Gita : Ch-6. Slo-7.

( Very important slokam )

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :


Chapter-6. ( Dhyana-yogam )


Slokam-7. ( For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul ( Paramatma )  is already reached, for he has attained tranquility. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same. )



Jitatmanah    prasantasya     paramatma    samahitah,


sitoshnasukhaduhkheshu     tatha     manapamanayoh.



Jita-atmanah   =  Conquer   the   mind    ( of    one    who    has   conquered     his    mind );

prasantasya  =    of    one    who    has    attained    tranquility    by    such    control    over    the    mind;

sita-ushna-sukha-duhkheshu   =   cold    and    heat,   in   happiness   and    in   distress;

tatha     mana-apamanayoh  =    and    also,    honor   and    in   dishonor;

paramatma   =   the    Supreme    Lord;

samahitah   =   always    remain   shining    in    samya-bhavam /samadhi  /union   with   the  Supreme (  balanced   state ).



After previously describing that a person who has conquered their mind is there own best friend and after explaining the special qualities possessed by one who has climbed the heights and is detached from sense impulses. Lord Krishna now refers to the person who has traversed successfully the path of yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness and has become firmly established in their spiritual nature. Such a person has transcended all dualities such as cold and heat, happiness and distress, honour and dishonour. Such persons are serene and peaceful in all situations because they are established in spiritual knowledge from the Vedic scriptures


When the mind is well governed and under control, when it is incapable of being affected by the dualities such as heat and cold, joy and grief, praise and ridicule, when in equanimity it has become completely tranquil and equipoised; at that time the exalted atma or eternal soul can be realised within. The word samahitah means situated in samadhi or deep meditation and denotes that atma or soul has been realised in its true transcendental essence. Lord Krishna uses the word paramatma meaning in this instance parama or exalted and atma or soul and refers to the individual soul and not the Supreme Soul as normally assumed. Designating the individual soul in this way is to show special deference to one who is endowed with the aforementioned quality of being situated deep in meditation enough to perceive and realise the eternal and transcendental sublime atma.


Evidence of the minds friendliness is elucidated now by Lord Krishna. Freedom from all dualities such as heat and cold, praise and ridicule, joy and grief. Continuously poised and serene within meditating on the atma or soul. Another interpretation is that the awakened individual soul has attained communion with the ultimate soul establishing it in his heart.


Actually, every living entity is intended to abide by the dictation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated in everyone's heart as Paramatma. When the mind is misled by the external illusory energy, one becomes entangled in material activities. Therefore, as soon as one's mind is controlled through one of the yoga systems, one is to be considered as having already reached the destination. One has to abide by superior dictation. When one's mind is fixed on the superior nature, he has no other alternative but to follow the dictation of the Supreme. The mind must admit some superior dictation and follow it. The effect of controlling the mind is that one automatically follows the dictation of the Paramatma or Supersoul. Because this transcendental position is at once achieved by one who is in  consciousness, the devotee of the Lord is unaffected by the dualities of material existence, namely distress and happiness, cold and heat, etc. This state is practical samadhi, or absorption in the Supreme.


To be continued   .....