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 ||
Translation
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.
Interpretation
Krishna does not dismiss or minimize Arjuna's concern — he validates it entirely: asanshayam (undoubtedly), the mind is durnigrahum (hard to control). But then: two means. Abhyasa — repeated practice, regular sustained effort in one direction. Vairagya — dispassion, the loosening of the mind's grip on sense objects by seeing their inherent limitations. Abhyasa creates a groove in the mind toward the spiritual; vairagya removes the counter-force of desire. Together they make what seems impossible merely difficult, and what is merely difficult, eventually achievable.