dhyānayogaḥ · 6.20
When the mind becomes quiet through meditation, the seeker recognizes the Self through the purified mind and discovers contentment in the Self alone.
यत्रोपरमते चित्तं(न्) निरुद्धं(यँ) योगसेवया ।
यत्र चैवात्मनात्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति ॥६.२०॥
yatroparamate cittaṁ(n) niruddhaṁ(y̐) yogasevayā ।
yatra caivātmanātmānaṁ paśyannātmani tuṣyati ॥
🎧 Listen to the shloka
💡 How to understand this
Krishna is teaching Arjuna that when the mind becomes quiet, we can notice something very special inside.
Usually the mind is noisy. It thinks about toys, school, friends, food, games, worries, and many things. When the mind is noisy, we only notice the noise.
But when the mind becomes quiet, we can notice the one who knows the thoughts. You know when you are happy. You know when you are sad. You know when you are thinking. That “knowing light” inside is very important.
Krishna says that a wise person becomes happy in the Self. This means the person does not need every outside thing to be perfect before feeling peaceful.
Things outside can be nice. Toys, games, friends, and treats can be enjoyed. But they do not have to be the boss of our happiness.
📖 A story to remember — Isha had a jar filled with water and glitter. Her teacher shook it hard. The glitter swirled everywhere.
“What can you see?” the teacher asked.
“Only glitter!” Isha said.
Then the teacher placed the jar on the table. “Let us wait.”
At first the glitter kept moving. Slowly, it began to settle. After some time, the water became clear.
“Now what do you see?” the teacher asked.
“I can see through the water,” Isha said.
The teacher smiled. “Your mind is like this jar. When many thoughts are shaking, you only see the thoughts. When the mind becomes quiet, you can notice the quiet knowing inside.”
Isha closed her eyes for a moment. She heard a sound outside. She noticed it. Then she noticed a thought about lunch. She noticed that too.
Then she smiled and said, “I am the one who knows the thoughts.”
That is Krishna’s teaching. When the mind becomes quiet, we can notice the knowing Self.
🤔 Think about it
◈When my mind is noisy, can I wait quietly like the glitter jar?
◈Can I notice, “I know this thought,” instead of running after every thought?
⭐ Remember this
When the mind becomes quiet through meditation, the seeker recognizes the Self through the purified mind and discovers contentment in the Self alone.
🎯 Challenge!
Can you explain this shloka to a friend in your own words? Try telling the story to someone in your family!