Bhagavad GitaBhagavad Gita 6.5
Chapter 6, verse 5: the Sanskrit, the Roman letters, the meaning and what it is used for.
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.
Explanation
A very modern-sounding verse. It says that the main helper and the main obstacle in a person's life is the self: its habits, thoughts and choices. Teachers use it to encourage students to take responsibility, and counsellors use it to point out that self-blame and self-neglect can pull a person down just as much as outside circumstances.
Where it fits
This is verse 5 of 47 in chapter 6, "The yoga of meditation" (Dhyana Yoga). previous verse (6.4) · next verse (6.6)
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Related verses
- Bhagavad Gita 2.62
- Bhagavad Gita 2.63
- Bhagavad Gita 4.18
- Bhagavad Gita 6.6
- Bhagavad Gita 6.17
- Bhagavad Gita 6.35
Questions people ask
What does Bhagavad Gita 6.5 mean?
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.
Where is this verse?
It is verse 5 of chapter 6 (The yoga of meditation), which has 47 verses.
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.