Shloka 26
अक्षरब्रह्मयोगः | Akṣara-Brahma-Yoga
The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman
सम्बन्ध-- यदि किसी साधकका चित्त पूर्वाभ्यासवश बलात् विषयोंकी और चला जाय तो उसे क्या करना चाहिये, इस जिज्ञासापर कहते हैं-- यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्नज्चलमस्थिरम् । ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्,यह स्थिर न रहनेवाला और चंचल मन जिस-जिस शब्दादि विषयके निमित्तसे संसारमें विचरता है, उस-उस विषयसे रोककर यानी हटाकर इसे बार- बार परमात्मामें ही निरुद्ध करे:
yato yato niścarati manaś cañcalam asthiram | tatas tato niyamyaitad ātmany eva vaśaṃ nayet ||
Whenever the mind—restless and unsteady—wanders out toward sense-objects, from each such object one should draw it back again and again, bringing it under control and settling it in the Self alone.
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The core teaching is practical mental discipline: whenever the mind runs toward sense-objects, one should repeatedly restrain it and re-establish it in the Self. Progress comes through steady repetition rather than expecting the mind to remain fixed at once.
In the dialogue context, guidance is being given on yogic practice: the problem of a wandering mind is addressed with a method—notice its outward movement, withdraw it from the object, and return it to inner contemplation of the Self.