Chapter 6

Synonyms
uddharet — one must deliver; ātmanā — by the mind; ātmānam — the conditioned soul; na — never; ātmānam — the conditioned soul; avasādayet — put into degradation; ātmā — mind; eva — certainly; hi — indeed; ātmanaḥ — of the conditioned soul; bandhuḥ — friend; ātmā — mind; eva — certainly; ripuḥ — enemy; ātmanaḥ — of the conditioned soul.

Translation
A man must elevate, not degrade, himself by his own mind. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.

Synonyms
bandhuḥ — friend; ātmā — mind; ātmanaḥ — of the living entity; tasya — of him; yena — by whom; ātmā — the mind; eva — certainly; ātmanā — by the living entity; jitaḥ — conquered; anātmanaḥ — of one who has failed to control the mind; tu — but; śatrutve — because of enmity; varteta — remains; ātmā — mind; eva — certainly; śatru-vat — as an enemy.

Translation
For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the greatest enemy.

Synonyms
jita-ātmanaḥ — of one who has conquered his mind; praśāntasya — who is peaceful; parama-ātmā — the Supersoul; samāhitaḥ — approached completely; śīta — in cold; uṣṇa — heat; sukha — happiness; duḥkheṣu — in distress; samaḥ — equipoised; saṅga-vivarjitaḥ — free from all association.

Translation
For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquility. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.

Synonyms
na — never; ati — too much; aśnatasḥ — of one who eats; tu — but; yogaḥ — linking with the Supreme; asti — there is; na — nor; ca — also; ekāntam — overly; anaśnataḥ — abstaining from eating; na — nor; ca — also; ati — too much; svapna-śīlasya — of one who sleeps; jāgrataḥ — or one who keeps night watch (overly awake); na — never; eva — certainly; ca — and; arjuna — O Arjuna.

Translation
There is no possibility of one’s becoming a yogī, O Arjuna, if one eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.

Synonyms
yukta — moderate; āhāra — eating; vihārasya — recreation; yukta — regulated; ceṣṭasya — of one who works for others; karmasu — in his work; yukta — regulated; svapna-avabodhasya — sleep and waking; yogaḥ — practice of yoga; bhavati — becomes; duḥkha-hā — destroying miseries.

Translation
One who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working and recreation can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.

Synonyms
yathā — as; dīpaḥ — a lamp; nivāta-sthaḥ — in a place without wind; na — does not; iṅgate — flicker; sā — that; upamā — simile; smṛtā — is considered; yoginaḥ — of the yogī; yata-cittasya — whose mind is controlled; yuñjataḥ — constantly engaged; yogam — in trance; ātmanaḥ — in the self.

Translation
As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker, this is the simile used for a yogī whose mind is controlled and who is steadily engaged in trance upon the self.

Synonyms
yataḥ — from whatever; yataḥ — whichever; niścarati — becomes verily distracted; manaḥ — the mind; cañcalam — flickering; asthiram — unsteady; tataḥ — from that; tataḥ — (and) from that; niyamya — regulating; etat — this; ātmani — upon the self; eva — certainly; vaśam — control; nayet — must bring under.

Translation
From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the self.

Synonyms
sarva-bhūta-stham — situated in all beings; ātmānam — the Supersoul; sarva — all; bhūtāni — entities; ca — also; ātmani — in the self; īkṣate — sees; yoga-yukta-ātmā — actually engaged in yoga; sarvatra — everywhere; sama-darśanaḥ — seeing equally.

Translation
A true yogī observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord, everywhere.

Synonyms
yaḥ — whoever; mām — Me; paśyati — sees; sarvatra — everywhere; sarvam — everything; ca — and; mayi — in Me; paśyati — sees; tasya — for him; aham — I; na — never; praṇaśyāmi — am lost; saḥ — he; ca — also; me — to Me; na — nor; praṇaśyati — is lost.

Translation
For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.

Synonyms
sarva-bhūta-sthitam — situated in everyone’s heart; yaḥ — he who; mām — Me; bhajati — serves in devotional service; ekatvam — in oneness; āsthitaḥ — situated; sarvathā — in all respects; vartamānaḥ — being situated; api — in spite of; saḥ — he; yogī — the transcendentalist; mayi — in Me; vartate — remains.

Translation
Such a yogī, who engages in the worshipful service of the Supersoul, knowing that I and the Supersoul in all creatures are one, remains always in Me in all circumstances.

Synonyms
ātma-aupamyena — by comparison to one’s self; sarvatra — everywhere; samam — equally; paśyati — sees; yaḥ — he who; arjuna — O Arjuna; sukham — happiness; vā — or; yadi — if; vā — or; duḥkham — distress; saḥ — such; yogī — the yogī; paramaḥ — perfect; mataḥ — is considered.

Translation
He by whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.

Synonyms
cañcalam — flickering; hi — certainly; manaḥ — mind; kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa; pramāthi — agitating; bala-vat — strong; dṛḍham — stubborn; tasya — its; aham — I; nigraham — subduing; manye — think; vāyoḥ — of the wind; iva — like; su-duṣkaram — very difficult.

Translation
For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it is, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind.

Synonyms
asaṁśayam — without doubt; mahā-bāho — O mighty-armed one; manaḥ — the mind; durnigraham — difficult to curb; calam — flickering; abhyāsena — by practice; tu — but; kaunteya — O son of Kuntī; vairāgyeṇa — by detachment; ca — also; gṛhyate — can be so controlled.

Translation
O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.

Synonyms
ayatiḥ — the unsuccessful transcendentalist; śraddhayā — with faith; upetaḥ — engaged; yogāt — from the mystic link; calita — deviated; mānasaḥ — who has such a mind; aprāpya — failing to achieve; yoga-saṁsiddhim — the highest perfection in mysticism; kām — which; gatim — destination; kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa; gacchati — achieves.

Translation
O Kṛṣṇa, what is the destination of the unsuccessful transcendentalist, who in the beginning of his life’s devotional service fails to achieve the highest perfection but who has faith and is engaged in the process of devotional service?

Synonyms
na — never; aham — I; nāśayati — destroy; śraddhām — faith; na — nor; ca — also; eva — certainly; naśyati — is destroyed; na — never; hi — certainly; kalyāṇa-kṛt — one who does auspicious activities; kaścit — anyone; durgatim — to degradation; tāta — My friend; gacchati — goes.

Translation
My dear friend, the man who engages himself in My devotional service, even if he falls from the path, is never vanquished, nor does he ever suffer degradation.

Synonyms
prāpya — after achieving; puṇya-kṛtām — of those who performed pious activities; lokān — planets; uṣitvā — after dwelling; śāśvatīḥ — many; samāḥ — years; śucīnām — of the pious; śrīmatām — of the prosperous; gehe — in the house; yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ — one who has fallen from the path of self-realization; abhijāyate — takes birth.

Translation
After many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, the unsuccessful yogī takes birth in a family of righteous people or into a family of rich aristocracy.

Synonyms
tatra — upon that; tam — that; buddhi-saṁyogam — revival of such consciousness; labhate — gains; paurva-dehikam — from the previous body; yatate — he tries; ca — also; tataḥ — thereafter; bhūyaḥ — again; saṁsiddhau — for perfection; kuru-nandana — O son of Kuru.

Translation
On taking such a birth, he revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he again tries to make further progress toward complete success, O son of Kuru.

Synonyms
tapasvibhyaḥ — than the ascetics; adhikaḥ — greater; yogī — the yogī; jñānibhyaḥ — than the wise; api — also; mataḥ — considered; adhikaḥ — better; karmibhyaḥ — than the fruitive workers; ca — also; adhikaḥ — greater; yogī — the yogī; tasmāt — therefore; yogī — a yogī; bhava — just become; arjuna — O Arjuna.

Translation
A yogī is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances be a yogī.

Synonyms
yoginām — of all yogīs; api — also; sarveṣām — all; mat-gatena — abiding in Me; antaḥ-ātmanā — always thinking of Me within; śraddhā-vān — in full faith; bhajate — renders transcendental loving service; yaḥ — one who; mām — unto Me; saḥ — he; me — by Me; yukta-tamaḥ — the most perfect; mataḥ — is considered.

Translation
And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.