Bhagavad Gita 6.35 · BG 6.35
Chapter 6Verse 35
Dhyana Yoga
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम्। अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते॥
asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho mano durnigrahaṁ calam, abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate
Translation
The mind is indeed restless and hard to control, but it can be mastered through steady practice and non-attachment.
The restless mind can be tamed through patient practice and letting go.
What does this mean?
An honest acknowledgment that stillness of mind doesn't come easily for anyone, followed immediately by reassurance that it's still within reach.
In simple words
Arjuna admits the mind is restless and almost impossible to control, and Krishna agrees, it really is hard. Then he adds that it can still be done, through steady practice and through letting go of what keeps pulling it. The honesty about the difficulty comes with reassurance that it isn't hopeless.
The deeper idea
What's valuable here is the structure of the answer: full acknowledgment of the problem, then a concrete path. Krishna doesn't pretend a calm mind comes easily to anyone. The two tools he names are abhyasa, repeated practice, and vairagya, the gradual loosening of the cravings that keep the mind agitated. Neither is a quick fix. Together they're presented as sufficient. The mind is trainable, just not by wishing.
How it applies to life
Anyone who's tried to meditate knows the first honest discovery is how uncontrolled the mind is. This verse meets that discovery without discouragement. The restlessness is normal and shared. The way through is unglamorous: show up to the practice repeatedly, and slowly reduce the grip of the wants that keep the mind spinning. Progress is real but slow, and expecting it to be slow is part of not quitting.