Bhagavad Gita — Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Shloka 33
Moksha Sannyasa Yoga
धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः । योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ॥ १८.३३ ॥
dhṛtyā yayā dhārayate manaḥprāṇendriyakriyāḥ | yogenāvyabhicāriṇyā dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī || 18.33 ||
That steadfastness is sattvic, O Pārtha, by which one holds firm the functions of mind, life-breath, and senses through unwavering yoga.
That firmness is sattvic, O Pārtha, by which one holds steady the activities of mind, life-breath, and senses through unwavering yoga.
Sattvic is that steadfastness by which one sustains/controls the operations of mind, vital energy, and senses through an unerring (non-deviating) yoga.
dhārayate can imply “supports” or “restrains/holds together.” avyabhicāriṇī indicates consistency—steadfast practice rather than sporadic effort.
FAQs
Sattvic perseverance is stable self-regulation: attention (manas), energy (prāṇa), and sensory habits are coordinated through consistent discipline rather than forceful suppression or wavering effort.
In Gītā’s synthesis, yoga is a method for stabilizing prakṛti’s movements so that clearer knowledge can arise; dhṛti here supports the conditions for insight and liberation.
After defining types of intellect, the text defines types of perseverance, indicating that right understanding must be matched by sustained practice.
It aligns with evidence-based skill-building: consistent routines, breath/attention training, and gradual habit change that keep motivation and impulses from fragmenting one’s goals.