bhagavad-gitagitakrishnadhyana-yoga

Bhagavad Gita 6.34 — Chanchalam Hi Manah Krishna

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ६.३४ — चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Before meditation or pranayama, especially when the mind feels scattered·📜 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 34

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

In this beautifully honest verse, Arjuna voices the difficulty every meditator knows: the mind is restless, turbulent, powerful and stubborn, and controlling it feels as impossible as restraining the wind. It is the perfect expression of the struggle with a wandering mind. Krishna's gentle reply in the next verse — that the mind can indeed be mastered through practice (abhyasa) and detachment (vairagya) — makes this one of the most practical passages on meditation.

Origin & Story

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 34 · Sage Veda Vyasa (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva) · Ancient (text compiled c. 5th–2nd century BCE)

In the sixth chapter, Dhyana Yoga (the yoga of meditation), Krishna describes the practice of meditation and equanimity. Arjuna responds candidly that controlling such a restless mind seems as hard as restraining the wind. His honest doubt prompts Krishna's famous reassurance that the mind can be subdued through practice and detachment.

✦ As told in scripture

Generations of meditators have taken comfort that even Arjuna found the mind unruly; the tradition holds that sincerely admitting this difficulty before the Lord, as Arjuna did, itself draws the grace and guidance needed to gradually still the mind.

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The Mantra

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chañchalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛiṣhṇa pramāthi balavad dṛiḍham tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva su-duṣhkaram

Meaning:The mind is indeed restless, turbulent, strong and unyielding, O Krishna; I consider it as difficult to control as the wind.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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chañchalam🔊restless

hi🔊certainly

manaḥ🔊the mind

kṛiṣhṇa🔊O Krishna

pramāthi🔊turbulent, agitating

bala-vat🔊strong

dṛiḍham🔊obstinate, unyielding

tasya🔊its

aham🔊I

nigraham🔊control, subduing

manye🔊think, consider

vāyoḥ🔊of the wind

iva🔊like

su-duṣhkaram🔊very difficult to perform

Benefits of Chanting श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ६.३४ — चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण

✦

Validates and gives words to the universal struggle of a restless mind

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Encourages honesty about one's difficulties in meditation

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Sets the stage for Krishna's remedy of practice (abhyasa) and detachment (vairagya)

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Reminds the seeker that even great souls find the mind hard to tame

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Inspires patience and perseverance in spiritual practice

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Helps deepen meditation by naming the obstacle clearly before overcoming it

How to Chant श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ६.३४ — चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण

Repetitions11times

Best TimeBefore meditation or pranayama, especially when the mind feels scattered

Recite this verse when your mind feels turbulent and resistant to stillness. Acknowledge, as Arjuna does, that the mind is naturally restless — without self-judgement. Then recall Krishna's reply (6.35) that the mind is conquered through steady practice and dispassion, and begin your meditation gently. Pairing this verse with a few minutes of breath awareness can settle a scattered mind before deeper sadhana.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ६.३४ — चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

Arjuna says the mind is as difficult to control as the wind because both are restless, powerful and seemingly impossible to grasp or restrain. The comparison vividly captures how the mind constantly moves and resists being held still in meditation.

In the very next verse (6.35), Krishna agrees that the mind is restless and hard to control, but reassures Arjuna that it can certainly be mastered through abhyasa (consistent practice) and vairagya (detachment). This makes 6.34 the question and 6.35 the practical solution.

Arjuna describes the mind as chanchala (restless), pramathi (turbulent or agitating, even disturbing the senses and body), balavat (strong), and dridha (obstinate or unyielding). Together they explain why controlling the mind is so challenging.

It reassures practitioners that a wandering mind is normal, even for sincere seekers. By honestly acknowledging the difficulty and then applying steady practice and detachment as Krishna advises, anyone can gradually gain mastery over the restless mind.