This śloka concludes the immediate meditation-instruction sequence that began in 6.10. Bhagavān has already described the conditions for meditation: solitude, aloneness, freedom from binding desire and possessiveness, a clean place, a steady seat, a balanced posture, withdrawn gaze, calmness, fearlessness, brahmacarya-discipline, mental restraint, and Bhagavān-centeredness. Now He states the result of such practice.

Yuñjan evam means “practicing in this way.” This refers to the method taught in the previous verses. Meditation is not being presented as a random sitting practice. It is a carefully prepared discipline. The place, seat, posture, gaze, mind, and value-orientation all have to support the practice.

Sadā ātmānam yuñjan means constantly or regularly engaging the mind. Here ātmānam means the mind, not the pure Self. The pure Self does not need to be engaged or regulated. The mind must be repeatedly brought into the discipline of meditation.

Sadā does not mean one must sit for meditation every minute of the day. It means the practice must be consistent, regular, and long-term. Mental transformation does not happen through occasional inspiration. Just as physical therapy requires repeated exercises, the mind also requires repeated reorientation. Old patterns of thinking do not disappear simply because one understood the teaching once. Meditation gives quality time for the mind to be retrained.

Niyatamānasaḥ means one whose mind is restrained or regulated. The mind is not allowed to drift wherever it wants. In meditation, the mind is deliberately directed toward Bhagavān, or for the Vedāntic meditator, toward the truth of the Self revealed by the teaching. Restraint here does not mean harsh suppression. It means intelligent regulation: noticing distraction and bringing the mind back.

Then Bhagavān says the yogī gains śāntim — peace. This is not ordinary peace dependent on circumstances. Ordinary peace comes from a favorable setup: people behave as I like, health is good, finances are stable, work goes smoothly, family is pleasant, and the environment supports me. But such peace is fragile. When the setup changes, peace disappears. A setup can quickly become an upset.

The peace spoken of here is matsaṁsthām — rooted in Bhagavān. This is peace that comes from the highest reality, not from external arrangements. If peace depends on relationships, possessions, status, health, or predictability, it is always under threat. But when the mind discovers its connection with Bhagavān, and ultimately the Self that is not shaken by external change, peace becomes deeper and more reliable.

This does not mean the yogī never faces difficulty. It means difficulty no longer has the same power to destroy the mind. Situations may still need handling. Pain may still need treatment. Family duties may still need attention. But the center of peace is no longer borrowed from the world.

The verse also says nirvāṇa-paramām — culminating in liberation. The peace gained through meditation matures toward mokṣa. Here one must be careful: meditation is not an independent producer of liberation. Self-knowledge alone reveals liberation. But meditation removes the habitual obstacles that prevent knowledge from blessing the personality. It removes unhealthy patterns of thinking, repeated emotional reactions, old self-judgments, fear, bitterness, and dependence. As these obstacles reduce, the peace that naturally belongs to knowledge becomes more and more available.

Therefore, meditation is like opening a blocked tap. Water is already in the tank, and the tap may already be open, but if there is obstruction, the water will not flow. Similarly, knowledge has the capacity to produce peace, but habitual thinking can obstruct it. Meditation removes the obstruction. Peace is not manufactured; it becomes available.

This verse is therefore both encouraging and realistic. The result is not instant. Bhagavān does not say that one meditation session will erase all agitation. The word sadā indicates regularity. A mind that has been trained in anxiety, anger, comparison, fear, and dependence for many years needs repeated, patient reorientation. But with steady practice, the mind becomes more peaceful, more Bhagavān-centered, and more available for freedom.

Thus, 6.15 gives the fruit of the meditation preparation: regular meditation with a restrained mind leads to a peace rooted in Bhagavān, and that peace culminates in liberation.