brahman, not perish like a torn cloud, O mighty-armed one?

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः । त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते ॥

etanme saṃśayaṃ kṛṣṇa chettumarhasyaśeṣataḥ | tvadanyaḥ saṃśayasyāsya chettā na hyupapadyate ||

O Krishna, you should cut this doubt of mine completely. There is no other who is able to cut this doubt than you.

श्रीभगवानुवाच पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते । न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति ॥

śrī bhagavān uvāca pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate | na hi kalyāṇakṛtkaściddurgatiṃ tāta gacchati ||

The Blessed Lord said: O Partha, for such a person there is no destruction, neither here nor hereafter. No one who does good, my friend, ever comes to grief.

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः । शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते ॥

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

Having reached the worlds of those who have performed meritorious deeds, and having dwelt there for immeasurable years, the fallen yogi is reborn in the home of the pure and prosperous.

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् । एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् ॥

athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām | etaddhi durlabhataraṃ loke janma yadīdṛśam ||

Or else one is born in the family of wise yogis. Indeed, such a birth as this is more difficult to obtain in the world.

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

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

There, one regains the connection of the intellect from the previous life, and one strives again from there toward perfection, O joy of the Kurus.

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः । जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्माभिवर्तते ॥

pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo'pi saḥ | jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmābhivartate ||

By that same force of previous practice, one is carried forward even involuntarily. Even one who merely inquires about yoga goes beyond the sound-Brahman (Vedic rituals).

प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः । अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥

prayatnādyatamānastu yogī saṃśuddhakilbiṣaḥ | anekajansaṃsiddhastatho yāti parāṃ gatim ||

But the yogi who strives with effort, with sins completely purified, perfected through many births — then goes to the supreme goal.

तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः । कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन ॥

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

The yogi is superior to those who practice ascetic austerities, superior even to those of learning, and superior to those who perform rituals. Therefore, be a yogi, O Arjuna.

योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना । श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः ॥

yogināmapi sarveṣāṃ madgatenāntarātmanā | śraddhāvānbhajate yo māṃ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ ||

And of all the yogis, the one who worships Me with faith, with the inner self absorbed in Me — that person is considered by Me to be the most established in yoga.