Go slowly but firmly.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया |आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ||६-२५||
śanaiḥ śanairuparamed buddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā . ātmasaṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcidapi cintayet ||6-25||
Use this verse when meditation feels difficult.
Meaning
Gradually, gradually one should become quiet through firm intellect; making the mind established in the Self, one should think of nothing else.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Meditation deepens gradually.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna gives a gentle method: do not force the mind violently. Use patience, firmness, and gradual settling.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna offers tender, realistic counsel on how the mind is actually stilled: shanaih shanaih — little by little, gradually. There is no violent shortcut. The mind cannot be forced into silence by sheer suppression; it must be coaxed to quiet through patient, repeated practice, guided by a buddhi — an intellect — held firm with dhriti, steady resolve. Each small withdrawal builds on the last.
The aim is to make the mind atma-samstha, established in the Self, and then 'not to think of anything at all.' This pointing toward thoughtless absorption is not a blank dullness but the supreme alertness in which the mind, having let go of every object, rests in pure being.
The word shanaih shanaih is full of compassion for the struggling seeker. Krishna does not demand instant mastery; he asks only for gentle, persistent, intelligent effort, trusting that gradual practice will accomplish what force never could.
In daily life
Let meditation settle step by step.
A beginner can start with two minutes and gradually increase.
Try this today
Add one minute to your practice only when stable.
I return gently and steadily to the Self.Reflect
Am I forcing practice or growing steadily?
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Quick check
What does ‘न किञ्चित् अपि चिन्तयेत्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on meditation, in other chapters
- 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 18.52Solitude, moderation, restraint, and steady meditation prepare the mind to realize the Eternal.
- Verse 3.29Hold your understanding with patience and compassion — do not tear away another's beliefs before they are ready for deeper truth.
Swipe left for 6.26 · Return is the practice.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 6.25
Who says Bhagavad Gita 6.25, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 6.25, in Chapter 6, Dhyana Yoga (Dhyana Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 6.25 mean?
Gradually, gradually one should become quiet through firm intellect; making the mind established in the Self, one should think of nothing else. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 6.25 for daily life?
Let meditation settle step by step. A beginner can start with two minutes and gradually increase.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 6.25 mean?
शनैः शनैः — little by little, gradually; उपरमेत् — let him attain quietude / withdraw; बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया — by the intellect held firmly with steadiness; आत्मसंस्थम् मनः कृत्वा — having fixed the mind in the Self; न किञ्चित् अपि चिन्तयेत् — let him not think of anything at all.
Where does verse 6.25 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 25 of 47 in Chapter 6, Dhyana Yoga. The next verse is 6.26.