The story · Droṇa’s students see the tree and surroundings; Arjuna keeps attention fixed on the target’s eye.
What the verses say · The verses teach fixing the mind on one point and bringing it back whenever it wanders.
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Chapter6
Ātma-saṁyama-yoga · 47 verses
Dhyāna-yoga
Controlling the mind and reaching the highest yoga through loving service to Kṛṣṇa.
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Verse notes
Every verse in simple words, from Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Tap a verse to study it in depth.
BG 6.1Work for Kṛṣṇa’s Satisfaction
Study this verse- The true renunciant and yogī does required work without attachment to its results, rather than giving up duties.
- Prabhupāda explains that the perfect yogī works to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, not for personal enjoyment.
- Do your duties to please Kṛṣṇa, and measure success by His satisfaction.
BG 6.2Renunciation and Yoga
Study this verse- Renunciation is yoga, or linking with the Supreme. To become a yogī, one must give up the desire for sense gratification.
- Prabhupāda explains that a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is both a renunciant and a yogī, using the senses only to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.
- Practice using your senses to satisfy Kṛṣṇa rather than seeking selfish enjoyment.
BG 6.3Stages of Yoga
Study this verse- For beginners in eightfold yoga, work is the means of progress; for advanced practitioners, stopping all material activities is the means.
- Prabhupāda compares yoga to a ladder leading to perfect spiritual realization. One who always thinks of Kṛṣṇa and serves Him is already beyond material activities.
- Keep thinking of Kṛṣṇa and serving Him to remain on the platform of meditation.
BG 6.4Progress in Yoga
Study this verse- A person rises in yoga by giving up material desires and no longer acting for sense pleasure or personal rewards.
- Prabhupāda explains that loving service to the Lord brings inner satisfaction and freedom from seeking sense pleasure.
- Try to do everything for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction rather than your own sense pleasure.
BG 6.5The Mind: Friend or Enemy
Study this verse- Use your mind to lift yourself up, not degrade yourself. It can be your friend or your enemy.
- Prabhupāda explains that attachment to sense objects binds the soul, while a mind always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness brings supreme liberation.
- Train your mind by keeping it engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness rather than attracted to sense objects.
BG 6.6The Mind: Friend or Enemy
Study this verse- A conquered mind is the best friend; an uncontrolled mind is the greatest enemy.
- Prabhupāda explains that real yoga means meeting the Lord within the heart and following His guidance.
- Take directly to Kṛṣṇa consciousness; perfect surrender to the Lord’s guidance follows automatically.
BG 6.7Peace Through Mind Control
Study this verse- One who has conquered the mind has reached the Supersoul and remains peaceful in happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor.
- Prabhupāda explains that controlling the mind leads one to follow the Supersoul’s direction. Kṛṣṇa consciousness brings this state at once.
- Keep your mind fixed on the Supreme and follow His direction.
BG 6.8Knowledge Realized Through Devotion
Study this verse- A realized yogī is satisfied by knowledge and realization, is self-controlled, and sees pebbles, stones and gold as equal.
- Prabhupāda explains that scholarship alone cannot reveal Kṛṣṇa. Realized knowledge comes by Kṛṣṇa’s grace through pure devotional service.
- Seek the company of a person in pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and practice devotional service rather than relying only on book knowledge.
BG 6.9An Equal Mind
Study this verse- A more advanced person regards all kinds of people with an equal mind.
- This includes friends and enemies, neutral people, the pious, and sinners.
- Practice keeping an equal mind toward both well-wishers and those who are envious.
BG 6.10Keep the Mind on Kṛṣṇa
Study this verse- Always engage body, mind and self in relation to the Supreme. Live alone in seclusion, control the mind, and be free from desires and possessiveness.
- Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa consciousness means constant loving service to Kṛṣṇa. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the perfect yogī.
- Accept what helps you remember and serve Kṛṣṇa, and reject what hinders you. Remember that everything belongs to Him.
BG 6.11Preparing for Yoga
Study this verse- For yoga, prepare a seat of kuśa grass, deerskin and soft cloth in a secluded, sacred place, neither too high nor too low.
- Prabhupāda explains that sacred places are places of pilgrimage. Meditation requires self-control and an undisturbed mind.
- Chant the Lord’s holy name—the purport teaches that this is the only means of deliverance in the present age.
BG 6.12Yoga and Heart Purification
Study this verse- The yogī should sit firmly, control the mind, senses and activities, and focus the mind on one point to purify the heart.
- Prabhupāda explains that meditation requires self-control and a calm mind. In this disturbed age, chanting the Lord’s holy name is the only means of deliverance.
- Chant the holy name of the Lord as the best means of spiritual realization in this age.
BG 6.13Yoga’s Goal Is Kṛṣṇa
Study this verse- Keep the body, neck and head straight, look steadily at the nose tip, and meditate on Kṛṣṇa within the heart.
- Prabhupāda explains that yoga aims to see Kṛṣṇa within the heart as Paramātmā, the four-handed form of Viṣṇu.
- Make Kṛṣṇa your ultimate goal, and practice controlling the mind and avoiding sense gratification.
BG 6.14Kṛṣṇa Is Yoga’s Goal
Study this verse- With a calm, controlled mind, free from fear and sex life, meditate on Kṛṣṇa within the heart and make Him life’s ultimate goal.
- Prabhupāda explains that yoga aims to realize Kṛṣṇa’s four-handed Viṣṇu form within the heart, not to serve any other purpose.
- Practice controlling your mind and senses, and serve the Lord to develop a higher taste beyond sense pleasure.
BG 6.15Yoga’s Goal: Kṛṣṇa’s Abode
Study this verse- By constantly controlling the body, mind and activities, the yogī becomes free from material existence and reaches Kṛṣṇa’s abode.
- Prabhupāda explains that yoga aims at reaching the Lord’s spiritual abode—not improving material life or entering a void.
- Work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, keeping your mind absorbed in Kṛṣṇa’s activities.
BG 6.16Regulated Eating and Sleep
Study this verse- One cannot become a yogī by eating or sleeping too much or too little.
- Prabhupāda explains that only a Kṛṣṇa conscious person can perfect yoga and should eat only food first offered to Kṛṣṇa.
- Eat only what you need, regulate your sleep, and fast as the scriptures recommend.
BG 6.17Regulated Habits in Yoga
Study this verse- Regulated eating, sleeping, recreation and work help a person reduce all material pains through yoga.
- Prabhupāda explains that excess in bodily demands blocks yoga progress. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person regulates life through service to Kṛṣṇa.
- Accept prasādam, food offered to Kṛṣṇa, and connect your work with His service.
BG 6.18Well Established in Yoga
Study this verse- A yogī is well established in yoga when practice brings the mind beyond material desires.
- Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa consciousness brings this perfection by engaging the mind and senses in the Lord’s service, not merely stopping activities.
- Practice remembering Kṛṣṇa, hearing about His activities, and using your words to describe His qualities.
BG 6.19Steady Like a Lamp
Study this verse- A person with a controlled mind stays steady in meditation on the transcendent Self, like a lamp in a windless place.
- Prabhupāda explains that a truly Kṛṣṇa conscious person remains in constant, undisturbed meditation on his worshipable Lord.
- Practice keeping your mind steady in meditation on Kṛṣṇa.
BG 6.20True Happiness in Yoga
Study this verse- In samādhi, yoga stills material mental activity, and the pure mind sees and rejoices in the Self.
- Prabhupāda explains that the soul remains distinct from the Supersoul. True spiritual happiness is easily achieved through devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.
- Accept life's necessities without seeking extra sense pleasure, and remain steady in your duties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness through difficulties.
BG 6.21Happiness Beyond Material Pleasure
Study this verse- In samādhi, one experiences limitless spiritual happiness through spiritual senses and never departs from the truth.
- Prabhupāda explains that the soul remains distinct from the Supersoul. This spiritual happiness is easily reached through devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.
- Live with basic necessities and stay steady in your devotional duties, even when difficulties come.
BG 6.22The Greatest Gain
Study this verse- One who gains spiritual happiness sees no greater gain and remains unshaken even in the greatest difficulty.
- Prabhupāda explains that this happiness is easily achieved through devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, the ultimate goal of yoga.
- Accept life’s necessities simply, and continue your duties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness through difficulties.
BG 6.23Freedom Through Spiritual Happiness
Study this verse- In perfect yoga, one finds spiritual happiness, remains steady even in great difficulty, and is free from miseries caused by material contact.
- Prabhupāda explains that the soul remains distinct from the Supersoul. Yoga’s goal is spiritual happiness, easily reached through devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.
- Accept life’s necessities without seeking extra sense pleasure, and continue your duties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness through difficulties.
BG 6.24Practice with Determination
Study this verse- Practice yoga with determination and faith. Give up all material desires born of mental speculation, and use the mind to control all the senses.
- Prabhupāda explains that steady, patient practice brings success. In bhakti-yoga, the Lord surely helps those who follow the principles with determination.
- Keep practicing patiently, even when success seems delayed. Do not become discouraged or leave the path.
BG 6.25Fix the Mind Gradually
Study this verse- Step by step, use intelligence and firm conviction to enter trance, fixing the mind on the Self alone.
- Prabhupāda explains that one should withdraw from sense activities and seek only the pleasure of the Supreme Self.
- Practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness directly to easily reach this state.
BG 6.26Bring the Mind Back
Study this verse- Whenever the unsteady mind wanders, bring it back under the control of the self.
- Prabhupāda explains that serving Kṛṣṇa with purified senses brings them under full control and is the highest perfection of yoga.
- When your mind wanders, bring it back and engage your senses in serving Kṛṣṇa.
BG 6.27Happiness in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
Study this verse- The yogī whose mind is fixed on Kṛṣṇa attains the highest spiritual happiness, rises beyond passion, and is freed from reactions to past deeds.
- Prabhupāda explains that true liberation means freedom from material contamination through constant loving service to the Lord.
- Keep your mind fixed on Kṛṣṇa and remain engaged in His loving service.
BG 6.28Happiness in Loving Service
Study this verse- Through constant yoga practice, the self-controlled yogī becomes free from material contamination and finds perfect happiness in loving service to the Lord.
- Prabhupāda explains that self-realization means knowing we are parts of the Supreme and meant to serve Him.
- Practice self-control and remain steady in loving service to the Lord.
BG 6.29Seeing Kṛṣṇa in Everyone
Study this verse- A true yogī sees Kṛṣṇa in all beings, all beings in Him, and the same Supreme Lord everywhere.
- Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa is in every heart as the Supersoul, while each individual soul is present only in its own heart.
- Practice seeing all living beings equally: whatever their situation, they remain servants of God.
BG 6.30Seeing Kṛṣṇa Everywhere
Study this verse- Kṛṣṇa says that one who sees Him everywhere and everything in Him is never lost to Him, nor is He lost to that person.
- Prabhupāda explains that everything is Kṛṣṇa’s energy. Love brings the devotee into a close relationship with Him, not a loss of individual existence.
- Practice remembering that everything depends on Kṛṣṇa and belongs to Him.
BG 6.31Always Situated in Kṛṣṇa
Study this verse- A yogī who serves the Supersoul, knowing Him to be one with Kṛṣṇa, remains in Kṛṣṇa in all circumstances.
- Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa is present as the Supersoul in every heart. A devotee always acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is liberated.
- Focus your attention on Kṛṣṇa’s spiritual form and keep serving Him through your various activities.
BG 6.32The Perfect Yogī Cares
Study this verse- A perfect yogī sees all beings as equal, understanding their happiness and distress by comparison with his own.
- Prabhupāda explains that forgetting Kṛṣṇa brings distress, while knowing Him as the supreme enjoyer, owner of all, and everyone’s closest friend brings happiness.
- Care for others’ welfare by sharing knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, rather than seeking spiritual progress only for yourself.
BG 6.33Arjuna’s Difficulty with Yoga
Study this verse- Arjuna says this yoga system seems impractical and unbearable because the mind is restless and unsteady.
- Prabhupāda explains that this strict, secluded yoga practice is generally impossible for ordinary people in the Age of Kali.
- Simply imitating this yoga system without understanding its goal wastes time.
BG 6.34The Restless Mind
Study this verse- The mind is restless, turbulent, stubborn, and strong—harder to control than the wind.
- Prabhupāda explains that intelligence should guide the mind, but the mind often overpowers it.
- Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa humbly and engage the mind fully in Kṛṣṇa. This is the easiest way to control it.
BG 6.35Training the Restless Mind
Study this verse- Kṛṣṇa says controlling the restless mind is very difficult, but possible through suitable practice and detachment.
- Prabhupāda explains that hearing about Kṛṣṇa clears doubts and helps the mind become attached to Him and detached from material aims.
- Practice hearing about Kṛṣṇa and eating food offered to Him to help bring the mind into Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
BG 6.36Controlling the Mind for Success
Study this verse- Self-realization is difficult with an uncontrolled mind, but controlling it and striving by proper means assures success.
- Prabhupāda explains that steady mind control requires Kṛṣṇa consciousness—constantly engaging the mind in loving service to the Lord.
- Practice keeping your mind engaged in loving service to Kṛṣṇa rather than in material enjoyment.
BG 6.37When Spiritual Practice Stops
Study this verse- Arjuna asks Kṛṣṇa what happens to someone who begins self-realization with faith but stops because of worldly desires, without reaching perfection.
- Prabhupāda explains that worldly attractions can draw a person away. Bhakti-yoga is especially suitable for this age as the most direct way to realize God.
- Take spiritual practice seriously, remembering that even a little effort offers great hope for deliverance.
BG 6.38Fear of Losing Both
Study this verse- The verse asks Kṛṣṇa whether someone who strays from spiritual life loses both material and spiritual success, like a broken cloud.
- Prabhupāda explains that spiritual life requires giving up material pursuits and so-called material happiness, so failure seems to mean losing both.
- Follow bhakti-yoga, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the direct spiritual path. One who surrenders to Kṛṣṇa achieves spiritual success.
BG 6.39Kṛṣṇa Can Clear All Doubts
Study this verse- Arjuna asks Kṛṣṇa to remove his doubt completely, saying that no one else can do so.
- Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa perfectly knows past, present and future, so His answer settles all doubts.
- Turn to Kṛṣṇa’s teachings to clear your doubts.
BG 6.40Spiritual Effort Is Never Lost
Study this verse- The Lord says that one engaged in auspicious spiritual activities is never destroyed in this world or the spiritual world, nor overcome by evil.
- Prabhupāda explains that even unfinished Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not lost; one continues this spiritual practice in a future life.
- Keep trying your best to progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without fearing that your effort will be lost.
BG 6.41Another Chance for the Yogī
Study this verse- The unsuccessful yogī enjoys many years on the planets of the pious, then is born into a righteous or wealthy family.
- Prabhupāda explains that this path is for those who fall after little yoga practice. By the Lord’s grace, they receive another opportunity to progress.
- Use favorable circumstances to work toward full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the real goal of yoga.
BG 6.42A Rare Spiritual Birth
Study this verse- One unsuccessful after long yoga practice may be born into a family of wise spiritualists. Such a birth is rare.
- Prabhupāda explains that these families encourage spiritual life from childhood through learning and training in devotion.
- Value the chance to learn devotional service to the Lord from an early age.
BG 6.43Spiritual Effort Is Never Lost
Study this verse- In such a birth, he revives his previous divine consciousness and again works toward complete success.
- Prabhupāda uses King Bharata’s life to show that spiritual practice never goes in vain.
- Keep trying to progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By the Lord’s grace, repeated opportunities for complete perfection come.
BG 6.44Naturally Drawn to Yoga
Study this verse- Divine consciousness from a previous life naturally draws a person to yoga, even without seeking it, placing them above scriptural rituals.
- Prabhupāda explains that advanced yogīs are drawn to yoga rather than rituals. Yoga can lead them to full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the highest perfection.
- Value chanting the Lord’s holy names: the purport describes those who chant as far advanced in spiritual life, regardless of their birth.
BG 6.45Sincere Effort Toward Perfection
Study this verse- Through sincere effort over many births, the yogī becomes free from all contamination and reaches the supreme goal.
- Prabhupāda explains that this supreme perfection is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which includes loving service to the Lord.
- Use favorable conditions to continue your spiritual practice with determination.
BG 6.46Be a Yogī
Study this verse- A yogī is greater than those who practice austerity, pursue knowledge, or work for rewards. Arjuna is told to be a yogī in all circumstances.
- Yoga links our consciousness with the Supreme Lord. Bhakti-yoga, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the highest perfection of all yoga.
- In all circumstances, develop your devotional relationship with the Supreme Lord through bhakti-yoga.
BG 6.47The Highest Yogī
Study this verse- Kṛṣṇa says the highest yogī always thinks of Him with great faith and serves Him with love, becoming most closely united with Him.
- Prabhupāda explains that bhakti-yoga, loving service to the Supreme Lord, is the ultimate goal of all yoga.
- Practice thinking of Kṛṣṇa and serving Him with love and faith, without seeking material gain.
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Stories
The Mahābhārata background, and stories Prabhupāda tells in his purports. Tap one to read it.