Dhyana Yoga · Verse 23

Bhagavad Gita 6.23

Yoga is the breaking of suffering’s grip, practiced steadily.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् ।
स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
जिसमें दुःखोंके संयोगका ही वियोग है, उसीको योग नामसे जानना चाहिये । वह योग जिस ध्यानयोगका लक्ष्य है, उस ध्यानयोगका अभ्यास न उकताये हुए चित्तसे निश्चयपूर्वक करना चाहिये ॥
English
Know that as yoga: the severance of union with suffering. Practice that yoga with certainty, with an undiscouraged mind.

What this verse means

True meditation is the ending of the mind’s bond with suffering. That practice should be continued steadily, without losing heart.

Context & commentary

On the battlefield, Arjuna is frozen by grief and confusion. Krishna has already described the calm that meditation can bring, and now he names it plainly: real yoga is freedom from suffering’s grip. This verse urges steady practice without discouragement.

Why this verse still matters

You sit in a parked car after a hard conversation, replaying every word and wanting to avoid the next one. This verse says the way out is not escape, but steady practice without losing heart.

The takeaway

You can keep going without expecting every session to feel good. The practice itself is already the release.

Word-by-word translation

तम् (that) / विद्यात् (one should know) / दुःखसंयोगवियोगम् (the separation from union with suffering) / योगसंज्ञितम् (called yoga) / सः (that) / निश्चयेन (with certainty) / योक्तव्यः (should be practiced) / योगः (yoga) / अनिर्विण्णचेतसा (with an undiscouraged mind)

Explore related themes: vairagya (51 verses), dhyana yoga (13 verses)

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