Chapter 6, Verse 3 (Bhagavad Gita 6.3)
Chapter 6: Dhyān Yog – Path of Meditation
Sanskrit Shloka
आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते। योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते
Transliteration
ārurukṣhor muner yogaṁ karma kāraṇam uchyate yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śhamaḥ kāraṇam uchyate
Word Meanings
ārurukṣhoḥ—a beginner; muneḥ—of a sage; yogam—Yog; karma—working without attachment; kāraṇam—the cause; uchyate—is said; yoga ārūḍhasya—of those who are elevated in Yog; tasya—their; eva—certainly; śhamaḥ—meditation; kāraṇam—the cause; uchyate—is said
Translation
For one who is aspiring for yoga, work is said to be the means; for one who has already attained yoga, stillness is said to be the means.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse addresses the transition from active engagement to meditative absorption. Initially, the seeker must use disciplined action to purify the mind and channel restless energy toward a singular focus. Once that focus is achieved and the practitioner rests in the state of Yoga, external striving ceases, and the stillness of the mind becomes the method for deeper realization. It teaches us that spiritual maturity involves knowing when to exert effort and when to surrender into silence. Ultimately, the cessation of ego-driven activity is not laziness, but the crowning achievement of a well-disciplined life.