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Shloka 34

अक्षरब्रह्मयोगः | Akṣara-Brahma-Yoga

The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman

चज्चलं हि मन: कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्‌ दृढम्‌ | तस्याहं निग्रहं मनन्‍्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्‌,क्योंकि हे श्रीकृष्ण! यह मन बड़ा चंचल, प्रमथन स्वभाववाला,* बड़ा दृढ़* और बलवान” है। इसलिये उसका वशमें करना मैं वायुके रोकनेकी भाँति अत्यन्त दुष्कर मानता हूँ

cañcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham | tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram ||

ఎందుకంటే, హే కృష్ణా! మనస్సు నిజంగా చంచలమైనది, కలవరపెట్టే స్వభావమైంది, బలవంతమైనది, దృఢమైనది; అందువల్ల దానిని నియంత్రించడం గాలిని ఆపినట్లే అత్యంత దుష్కరం అని నేను భావిస్తున్నాను.

and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
चञ्चलम्restless, unsteady
चञ्चलम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootचञ्चल
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
मनःmind
मनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमनस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
कृष्णO Krishna
कृष्ण:
TypeNoun
Rootकृष्ण
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
प्रमाथिturbulent, harassing
प्रमाथि:
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रमाथिन्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
बलवत्strong, powerful
बलवत्:
TypeAdjective
Rootबलवत्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
दृढम्firm, stubborn
दृढम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootदृढ
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
तस्यof it (of that mind)
तस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Genitive, Singular
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअहम्
FormNominative, Singular
निग्रहम्restraint, control
निग्रहम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनिग्रह
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
मन्येI think, I consider
मन्ये:
TypeVerb
Rootमन् (मन्यते)
FormPresent (Lat), First, Singular, Atmanepada
वायोःof the wind
वायोः:
TypeNoun
Rootवायु
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
सुदुष्करम्very difficult
सुदुष्करम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसुदुष्कर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular

अजुन उवाच

A
Arjuna
K
Kṛṣṇa
M
mind (manaḥ)
W
wind (vāyu)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the practical difficulty of mental discipline: the mind is naturally restless, forceful, and resistant to restraint. Ethical and spiritual life therefore requires sustained practice and methods of yoga, not mere intention.

In dialogue with Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna responds to teachings on yoga by voicing a realistic objection: controlling the mind seems as hard as restraining the wind, setting up Kṛṣṇa’s subsequent guidance on how such control can be approached.