Chapter 6 Verse 23
Dhyān Yog
तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम्। स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा।।6.23।।
taṁ vidyād duḥkha-sanyoga-viyogaṁ yogasaṅjñitam sa niśhchayena yoktavyo yogo ’nirviṇṇa-chetasā
Word Meanings
| tam | that |
| vidyāt | you should know |
| duḥkha-sanyoga-viyogam | state of severance from union with misery |
| yoga-saṁjñitam | is known as yog |
| saḥ | that |
| niśhchayena | resolutely |
| yoktavyaḥ | should be practiced |
| yogaḥ | yog |
| anirviṇṇa-chetasā | with an undeviating mind |
Translation
Let this be known by the name of Yoga, the severance from union with pain. This Yoga should be practiced with determination and with an undespairing mind.
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
This verse says that true yoga is freeing yourself from being joined to suffering. It is not just a physical exercise but an inner untangling from pain and its hold on you.
Yoga must be practiced with steady resolve and without giving in to despair. That means meeting difficulties calmly, not letting setbacks break your spirit, and returning again and again to the inner practice that loosens suffering.
Life Application
- Practice a short daily routine (breath awareness or meditation) and return to it even when your mind wanders. Small steady steps build steadiness.
- When you feel upset or hurt, notice the feeling without clinging to it. Name it, breathe, and let it pass instead of feeding it with stories.
- If you fail or fall back, be determined but gentle with yourself—get up and continue rather than giving up in frustration.
Reflection Question
When pain or difficulty arises, do I cling to it or can I let it be and continue?