Verse 6.36

Verse 6.36: “By one who has not controlled his self Yogic discipline, so I think, is hard to be achieved but by one whose self is submissive, and who makes an effort, it is possible by (suitable) method to achieve it.” (421)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

We agree that those that are not indifferent to worldly life, and never attempt any (sort of) study, are not able to control this mind. But then why should the mind be firm, if we never proceed along the path of Self-restraint, and comprehensive self-governance, if we never even care to remember what is indifference to worldly pleasures, but (always) keep on drowning in the sea of sense-objects, and never apply any key in the form of any restraint to the mind? Therefore, start with some means that could put the mind under restraint, and then let us see how the mind does not get under your control! Were you to aver that the mind could never come under control, could it be that whatever is said as the attainment of ‘Yoga is all a myth? It is no myth. The most you could say is that you yourself are unable to succeed in its study. Could the fickleness of mind take a (firm) stand, if one were to attain the power of‘Yoga’ discipline? Is not such a power capable of securing control over all, including the gross elements?” Arjuna said on this, “Oh God, what you say is correct. The strength of mind would prove helpless before the power of ‘Yoga’ discipline. We had so far never even heard by what means (we are) to secure the ‘Yoga-discipline, and this made us slaves to the uncontrolled mind. It is only now, for the first time since our birth, that we have, through your grace. Oh Purushottama, come to know what the ‘Yoga’-discipline is”