Bhagavad-gītā 6.19
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यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता। योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः।।6.19।।
yathā dīpo nivāta-stho neṅgate sopamā smṛitā yogino yata-chittasya yuñjato yogam ātmanaḥ
The wise man who has conquered his mind and is absorbed in the Self is like a lamp that does not flicker, as it stands sheltered from every wind.
English rendering by Shri Purohit Swami. Each source voice remains named.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| yathā | as |
| dīpaḥ | a lamp |
| nivāta-sthaḥ | in a windless place |
| na | does not |
| iṅgate | flickers |
| sā | this |
| upamā | analogy |
| smṛitā | is considered |
| yoginaḥ | of a yogi |
| yata-chittasya | whose mind is disciplined |
| yuñjataḥ | steadily practicing |
| yogam | in meditation |
| ātmanaḥ | on the Supreme |
Yogins ote this simile very often when they talk of concentration or steadiness or onepointedness of the mind. A steady mind will serve as a powerful searchlight to find out the hidden spiritual treasures of the Self.
Attributed explanatory witness: Swami Sivananda. Chapter lens: Sequence preparation, discipline, mind, meditation, difficulty, failure and the chapter’s final comparison of yogīs.
Three named reading witnesses
Śaṅkara edition witness
Swami GambiranandaAs a lamp kept in a windless place does not flicker, so is the simile for the yogi whose mind is under control and who is engaged in concentration on the Self.
Rāmānuja edition witness
Swami AdidevanandaA lamp does not flicker in a windless place":that is the simile used for the tranquil mind of a yogi who practices yoga.
Sivananda commentary witness
Swami SivanandaYogins ote this simile very often when they talk of concentration or steadiness or onepointedness of the mind. A steady mind will serve as a powerful searchlight to find out the hidden spiritual treasures of the Self.
These are concise, attributed reading witnesses from identified editions. They are presented for comparison and are not merged into one anonymous interpretation.
Meaning map
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- 1
The wise man who has conquered his mind and is absorbed in the Self is like a lamp that does not flicker, as it stands sheltered from every wind
- 2
yathā: as
- 3
upamā: analogy
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