शनैः शनैरुपरमेद्बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया । आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ॥
śanaiḥ śanairuparamedbhuddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā | ātmasaṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet ||
Translation
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.
Interpretation
One of the most practical instructions in the Gita: shanah shanah — slowly, gradually. There is no rushing the inner journey; forced suppression of the mind creates more turbulence. The process is gentle and patient, guided by the intellect (buddhi) held with dhrti (steadiness, courage). The goal is to establish the mind in the Self (atma-samstham) — and then think of nothing else whatsoever. This is not the suppression of thought but its natural dissolution when the mind discovers its true resting place.