Arjuna has just said something most of us have thought: the mind is like the wind, impossible to control. Krishna does not dismiss this. He acknowledges it. Yes, the mind is difficult, even very difficult. And then he says the word that changes everything: but.
Asamsayam maha-baho mano durnigraham chalam…
asamsayam mahaa-baaho mano durnigraham chalam
Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed, the mind is difficult to control and restless. But by practice and by non-attachment, O Arjuna, it can be controlled.
Bhagavad Gita 6.35 | GitaPath.org
GitaPath.org offers daily reflections on Bhagavad Gita 6.35 and every verse, helping you live these teachings rather than just reading them.
Krishna Validates the Difficulty
This is one of the Gita’s most psychologically honest moments. Krishna is not a positivity coach telling you the mind is easy to train. He agrees with Arjuna: it is hard. The word ‘asamsayam’ means ‘without doubt.’ There is no doubt, yes, the mind is restless and stubborn. Acknowledging difficulty honestly is itself a form of wisdom.
Two Conditions: Practice and Non-Attachment
Having validated the difficulty, Krishna gives the actual solution: abhyasa (practice) and vairagya (non-attachment). These two work together. Practice means returning to the focus again and again. Non-attachment means not being swept away by the results or by the emotions that arise. You practice steadily without becoming attached to how quickly the mind settles, or how good the meditation feels, or how accomplished you become.
The Timeline Is Long. The Direction Is Clear.
Krishna does not promise overnight results. The verse says the mind ‘can be controlled’ through right means. It is a statement of possibility and direction, not a guarantee of speed. This is actually comforting. You are not behind schedule. You are on a path that the Gita confirms leads somewhere real, as long as you keep practicing and keep letting go.
Ancient wisdom becomes transformation only when it meets daily life. GitaPath makes that connection simple and consistent.
What Commentators Say About Bhagavad Gita 6.35
Commentators from Adi Shankaracharya to Swami Vivekananda to B.K.S. Iyengar have each found rich meaning in Chapter 6. They consistently emphasize that meditation is not about suppressing the mind but about understanding it deeply. Verse 6.35 sits at the heart of that understanding.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bhagavad Gita 6.35
What does Bhagavad Gita 6.35 mean?
BG 6.35 acknowledges that the mind is difficult to control, then gives the solution: practice (abhyasa) and non-attachment (vairagya). Together these make control possible.
What is abhyasa in the Bhagavad Gita?
Abhyasa means repeated practice, the steady return to one’s focus regardless of how many times the mind has wandered. It is the consistent effort that gradually trains the mind.
What is vairagya in the Bhagavad Gita?
Vairagya means non-attachment or dispassion. In the context of meditation, it means practicing without being driven by craving for results or aversion to difficulty. You practice evenly, without emotional investment in how it goes.
Verse 6.35 is one of the most encouraging in the Gita. It does not promise an easy path. But it confirms that the path is real, and that the tools you need, practice and non-attachment, are already available to you.
The Gita’s wisdom on meditation and self-mastery becomes a living practice through GitaPath.org.
