🕉️Sanskrit Subhashit

In the opening verse of Chapter 6, Saint Dnyaneshwar introduces the 'Atmasanyam Yoga' (the Yoga of Self-Control). He describes this path as one that is purified by direct spiritual experience and is inherently beautiful and beneficial for the seeker. He promises to explain the intricacies of this yoga with great clarity and precision. He invites the audience to listen with profound attention, suggesting that the knowledge of the self requires a receptive and focused mind.

Before embarking on any profound learning or task, one must cultivate a state of attentive listening and mental clarity. Example: A student focusing entirely on a teacher's lecture to grasp a complex concept.

Saint Dnyaneshwar introduces the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, focusing on the path of meditation and self-control.

In this verse, Saint Dnyaneshwar illustrates the state of a 'Sthitaprajna' (one with steady wisdom). He uses the metaphor of a full reservoir or the ocean. Just as a vast body of water is complete within itself and does not depend on external sources to remain full, a self-realized soul does not seek happiness in external material objects. Their joy is internal, derived from the realization of the Self. They are so saturated with this divine inner bliss that external circumstances, whether favorable or unfavorable, do not disturb their inner equilibrium.

Practicing self-contentment by finding joy within one's own growth and character rather than external validation. Example: Feeling satisfied with your honest effort in a project regardless of whether you receive an award.

Saint Dnyaneshwar describes the self-sufficient joy of a person who has attained steady wisdom (Sthitaprajna).

In this verse, Saint Dnyaneshwar explains the essence of Nishkama Karma Yoga. He states that to be free from the bondage of actions, one must use action itself as a tool. Just as a person uses a boat to cross a river and leaves it behind upon reaching the other bank, a seeker should perform prescribed duties without attachment to the results. Such selfless actions purify the mind and eventually lead to liberation from the cycle of karma. Renunciation of action does not mean stopping work, but giving up the sense of 'doership' and the 'craving for results'.

In daily life, perform your duties joyfully without treating them as a burden. For example, if an athlete plays for the love of the game rather than just the obsession with winning, they remain free from the sorrow of defeat and the bondage of the sport.

Saint Dnyaneshwar explains how to attain the state of actionlessness through the performance of selfless actions.