My mind won't settle
Five verses to read slowly, in this order.
- 6.5
उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet
One should raise oneself by one's own self alone; let not one lower oneself; for the self alone is one's own friend, and the self alone is one's own enemy.
ātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ - 6.6
बन्धुरात्माऽऽत्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः।
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥bandhur ātmātmanas tasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ
The Self is the friend of the self of him by whom the Self has been conquered; but to the unconquered self, this Self stands in the position of an enemy, like an external foe.
anātmanas tu śhatrutve vartetātmaiva śhatru-vat - 6.26
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥yato yato niśhcharati manaśh chañchalam asthiram
From whatever cause the restless and unsteady mind wanders away, let him restrain it from that and bring it under the control of the Self alone.
tatas tato niyamyaitad ātmanyeva vaśhaṁ nayet - 6.34
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥chañchalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛiṣhṇa pramāthi balavad dṛiḍham
The mind is indeed restless, turbulent, strong, and unyielding, O Krishna; I consider it as difficult to control as controlling the wind.
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva su-duṣhkaram - 6.35
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलं।
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥asanśhayaṁ mahā-bāho mano durnigrahaṁ chalam
The Blessed Lord said, "Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the mind is difficult to control and restless; but with practice and dispassion, it can be restrained."
abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa cha gṛihyate