Chapter 6, Verse 26 (Bhagavad Gita 6.26)
Chapter 6: Dhyān Yog – Path of Meditation
Sanskrit Shloka
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्। ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्
Transliteration
yato yato niśhcharati manaśh chañchalam asthiram tatas tato niyamyaitad ātmanyeva vaśhaṁ nayet
Word Meanings
yataḥ yataḥ—whenever and wherever; niśhcharati—wanders; manaḥ—the mind; chañchalam—restless; asthiram—unsteady; tataḥ tataḥ—from there; niyamya—having restrained; etat—this; ātmani—on God; eva—certainly; vaśham—control; nayet—should bring
Translation
From whatever cause the restless and unsteady mind wanders away, let him restrain it from those objects and bring it back under the control of the Self alone.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse addresses the fundamental struggle of human consciousness: the tendency of the mind to oscillate between external desires and distractions. It teaches that mental peace is not found by suppressing thought, but by consciously withdrawing the mind's attention from fleeting sensory objects and redirecting it toward the eternal witness, the Self. By practicing this redirection repeatedly, one learns that the mind is a tool to be mastered rather than a master to be obeyed. Ultimately, this leads to an inner stability where the soul remains anchored in its own inherent divinity regardless of external circumstances.