बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत्
bandhur ātmātmanas tasya
yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ
anātmanas tu śatrutve
vartetātmaiva śatru-vat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The mind is the friend of him by whom the mind has been conquered. But for him whose mind is not conquered, the mind, like an enemy, remains hostile.
PURPORT
A person whose mind is conquered by himself in relation to sense-objects, has that mind as his friend. In the case of one whose mind is not conquered in this way, his own mind, like an enemy, remains hostile. The meaning is that it acts against his attainment of supreme beatitude. It has been stated by Bhagavan Parashara also: ‘The mind of man is the cause both of his bondage and his release. Its addiction to sense objects is the cause of his bondage; its separation from sense objects is the means of one’s release’ (V.P., 6.7.28).
The proper condition for the beginning of Yoga is now taught:
