Chapter 6, Verse 18 (Bhagavad Gita 6.18)
Chapter 6: Dhyān Yog – Path of Meditation
Sanskrit Shloka
यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते। निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा
Transliteration
yadā viniyataṁ chittam ātmanyevāvatiṣhṭhate niḥspṛihaḥ sarva-kāmebhyo yukta ityuchyate tadā
Word Meanings
yadā—when; viniyatam—fully controlled; chittam—the mind; ātmani—of the self; eva—certainly; avatiṣhṭhate—stays; nispṛihaḥ—free from cravings: sarva; kāmebhyaḥ—for yearning of the senses; yuktaḥ—situated in perfect Yog; iti—thus; uchyate—is said; tadā—then
Translation
When the mind, thoroughly disciplined, rests solely in the Self, having become indifferent to all objects of desire, then it is said that one is established in Yoga.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse describes the zenith of meditative stillness, where the consciousness ceases its restless movement toward external stimuli. It teaches that true peace is not the absence of external objects, but the internal transcendence of the desire for them. When the mind stops seeking fulfillment in the material world, it naturally aligns with the inner Self, revealing our innate divinity. This state is the transition from a seeker to a realized being, where internal harmony becomes the permanent baseline of existence. It implies that spiritual mastery is not an intellectual achievement, but a psychological state of total contentment.