अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः ।स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः ॥
Anashritah karmaphalam karyam karma karoti yahSa sannyasi cha yogi cha na niragnirna chakriyah
Krishna speaks. He says that the one who does the work that ought to be done (kārya), without depending on its fruit, is both a renunciant (saṃnyāsī) and a yogī. It is not the one who merely gives up the sacred fire, or who merely stops acting. The commentators differ on how far this praises the person who still acts (see the views).
Explanation written for this site and checked against the cited edition. Free to quote with credit.
यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव ।न ह्यसंन्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ॥
Yam sannyasamiti prahuryogam tam viddhi pandavaNa hyasannyastasankalpo yogi bhavati kashchana
What people call renunciation (saṃnyāsa), Krishna tells Arjuna, son of Pandu, is yoga. For no one becomes a yogī without giving up saṅkalpa, the planning will that makes plans and wants their results.
आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते ।योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते ॥
Arurukshormuneryogam karma karanamuchyateYogarudhasya tasyaiva shamah karanamuchyate
Krishna says that for a sage (muni) who is still trying to rise to yoga, the way forward is action. Once that same sage has reached yoga, the way forward is calm (śama). The commentators read this calm in different ways (see the views).
यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते ।सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते ॥
Yada hi nendriyartheshu na karmasvanushajjateSarvasankalpasannyasi yogarudhastadochyate
A person is said to have climbed to yoga (yogārūḍha), Krishna says, when he is no longer attached to the objects of the senses or to actions, and has given up every saṅkalpa.
उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥
Uddharedatmanatmanam natmanamavasadayetAtmaiva hyatmano bandhuratmaiva ripuratmanah
Krishna says that one should lift oneself up by oneself, and not let oneself sink down, for the self alone is one's friend and the self alone is one's enemy. The Sanskrit uses one word, ātman, for both sides, so the verse can be read in more than one way. The translators show this: Telang writes 'self' throughout, Besant contrasts 'the self' with 'the SELF'. The commentators differ too (see the views).
बन्धुरात्माऽऽत्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः ।अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥
Bandhuratmatmanastasya yenatmaivatmana jitahAnatmanastu shatrutve vartetatmaiva shatruvat
For the one who has conquered himself by himself, Krishna says, his self is a friend. For the one who has not, his own self acts against him like an enemy. As in 6.5, the schools differ on what 'self' means here (see the views).
जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः ।शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः ॥
Jitatmanah prashantasya paramatma samahitahShitoshnasukhaduhkheshu tatha manapamanayoh
Krishna says that for the one who has mastered himself and is at peace, the highest self (paramātmā) is steady (samāhita) in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain, and in honour and dishonour. The schools read 'highest self' differently (see the views).
ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः ।युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः ॥
Jnanavijnanatriptatma kutastho vijitendriyahYukta ityuchyate yogi samaloshtashmakanchanah
The yogī who is content with knowledge (jñāna) and realisation (vijñāna), who stays unchanging (kūṭastha), who has mastered the senses, and for whom a lump of earth, a stone and gold are the same, is called 'joined in yoga' (yukta), Krishna says.
सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु ।साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥
SuhrinmitraryudasinamadhyasthadveshyabandhushuSadhushvapi cha papeshu samabuddhirvishishyate
The one who has the same understanding towards well-wishers, friends, enemies, the indifferent, the neutral, the hateful and relatives, and also towards good people and wrongdoers, stands out (viśiṣyate), Krishna says.
योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः ।एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः ॥
Yogi yunjita satatamatmanam rahasi sthitahEkaki yatachittatma nirashiraparigrahah
Krishna now turns to the practice of meditation. The yogī should constantly hold himself in yoga, staying in a quiet place, alone, with mind and body controlled, without hopes (nirāśī) and without possessions (aparigraha). The commentators differ on who is meant (see the views).
शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः ।नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् ॥
Shuchau deshe pratishthapya sthiramasanamatmanahNatyuchchhritam natinicham chailajinakushottaram
He should set up a firm seat for himself in a clean place, neither too high nor too low, covered with cloth, a deerskin and kuśa grass, one over the other. The sentence continues in the next verse.
तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः ।उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये ॥
Tatraikagram manah kritva yatachittendriyakriyahUpavishyasane yunjyadyogamatmavishuddhaye
Sitting there, making the mind one-pointed and holding the workings of thought and senses in check, he should practise yoga for the purification of the self.
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः ।संप्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥
Samam kayashirogrivam dharayannachalam sthirahSamprekshya nasikagram svam dishashchanavalokayan
Holding body, head and neck straight and still, steady, he should gaze at the tip of his own nose without looking about in any direction. Shankara notes that 'gazing' here means turning the sight inward, not fixing the mind on the nose. The sentence continues in the next verse.
प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः ।मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः ॥
Prashantatma vigatabhirbrahmacharivrate sthitahManah sanyamya machchitto yukta asita matparah
Calm and fearless, firm in the vow of brahmacarya (the disciplined life of a celibate student), with the mind held in check and thinking of Krishna, he should sit joined in yoga, with Krishna as his highest goal.
युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी नियतमानसः ।शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति ॥
Yunjannevam sadatmanam yogi niyatamanasahShantim nirvanaparamam matsansthamadhigachchhati
Krishna says that the yogī who keeps joining himself in yoga in this way, with his mind controlled, reaches the peace that rests in Krishna, the peace whose highest point is nirvāṇa.
नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः ।न चातिस्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन ॥
Natyashnatastu yogosti na chaikantamanashnatahNa chatisvapnashilasya jagrato naiva charjuna
Yoga is not for one who eats too much or for one who does not eat at all, Krishna tells Arjuna, nor for one who sleeps too much or for one who stays awake too much.
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु ।युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा ॥
Yuktaharaviharasya yuktacheshtasya karmasuYuktasvapnavabodhasya yogo bhavati duhkhaha
Krishna says that for the one who is measured in food and recreation, measured in effort at work, and measured in sleeping and waking, yoga becomes the remover of sorrow.
यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते ।निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा ॥
Yada viniyatam chittamatmanyevavatishthateNihsprihah sarvakamebhyo yukta ityuchyate tada
When the well-controlled mind rests in the self alone, free from craving for any object of desire, then a person is called 'joined in yoga' (yukta), Krishna says.
यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता ।योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः ॥
Yatha dipo nivatastho nengate sopama smritaYogino yatachittasya yunjato yogamatmanah
'A lamp in a windless place does not flicker': Krishna says this is the comparison used for the yogī whose mind is controlled and who practises the yoga of the self.
यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया ।यत्र चैवात्मनाऽऽत्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति ॥
Yatroparamate chittam niruddham yogasevayaYatra chaivatmanatmanam pashyannatmani tushyati
Krishna begins a long sentence that runs to 6.23. It describes the state in which the mind, held still by the practice of yoga, comes to rest, and in which a person, seeing the self by the self, is content in the self.
सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद् बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् ।वेत्ति यत्र न चैवाऽयं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः ॥
Sukhamatyantikam yattad buddhigrahyamatindriyamVetti yatra na chaivayam sthitashchalati tattvatah
In that state, the sentence goes on, a person knows a boundless joy that the understanding (buddhi) can grasp but the senses cannot, and, once settled there, does not move away from the truth.
यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः ।यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणाऽपि विचाल्यते ॥
Yam labdhva chaparam labham manyate nadhikam tatahYasminsthito na duhkhena gurunapi vichalyate
The sentence goes on: having gained it, he thinks there is no greater gain, and settled in it, he is not shaken even by heavy sorrow.
तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् ।स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा ॥
Tam vidyad duhkhasanyogaviyogam yogasanjnitamSa nishchayena yoktavyo yogonirvinnachetasa
Krishna completes the sentence: this cutting off of contact with sorrow should be known as yoga. That yoga is to be practised with firm resolve and with a mind that does not lose heart.
सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः ।मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः ॥
Sankalpaprabhavankamanstyaktva sarvanasheshatahManasaivendriyagramam viniyamya samantatah
Krishna goes on with the practice. Giving up completely all desires that arise from saṅkalpa (the planning will), and holding back the whole group of senses on every side by the mind alone, the meditator goes on as described in the next verse.
शनैःशनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया ।आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ॥
Shanaihshanairuparamed buddhya dhritigrihitayaAtmasanstham manah kritva na kinchidapi chintayet
Little by little he should become still, with the understanding held firm, and making the mind rest in the self, he should think of nothing else.
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् ।ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥
Yato yato nishcharati manashchanchalamasthiramTatastato niyamyaitadatmanyeva vasham nayet
Wherever the restless, unsteady mind wanders off, Krishna says, he should draw it back from there and bring it under the control of the self alone.
प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम् ।उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम् ॥
Prashantamanasam hyenam yoginam sukhamuttamamUpaiti shantarajasam brahmabhutamakalmasham
Krishna says that the highest joy comes to such a yogī, whose mind is fully at peace, whose restlessness (rajas) is stilled, who is free of stain and has become one with Brahman (brahma-bhūta).
युञ्जन्नेवं सदा ऽऽत्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः ।सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते ॥
Yunjannevam sada tmanam yogi vigatakalmashahSukhena brahmasansparshamatyantam sukhamashnute
Krishna says that the yogī who keeps joining himself in yoga in this way, free of stain, easily comes to know the boundless joy of contact with Brahman.
सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः ॥
Sarvabhutasthamatmanam sarvabhutani chatmaniIkshate yogayuktatma sarvatra samadarshanah
Krishna says that the one whose self is joined in yoga, seeing the same everywhere, sees the self in all beings and all beings in the self. The schools explain this 'seeing the same' in different ways (see the views).
यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति ।तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति ॥
Yo mam pashyati sarvatra sarvam cha mayi pashyatiTasyaham na pranashyami sa cha me na pranashyati
Krishna says that for the one who sees him everywhere and sees everything in him, he is never lost, and that person is never lost to him. The schools explain this closeness in different ways (see the views).
सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः ।सर्वथा वर्त्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते ॥
Sarvabhutasthitam yo mam bhajatyekatvamasthitahSarvatha varttamanopi sa yogi mayi vartate
The yogī who, standing in oneness (ekatva), worships Krishna as present in all beings, lives in Krishna, Krishna says, whatever his way of life.
आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन ।सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं स योगी परमो मतः ॥
Atmaupamyena sarvatra samam pashyati yorjunaSukham va yadi va duhkham sa yogi paramo matah
The one who, by comparison with himself (ātmaupamya), sees the same everywhere, whether pleasure or pain, is thought to be the highest yogī, Krishna tells Arjuna. Telang's note puts it as putting oneself in the place of others. The schools explain the comparison in different ways (see the views).
योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन ।एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात्स्थितिं स्थिराम् ॥
Yoyam yogastvaya proktah samyena madhusudanaEtasyaham na pashyami chanchalatvatsthitim sthiram
Arjuna speaks. He tells Krishna, Madhusudana, that he cannot see how this yoga of evenness that Krishna has taught can last, because the mind is restless.
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम् ।तस्याऽहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥
Chanchalam hi manah krishna pramathi balavad dridhamTasyaham nigraham manye vayoriva sudushkaram
For the mind, Arjuna says, is restless, turbulent, strong and stubborn. He thinks it is as hard to hold back as the wind.
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् ।अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥
Asanshayam mahabaho mano durnigraham chalamAbhyasena tu kaunteya vairagyena cha grihyate
Krishna answers that the mind is, without doubt, restless and hard to hold back, but it can be held by practice (abhyāsa) and by detachment (vairāgya). He calls Arjuna mighty-armed and son of Kunti.
असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः ।वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः ॥
Asanyatatmana yogo dushprapa iti me matihVashyatmana tu yatata shakyovaptumupayatah
Krishna says that in his view yoga is hard to reach for one whose self is not controlled, but one who is self-controlled and keeps striving can reach it by the right means.
अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः ।अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति ॥
Ayatih shraddhayopeto yogachchalitamanasahAprapya yogasansiddhim kam gatim krishna gachchhati
Arjuna asks a new question. What becomes of the person who has faith but does not strive enough, whose mind slips away from yoga, and who does not reach the fulfilment of yoga? What way does he go?
कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति ।अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि ॥
Kachchinnobhayavibhrashtashchhinnabhramiva nashyatiApratishtho mahabaho vimudho brahmanah pathi
Arjuna asks whether such a person, fallen from both, perishes like a torn cloud, without support and confused on the path to Brahman. The commentators explain 'both' (see the views).
एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः ।त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता नह्युपपद्यते ॥
Etanme sanshayam krishna chhettumarhasyasheshatahTvadanyah sanshayasyasya chhetta nahyupapadyate
Arjuna asks Krishna to remove this doubt completely, for no one but Krishna can remove it.
पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते ।न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति ॥
Partha naiveha namutra vinashastasya vidyateNa hi kalyanakritkashchiddurgatim tata gachchhati
Krishna answers that for such a person there is no ruin, neither in this world nor in the next, for no one who does good, dear friend (tāta), comes to a bad end.
प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः ।शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते ॥
Prapya punyakritam lokanushitva shashvatih samahShuchinam shrimatam gehe yogabhrashtobhijayate
Krishna says that the one who fell from yoga reaches the worlds of those who did good, lives there for very many years, and is then born again in the home of pure and prosperous people. These are Krishna's words about what follows death; the schools read them as part of the teaching on rebirth.
अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् ।एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् ॥
Athava yoginameva kule bhavati dhimatamEtaddhi durlabhataram loke janma yadidrisham
Or, Krishna says, he is born into a family of wise yogīs; such a birth is very hard to gain in this world.
तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम् ।यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन ॥
Tatra tam buddhisanyogam labhate paurvadehikamYatate cha tato bhuyah sansiddhau kurunandana
There, Krishna says, he regains the understanding of his former body and strives again for perfection. Krishna calls Arjuna joy of the Kurus (kurunandana).
पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः ।जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते ॥
Purvabhyasena tenaiva hriyate hyavashopi sahJijnasurapi yogasya shabdabrahmativartate
By that same earlier practice he is carried forward even against his will, Krishna says. Even one who only wants to know about yoga goes beyond śabda-brahma, 'Brahman as word'. The schools explain this term in different ways (see the views).
प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः ।अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥
Prayatnadyatamanastu yogi sanshuddhakilbishahAnekajanmasansiddhastato yati param gatim
Krishna says that the yogī who strives hard, cleansed of faults and perfected over many births, then reaches the highest goal.
तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः ।कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन ॥
Tapasvibhyodhiko yogi jnanibhyopi matodhikahKarmibhyashchadhiko yogi tasmadyogi bhavarjuna
Krishna says the yogī is greater than those who practise austerity (tapasvī), greater even than the learned (jñānī), and greater than those who do ritual works (karmī). So he tells Arjuna to be a yogī.
योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना ।श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः ॥
Yoginamapi sarvesham madgatenantaratmanaShraddhavanbhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo matah
Krishna closes the chapter. Of all yogīs, the one who, full of faith, worships him with the inner self gone to him, is in his view the most joined in yoga (yuktatama). The schools read this verse differently (see the views).