Create space for inner practice.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः |एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः ||६-१०||
yogī yuñjīta satatamātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ . ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ ||6-10||
Use this verse to begin a meditation routine.
Meaning
The yogi should constantly practice, remaining in solitude, alone, with controlled mind and self, free from expectation and possessiveness.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Meditation needs solitude, simplicity, and discipline.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna begins practical meditation guidance. A stable practice requires reducing distractions, expectation, and possessiveness.
Read the traditional commentary
Now Krishna turns from describing the realized yogi to the practical discipline of meditation. The first conditions are inner and outer solitude: rahasi, in a secluded place, and ekaki, alone — withdrawn from the constant stimulation and validation of company. In stillness the mind can finally be observed and gathered. The practice is to be satatam, constant; meditation is not an occasional mood but a steady cultivation.
Two subtler conditions complete the prescription. Nirashi — free from hope and craving for results — keeps the practice from becoming another arena of ambition. Aparigraha — non-possessiveness — frees the heart from the weight of accumulation and the anxieties that cling to it.
Yatachitta-atma, the mind and body brought under gentle control, makes the inner space quiet enough for union to dawn. Solitude, restraint, desirelessness, and simplicity: these are the soil in which meditation takes root.
In daily life
Set aside quiet time without devices or social noise.
A person can create a five-minute morning solitude ritual before checking the phone.
Try this today
Schedule five quiet minutes today.
I protect quiet space for my inner growth.Reflect
What distraction prevents my solitude?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘अपरिग्रहः’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on meditation, in other chapters
- Verse 18.52Solitude, moderation, restraint, and steady meditation prepare the mind to realize the Eternal.
- Verse 4.29Even the breath can become a sacred offering; by mastering its rhythm, we steady the mind and turn life itself into worship.
- Verse 8.8A wandering mind is steadied not by force but by patient daily practice that gradually trains it to rest in the Divine.
- Verse 9.26The Divine treasures the love behind your offering, not its size — even a leaf or a little water given with a pure heart is enough.
Swipe left for 6.11 · Outer order supports inner order.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 6.10
Who says Bhagavad Gita 6.10, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 6.10, in Chapter 6, Dhyana Yoga (Dhyana Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 6.10 mean?
The yogi should constantly practice, remaining in solitude, alone, with controlled mind and self, free from expectation and possessiveness. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 6.10 for daily life?
Set aside quiet time without devices or social noise. A person can create a five-minute morning solitude ritual before checking the phone.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 6.10 mean?
योगी युञ्जीत सततम् — let the yogi constantly engage / unite; आत्मानम् — the mind / the self; रहसि स्थितः — remaining in solitude; एकाकी — alone; यतचित्तात्मा — with mind and body controlled.
Where does verse 6.10 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 10 of 47 in Chapter 6, Dhyana Yoga. The next verse is 6.11.