bhagavad-gitagitakrishnaself-effort

𑌉𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌰𑍇𑌦𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌾𑌽𑌽𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌮𑍍

उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानम् in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Early morning before meditation or sadhana, or whenever motivation and self-discipline are needed·📜 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 5

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 5 · Spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna; recorded by Sage Veda Vyasa in the Mahabharata (Bhishma Parva) · Ancient (part of the Mahabharata, traditionally dated to the Dvapara Yuga)

In the sixth chapter, Dhyana Yoga, Krishna teaches the discipline of meditation and control of the mind. This verse is his clear declaration that, while grace and guidance have their place, the essential work of self-upliftment cannot be outsourced — each person must accomplish it through their own effort by mastering their own mind. The second line, that one is one's own friend and one's own enemy, is among Veda Vyasa's most quoted insights into human nature.

✦ As told in scripture

Countless aspirants have turned the tide of their lives by taking this verse to heart, refusing to sink and instead raising themselves through disciplined effort. It is said that the moment a seeker resolves to become their own friend by conquering the mind, the inner enemy loses its power and the path to liberation opens.

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The Mantra

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

𑌉𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌰𑍇𑌦𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌾𑌽𑌽𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌨𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌮𑌵𑌸𑌾𑌦𑌯𑍇𑌤𑍍। 𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑍈𑌵 𑌹𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍋 𑌬𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑍈𑌵 𑌰𑌿𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌃॥

uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet ātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

Meaning:मनुष्य को अपने द्वारा अपना उद्धार करना चाहिये और अपना अध:पतन नहीं करना चाहिये; क्योंकि आत्मा (मनुष्य स्वयं) ही आत्मा का मित्र है और आत्मा ही आत्मा का शत्रु है।

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌉𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌰𑍇𑌤𑍍🔊uddharetlet one elevate, raise up, deliver

𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌾🔊ātmanāby one's own self (by the disciplined mind)

𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌮𑍍🔊ātmānamoneself

𑌨 𑌅𑌵𑌸𑌾𑌦𑌯𑍇𑌤𑍍🔊na avasādayetlet one not degrade or lower (oneself)

𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌏𑌵🔊ātmā evathe self alone, indeed the self

𑌹𑌿🔊hiindeed, certainly

𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌃🔊ātmanaḥof oneself

𑌬𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍁𑌃🔊bandhuḥfriend

𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌏𑌵🔊ātmā evathe self alone, indeed the self

𑌰𑌿𑌪𑍁𑌃🔊ripuḥenemy

𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌃🔊ātmanaḥof oneself

Benefits of Chanting उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानम्

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Inspires self-reliance and personal responsibility on the spiritual path

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Motivates the seeker to rise above weakness through their own disciplined effort

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Teaches mastery of the mind as the key to becoming one's own friend

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Removes the tendency to blame circumstances or others for one's downfall

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Empowers the individual with the conviction that upliftment is in their own hands

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Strengthens willpower and resolve in the practice of meditation and self-discipline

How to Chant उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानम्

Repetitions11times

Best TimeEarly morning before meditation or sadhana, or whenever motivation and self-discipline are needed

Recite this verse in Sanskrit while resolving to be your own friend through self-discipline. It may be chanted 3, 11, or 21 times. This verse is especially recited at the beginning of meditation practice (from the chapter on Dhyana Yoga) to remind oneself that elevation of the self is achieved by one's own effort and mastery of the mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानम् written in the Grantha 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.

It means 'One should elevate oneself by one's own self, and not degrade oneself; for the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self.' It is Krishna's teaching on self-effort in Bhagavad Gita 6.5.

Krishna explains in the following verse (6.6) that the self is a friend to one who has conquered the mind, but an enemy to one who has not. A disciplined, controlled mind lifts a person toward liberation, while an unrestrained mind drags them down — so a person's own mind determines their rise or fall.

It places the responsibility for spiritual progress entirely on the individual. Rather than waiting for grace or blaming circumstances, the seeker is told that they have the power, through their own disciplined effort, to uplift themselves. It is a clear call to self-mastery.

It belongs to Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita, known as Dhyana Yoga or Atma Samyama Yoga — the Yoga of Meditation and Self-Control. The chapter teaches how to discipline the mind through meditation, and this verse sets its foundational principle of self-effort.