यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता । योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः ॥
yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā | yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ ||
Translation
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.
Interpretation
The lamp-in-a-windless-place simile is one of the most famous in the Gita. A candle in a still room burns with a perfectly steady, unflickering flame. The yogi's mind in deep meditation is like this. Ordinarily the mind flickers constantly — driven by desires, fears, memories, plans, sensations. In deep meditation, this flickering ceases. The mind burns steadily, illuminating the Self without distortion. The windless place is the condition created by withdrawal from the senses and ego-desires.