Dhyana Yoga · Verse 34

Bhagavad Gita 6.34

The mind resists control like wind resists the hand.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम् ।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
क्योंकि हे कृष्ण मन बड़ा ही चञ्चल, प्रमथनशील, दृढ़ जिद्दी और बलवान् है । उसका निग्रह करना मैं वायुकी तरह अत्यन्त कठिन मानता हूँ ॥
English
The mind is restless, turbulent, stubborn, and strong. I think controlling it is as hard as controlling the wind.

What this verse means

Arjuna admits that the mind is wild, forceful, and hard to restrain, almost like trying to catch the wind.

Context & commentary

On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna has just asked Krishna about the steady state of meditation. He now confesses the real obstacle: the mind itself. This verse deepens the problem before Krishna answers with a practical method.

Why this verse still matters

You sit down to pray, meditate, or even make one clean decision, and your thoughts scatter in every direction. The struggle is real before the discipline even begins.

The takeaway

It feels honest to admit how hard inner control can be.

Word-by-word translation

चञ्चलम् (restless) / हि (indeed) / मनः (mind) / कृष्ण (O Krishna) / प्रमाथि (turbulent) / बलवत् (strong) / दृढम् (stubborn, firm) । / तस्य (of that) / अहम् (I) / निग्रहम् (control, restraint) / मन्ये (consider) / वायोः (of wind) / इव (like) / सुदुष्करम् (very difficult)

Explore related themes: manas (49 verses), dhyana (31 verses), self mastery (16 verses)

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