उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् । आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥
uddharedātmanātmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet | ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ ||
Translation
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.
Interpretation
One of the most psychologically profound verses in the Gita. The higher Self (Atman) and the lower self (ego-conditioned personality) are in a relationship. The higher Self is both potential friend and potential enemy — depending on whether one aligns with it or betrays it. No external savior can do the inner work; each person must 'lift themselves' (uddhareda — elevate, rescue). This is not cold self-reliance but the recognition that the divine resource for transformation is always already within us.