sanaih sanair uparamed
buddhya dhrti-grhitaya
atma-samstham manah kritva
na kincid api cintayet
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 6.25
Gradually, step by step, one should become situated in trance by means of intelligence sustained by full conviction, and thus the mind should be fixed on the self alone and should think of nothing else.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
By proper conviction and intelligence one should gradually cease sense activities. This is called pratyahara. The mind, being controlled by conviction, meditation, and cessation from the senses, should be situated in trance, or samadhi. At that time there is no longer any danger of becoming engaged in the material conception of life. In other words, although one is involved with matter as long as the material body exists, one should not think about sense gratification. One should think of no pleasure aside from the pleasure of the Supreme Self. This state is easily attained by directly practicing Krishna consciousness.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
(combined commentary for verses 24 and 25)
In such practice of yoga, the first and last actions are mentioned in two verses (24-25).
The first action is to give up desires and the last action is not to think of anything at all.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
6.24 – 6.25 There are two kinds of desires: 1) those born of contact between the senses and objects like heat, cold etc.; 2) those generated by our mind (will) like that for sons, land etc. Of these, the latter type of desires are by their own nature relinquishable. Relinquishing all these by the mind through contemplation on their lack of association with the self; having relinquished the ideas of pleasure and pain in respect of unavoidable desires resulting from contract; restraining all the senses on all sides, i.e., from contact with all their objects — one should think of nothing else, i.e., other than the self. Little by little ‘with the help of intellect controlled by firm resolution,’ i.e., by the power of discrimination, one should think of nothing else, having fixed the mind on the self.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
If the mind should become unfocused due to the influence of latent impressions in the mind from past activities; then one unperturbed should firmly bring the mind back by concentration and refocusing meditate on the atma or soul while withdrawing the mind away from the external impressions of the subtle body. This will manifest gradually by degrees and should not be expected to happen immediately. The way of confirming if the external impressions of the subtle body have been evaporated is being given by Lord Krishna with the words na kincid api cintayet meaning one will think of nothing but the atma. Having attained communion with the ultimate consciousness perceived spontaneously by a focused and tranquil mind one should desist even from all conceptions of meditation that present the person meditating as different form the object of meditation or otherwise as the individual consciousness being different from the atma.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
The word sarvan means all desires in every sphere of endeavour. The word asesatah means complete cessation of all desires. The word manasaiva means by the sole strength of the mind only is restraint possible. Spiritual intelligence is the instrument for restraining the mind as well as restraining the sense. This is what Lord Krishna is indicating.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna uses the words sanaih sanair meaning gradually by degrees one who has completely withdrawn their senses from all external distractions fixes the unflickering mind on the atma or soul with firm and resolute determination that they will in due course of time most assuredly become established in yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness. By thinking in this way there will be no slackness in their practice or diversion in their enthusiasm although on occasion there might arise delays and obstructions on their way still they should think only on the atma.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
6.25 Tyaktva, by eschewing; asesatah, totally, without a trace; sarvan, all; the kamam, desires; sankalpa-prabhavan, which arise from thoughts; and further, viniyamya, restraining; manasa eva, with the mind itself, with the mind endued with discrimination; indriya-gramam, all the organs; samantatah, from every side; uparamet, one should withdraw, abstain; sanaih sanaih, gradually, not suddenly;-with what?-buddhya, with the intellect;- possessed of what distinction?-dhrti-grhitaya, endowed with steadiness, i.e. with fortitude. Krtva, making manah, the mind; atma-samstham, fixed in the Self, with the idea, ‘The Self alone is all; there is nothing apart from It’-thus fixing the mind on the Self; na cintayet, one should not think of; kincit api, anything whatsoever. Thisis the highest instruction about Yoga.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
6.24-25 Sankalpa – etc. Sanaih etc. By mind alone : i.e., not by withdrawing from activities. Holding steadiness; thinning, step after step, the misery born of desired; let him not think anything like receiving and abandoning objects and so on. Others have explained [the passage] as ‘Let him think only negation (or void). But this (explanation) is not up to our taste. For, that world result in the doctrine of nihilism. What is to be achieved is not a mere withdrawl [or one-self] from the objects. This is stated as –
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
sanaih sanair uparamed
buddhya dhrti-grhitaya
atma-samstham manah krtva
na kiñcid api cintayet
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
śanaiḥ — gradually; śanaiḥ — step by step; uparamet — one should hold back; buddhyā — by intelligence; dhṛti-gṛhītayā — carried by conviction; ātma-saḿstham — placed in transcendence; manaḥ — mind; kṛtvā — making; na — not; kiñcit — anything else; api — even; cintayet — should think of.
