Shloka 25
Dhyana Yoga — Atma Samyama Yoga
शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया । आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किंचिदपि चिन्तयेत् ॥ ६.२५ ॥
śanaiḥ śanair uparamed buddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā | ātmasaṁsthaṁ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiṁcid api cintayet || 6.25 ||
Little by little, let him withdraw (the mind) by the intellect held steady through fortitude; having established the mind in the Self, let him not think of anything at all.
धैर्ययुक्त बुद्धि के द्वारा धीरे-धीरे (मन को) उपराम करे; मन को आत्मा में स्थित करके फिर किसी भी वस्तु का चिन्तन न करे।
Little by little, one should quieten (the mind) with the intellect held firm by steadiness; having made the mind abide in the Self, one should not think of anything at all.
‘न किंचिदपि चिन्तयेत्’ is sometimes softened in practice-oriented readings as ‘do not entertain other thoughts’ rather than literal blankness; the broader context (6.26) suggests a method of repeated return rather than forced suppression.
FAQs
It recommends incremental self-regulation rather than abrupt suppression. ‘Held by steadiness’ suggests building capacity for sustained attention and reducing intrusive thought through repetition.
Abiding the mind in the Self implies shifting identity from mental content to the witnessing ground; ‘not thinking anything’ supports non-objectifying awareness.
This is a practical technique following 6.24: the discipline proceeds gradually, guided by buddhi stabilized by dhṛti.
Use graded steps: shorten distractions, lengthen focused periods, and when thoughts arise, return gently—emphasizing consistency over force.