Gita verses on controlling the mind

Arjuna says the mind is as restless as the wind; Krishna agrees and gives the remedy of practice and detachment (6.35). The self is both our friend and our enemy (6.5, 6.6), and moderation in eating, sleeping, work and leisure is the base of calm (6.17).

The verses

Bhagavad Gita 2.62

ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते
सङ्गात्संजायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते

dhyāyato viṣayānpuṃsaḥ saṅgasteṣūpajāyate / saṅgātsaṃjāyate kāmaḥ kāmātkrodho'bhijāyate

Meaning: Brooding on the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment to them; from attachment comes desire; from desire comes anger.

This verse and the next trace how a mind goes wrong, step by step. Read the full explanation

Bhagavad Gita 2.63

क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद्बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति

krodhādbhavati saṃmohaḥ saṃmohātsmṛtivibhramaḥ / smṛtibhraṃśādbuddhināśo buddhināśātpraṇaśyati

Meaning: From anger comes delusion; from delusion, loss of memory; from loss of memory, the destruction of the understanding; and from the destruction of understanding the person is ruined.

The chain continues. Read the full explanation

Bhagavad Gita 4.18

कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः
स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्

karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ / sa buddhimānmanuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt

Meaning: One who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among people, is a yogi, and has done all that is to be done.

This is one of the most puzzling verses of the Gita. Read the full explanation

Bhagavad Gita 6.5

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः

uddharedātmanātmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet / ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ

Meaning: Let one lift oneself by oneself; let one not lower oneself. For the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self.

A very modern-sounding verse. Read the full explanation

Bhagavad Gita 6.6

बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत्

bandhurātmātmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ / anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat

Meaning: For the one who has conquered the self by the self, the self is a friend; but for one who has not, the self remains hostile, like an enemy.

This verse completes the idea of 6.5. Read the full explanation

Bhagavad Gita 6.17

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा

yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu / yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā

Meaning: For one who is moderate in food and recreation, moderate in effort in work, and moderate in sleep and waking, yoga destroys sorrow.

The verse is brief and practical. Read the full explanation

Bhagavad Gita 6.35

असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम्
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते

asaṃśayaṃ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṃ calam / abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

Meaning: Without doubt, O mighty-armed one, the mind is restless and hard to control; but by practice and detachment, O son of Kunti, it can be held.

Arjuna has just said that the mind is as hard to control as the wind. Read the full explanation

Bhagavad Gita 16.21

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः
कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्

trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ / kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet

Meaning: Threefold is this gate of hell, destructive of the self: desire, anger and greed. Therefore one should give up these three.

The same three, kama, krodha and lobha, are named in other places. Read the full explanation

Meanings and explanations are our own wording, not an authorised translation. Readers of the Gita follow different traditions and teachers; please ask yours about what you read here.