अर्जुन उवाच -
योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन ।
एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात्स्थितिं स्थिराम् ।। ६.३३ ।।

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम् ।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ।। ६.३४ ।।

arjuna uvāca
yo’yaṁ yogas-tvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana |
etasyāhaṁ na paśyāmi cañcalatvāt sthitiṁ sthirām || 6.33 ||

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham |
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor-iva su-duṣkaram || 6.34 ||

The magnificence of Bhagavad Gita is that it is a loving tuition given by a wise Teacher to a deserving student; it is not just a book of essay or literature. We have thus the benefit of a direct personal Guru-sishya dialogue. Every time Krishna puts forward a proposition, instruction or explanation, Arjuna has the opportunity to look into himself and find out whether he has understood what he heard. If there is doubt or apprehension, he can instantly raise it and seek clarity. Vyasadeva who penned the dialogue has thus made the message vibrant and wholesome, useful and relevant to all seekers and students.

As long as human mind thrives on the earth, the message of Bhagavad Gita will remain relevant. For, Bhagavad Gita is a gospel on mind, coming from intelligence, the mind’s guide and tutor. Intelligence when illumined by the direct knowledge of the Self – the Impersonal, Impartial pivot of external and internal existence – gets empowered to deliver such a lofty message. In fact, the gospel of Bhagavad Gita will live and echo in every civilization, delivering timely enlightenment and inspiration, strength and sustenance.

In order to ensure the usefulness of the dialogue, it highlights the doubts of the listener, illustrating how these form an inevitable part of the assimilation process. We thus come to a very significant phase of the Text.

Krishna discussed the first and last notes of meditation and Self-absorption. He also depicted their effects on the perceptions and interactions of the Knower. By discerning everything as no other than the single uniform Self, Krishna points out how the vision of the Knower remains sublime and sovereign continuously.

Desultoriness of mind

Arjuna understood the instruction well. But it led to some doubts and questions. He expressed them faithfully. Vyasadeva must have felt that seekers in every era will encounter the same doubts:

O Madhusudana, the yoga you have described is in the nature of ‘evenness’. I am not able to see its stability and prevalence because of the restlessness of the mind. The mind is desultory by nature. It is turbulent, powerful and unbending. To bring control or moderation to the mind is like controlling the wind.

By this query Arjuna expresses his correct understanding of yoga described by Krishna, as the practice and perfection of evenness, samatva. He is very much aware of the fleetingness of the mind. Naturally, Arjuna wonders how to achieve samatva controlling such a vacillating mind.