Chapter 6, Verse 34 (Bhagavad Gita 6.34)
Chapter 6: Dhyān Yog – Path of Meditation
Sanskrit Shloka
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्। तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्
Transliteration
chañchalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛiṣhṇa pramāthi balavad dṛiḍham tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva su-duṣhkaram
Word Meanings
chañchalam—restless; hi—certainly; manaḥ—mind; kṛiṣhṇa—Shree Krishna; pramāthi—turbulent; bala-vat—strong; dṛiḍham—obstinate; tasya—its; aham—I; nigraham—control; manye—think; vāyoḥ—of the wind; iva—like; su-duṣhkaram—difficult to perform
Translation
For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krishna; to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse acknowledges the universal human struggle with the volatile nature of the mind, which constantly jumps between desires, fears, and memories. By comparing the mind to the wind, Arjuna highlights its formless, powerful, and erratic energy that resists external confinement. The spiritual lesson here is that intellectual understanding alone cannot tame the mind; it requires a deep, persistent practice of detachment and devotion. Ultimately, the Gita teaches us that while the mind may seem unconquerable, it is not our master, and through steady discipline and surrender to the Divine, its restlessness can be transformed into profound stillness.