saṅkalpa—a resolve; prabhavān—born of; kāmān—desires; tyaktvā—having abandoned; sarvān—all; aśheṣhataḥ—completely; manasā—through the mind; eva—certainly; indriya-grāmam—the group of senses; viniyamya—restraining; samantataḥ—from all sides;
English translation
Abandoning unreservedly all desires born of Sankalpa (thought and imagination) and completely restraining the whole group of senses by the mind from all sides.
Translation by Swami Sivananda
Hindi meaning
।।6.24।। संकल्प से उत्पन्न समस्त कामनाओं को नि:शेष रूप से परित्याग कर मन के द्वारा इन्द्रिय समुदाय को सब ओर से सम्यक् प्रकार वश में करके।।
Hindi rendering by Swami Tejomayananda
English meaning
Renouncing every desire that can be imagined, controlling the senses at every point through the power of the mind;
Shri Purohit Swami
In order to renounce completely all desires that are born of intention, let a person restrain the group of sense-organs from all sides by mind alone.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Detailed explanation
Without reserve The mind is so diplomatic that it keeps certain desires for its secret gratification. Therefore you should completely abandon all desires without reservation.Desire is born of imagination (Sankalpa). Therefore destroy the Sankalpa first. If the imagination is annihilated first then the desires will die by themselves. Mark here All the senses must be controlled from all sides by the mind. Even if one sense is turbulent in one direction it will distract the mind often and often. The senses will be absorbed in the mind by the constant practice of abstraction (Pratyahara). Then the mind will not think of the objects of sensepleasure and will become perfectly calm.That mind which is endowed with a strong discrimination and dispassion will be able to control the whole ground (or group) of the senses from their objects in all directions. Therefore cultivate strong Viveka or discrimination between the Real and the unreal and also Vairagya or total dispassion for sensual pleasures. (Cf.II.62)
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
Hindi commentary
।।6.24।। No commentary.
Swami Chinmayananda
।।6.24।। व्याख्या--[जो स्थिति कर्मफलका त्याग करनेवाले कर्मयोगीकी होती है (6। 1 9), वही स्थिति सगुणसाकार भगवान्का ध्यान करनेवालेकी (6। 14 15) तथा अपने स्वरूपका ध्यान करनेवाले ध्यानयोगीकी भी होती है (6। 18 23)। अब निर्गुण-निराकारका ध्यान करनेवालेकी भी वही स्थिति होती है--यह बतानेके लिये भगवान् आगेका प्रकरण कहते हैं।]
Swami Ramsukhdas
Key teachings
Without reserve The mind is so diplomatic that it keeps certain desires for its secret gratification.
Therefore you should completely abandon all desires without reservation.Desire is born of imagination (Sankalpa).
Therefore destroy the Sankalpa first.
Spiritual significance
In Dhyana Yoga (Path of Meditation), this verse belongs to the Gita’s teaching on karma yoga. Here the text presents that teaching through these words: Abandoning unreservedly all desires born of Sankalpa (thought and imagination) and completely restraining the whole group of senses by the mind from all sides.
Chapter 6, verse 24 is part of Dhyana Yoga. In the English translation used on this page, it says: Abandoning unreservedly all desires born of Sankalpa (thought and imagination) and completely restraining the whole group of senses by the mind from all sides.
What is the spiritual context of this verse?
It appears in Dhyana Yoga, a chapter associated with Karma Yoga. Self-mastery.
