6 — Dhyāna Yoga — Steady the Mind

Dhyāna Yoga — The Yoga of Meditation Steady the Mind continues A Journey Through the Bhagavad Gita, following the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. By Chapter 6, Krishna has taken Arjuna through a remarkable progression. Arjuna began by wanting to escape an action that seemed unbearable. Krishna has taught him about the enduring Self, action without attachment to its fruits, the transforming power of knowledge, and a form of renunciation that can occur while remaining engaged in the world. Now the teaching turns inward. If Arjuna is going to act with wisdom rather than fear, desire or attachment, he must learn to understand the mind through which he perceives everything. Krishna begins teaching Dhyāna Yoga—the Yoga of Meditation. He describes discipline, concentration and moderation. Meditation is not presented as something separate from the rest of life. Food, activity, effort, sleep and rest all contribute to the conditions in which the mind can become steady. Krishna describes the meditator sitting with the body composed and attention gathered, gradually learning to quiet the movements of the mind. He offers a beautiful image: a lamp in a windless place whose flame does not flicker. This becomes an image of the mind becoming steady in meditation. But Arjuna immediately recognizes the difficulty. He knows his own mind. It moves. It wanders. It becomes agitated. It follows memories, desires, fears and thoughts. Arjuna tells Krishna that the mind is restless, turbulent, powerful and difficult to restrain. Controlling it seems to him as difficult as controlling the wind. Krishna does not dismiss his objection. He acknowledges that the mind is indeed difficult to master. But he tells Arjuna that it can gradually be steadied through practice and non-attachment. The teaching is important because Krishna is not asking Arjuna to wait until thought disappears. The practice is to recognize when the mind has wandered and repeatedly bring it back. Again. And again. And again. Arjuna’s battlefield has therefore expanded. There is still an army before him. There are still decisions to make and consequences to face. But there is also another field of activity occurring within him—thoughts, emotions, memories, fears, desires and impulses that influence how he understands everything outside himself. Before Arjuna can discern clearly, he must become more capable of seeing those movements without automatically being carried away by them. The image at the heart of the chapter therefore contains a beautiful tension: Arjuna experiences the mind as wind. Krishna teaches him to cultivate the steady flame. Chapter 6 closes the first major movement of the Bhagavad Gita by bringing the journey inward. Arjuna began by asking what he should do about the world before him. Krishna has gradually led him toward another question: Can you see clearly what is happening within the one who must choose? The battlefield remains outside. Now Arjuna is learning to observe the battlefield within. This song is part of A Journey Through the Bhagavad Gita, following the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna as the teachings unfold through the text. 🎶✨ This song is part of Journey Through the Bhagavad Gita, an 18-song musical exploration following the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna from the uncertainty of the battlefield through the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. 🪷🏹 Each song explores one chapter, allowing the dialogue and journey to unfold through music. Listen to the full playlist here:    • A Journey Through the Bhagavad Gita   🎧✨ If this song inspires a remix, please credit the original and link back to this channel so more fellow travelers can discover the music. Thank you. ✨ May they meet you wherever you are on the road. Words, music, and artwork © 2026 Jamie Fox. All rights reserved.