चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम् । तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥
cañcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavaddṛḍham | tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyoriva suduṣkaram ||
Translation
The mind is indeed restless, O Krishna, turbulent, powerful, and stubborn. I think controlling it is as difficult as controlling the wind.
Interpretation
Arjuna's description of the mind is unforgettably accurate: chancalam (restless), pramathi (turbulent, agitating), balavat (powerful), and dridham (obstinate, hard). Controlling such a mind is, he says, as difficult as controlling the wind — an impossible task for ordinary means. This admission of helplessness is not weakness; it is the beginning of wisdom. The student who knows the difficulty of the task will seek the proper tools. And Krishna, in the next verse, will provide them.