Śrimad Bhagavad Gīta | Chapter 6

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ŚRIMAD BHAGAVAD GĪTA
CHAPTER 6
THE WAY OF CONTEMPLATION


Chapter VI , verse ...

CHAPTERS: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18


Even though the mind be purified, yet without meditation
Liberation cannot result from mere renunciation (action); hence
the Yoga of meditation is expounded in the sixth (chapter).

अथ षष्ठोऽध्यायः । आत्मसंयमयोगः
atha ṣaṣṭho' dhyāyaḥ | ātmasaṃyamayogaḥ

Thus the Sixth Chapter | The Path of Contemplation

1.

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः ।
स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः ॥ ६- १ ॥

śrībhagavānuvāca:
anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ |
sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ ||

The Blessed Lord said:
He, who does the prescribed work without caring for
its fruit, is a Sannyāsi as also a Yogi, and not he who
is without the (sacred) fire and without action.

2.

यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव ।
न ह्यसंन्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ॥ ६- २ ॥

yaṃ saṃnyāsamiti prāhuryogaṃ taṃ viddhi pāṇḍava |
na hyasaṃnyastasaṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana ||

Know that which is extolled as Sannyāsa, to be Yoga, O
Pāndava (Arjuna). Verily, no one becomes a Yogi without
renouncing desire for the fruit of action.

3.

आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते ।
योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते ॥ ६- ३ ॥

ārurukṣormuneryogaṃ karma kāraṇamucyate |
yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate ||

For the sage who desires to attain to Yoga, action is said
to be the means; and for him alone, when he has attained
to Yoga, inaction is said to be the means.

4.

यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते ।
सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते ॥ ६- ४ ॥

yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasvanuṣajjate |
sarvasaṅkalpasaṃnyāsī yogārūḍhastadocyate ||

When one habitually renounces all desires and is no
more attached either to sense-objects or to actions, then
one is said to have attained to Yoga.

5.

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥ ६- ५ ॥

uddharedātmanātmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet |
ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ ||

One should raise oneself through the self, and never
lower oneself; for the self alone is one’s friend and the
self alone is one’s enemy.

6.

बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः ।
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥ ६- ६ ॥

bandhurātmātmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ |
anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat ||

To him who has conquered the self (body and senses)
by his self, the self is his friend; for the uncontrolled
man, however, the self alone is adverse like an enemy.

7.

जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः ।
शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः ॥ ६- ७ ॥

jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ |
śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ ||

The self of one who is self-controlled and serene is
alone poised in heat and cold, happiness and misery,
as also in honour and dishonour.

8.

ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः ।
युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः ॥ ६- ८ ॥

jñānavijñānatṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ |
yukta ityucyate yogī samaloṣṭāśmakāṃcanaḥ ||

The Yogi whose self is satisfied through knowledge and
realization, who is steady and has the senses under
control, and to whom a clod of earth, a stone and gold are
of equal value, is said to be steadfast.

9.

सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु ।
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥ ६- ९ ॥

suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu |
sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate ||

He excels, who looks equally on a well-wisher, a friend,
an enemy, a neutral, an arbiter, a hateful person, a
relative and also on the good and the sinful.

10.

योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः ।
एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः ॥ ६- १० ॥

yogī yuñjīta satatamātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ |
ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ ||

The Yogi, with his mind and self (body) subjugated,
free from desire, destitute and living alone in solitude,
should constantly concentrate his mind.

11.-12.

शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः ।
नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् ॥ ६- ११ ॥

तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः ।
उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये ॥ ६- १२ ॥

śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ |
nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram ||

tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyāḥ |
upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye ||

In a clean spot fixing his seat firm, neither too high nor
too low, made of the Kusha grass, skin and cloth one on
top of the other – sitting on that, with the activities of the
mind and the senses controlled, concentrating his mind,
he should practice Yoga for the purification of the mind.

13.-14.

समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः ।
सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥ ६- १३ ॥

प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः ।
मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः ॥ ६- १४ ॥

samaṃ kāyaśirogrīvaṃ dhārayannacalaṃ sthiraḥ |
saṃprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan ||

praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacārivrate sthitaḥ |
manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ ||

Holding the trunk, head and neck erect and steady,
becoming firm, fixing the gaze on the tip of his nose
and not looking around, tranquil in mind, fearless,
practicing continence controlling the mind, intent on
Me, he should sit absorbed having Me as the supreme goal.

15.

युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानसः ।
शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति ॥ ६- १५ ॥

yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī niyatamānasaḥ |
śāntiṃ nirvāṇaparamāṃ matsaṃsthāmadhigacchati ||

Thus constantly concentrating the mind, the Yogi, with
his mind controlled, attains the peace culminating in
final Beatitude in the form of abiding in Me.

16.

नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः ।
न चातिस्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन ॥ ६- १६ ॥

nātyaśnatastu yogo'sti na caikāntamanaśnataḥ |
na cātisvapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna ||

Yoga is not attained by one who eats too much or who eats
nothing at all, nor by him who sleeps too much or who
keeps awake (too much), O Arjuna.

17.

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु ।
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा ॥ ६- १७ ॥

yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu |
yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā ||

He who is moderate in food and movements, in his
engagement in actions and in sleep and wakefulness,
attains to Yoga which destroys misery.

18.

यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते ।
निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा ॥ ६- १८ ॥

yadā viniyataṃ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate |
niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā ||

When the mind, well-controlled, remains fixed in the
Self alone, and one is free from craving for all enjoyments,
then one is said to have attained Yoga.

19.

यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता ।
योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः ॥ ६- १९ ॥

yathā dīpo nivātastho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā |
yogino yatacittasya yuñjato yogamātmanaḥ ||

Even as a lamp placed in a place free from any breeze
does not flicker – this is the simile for a Yogi of controlled
mind, practicing concentration on the Self.

20.-23.

यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया ।
यत्र चैवात्मनात्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति ॥ ६- २० ॥

सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद् बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् ।
वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः ॥ ६- २१ ॥

यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः ।
यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते ॥ ६- २२ ॥

तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् ।
स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा ॥ ६- २३ ॥

yatroparamate cittaṃ niruddhaṃ yogasevayā |
yatra caivātmanātmānaṃ paśyannātmani tuṣyati ||

sukhamātyantikaṃ yattad buddhigrāhyamatīndriyam |
vetti yatra na caivāyaṃ sthitaścalati tattvataḥ ||

yaṃ labdhvā cāparaṃ lābhaṃ manyate nādhikaṃ tataḥ |
yasminsthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate ||

taṃ vidyād duḥkhasaṃyogaviyogaṃ yogasaṃjñitam |
sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo'nirviṇṇacetasā ||

That state in which the mind controlled by the practice of
concentration gets settled; in which seeing the Self by the
(purified) mind one is satisfied with the Self; in which one
realizes same absolute, transcendent bliss which is
experienced through the intellect; established in which one
does not waver from the Truth; attaining which one thinks
of no other acquisition as greater than that; and established
in which, one is not perturbed even by great pain – that,
one should know, is designated as Yoga, untouched by
all contact with pain. That Yoga should be practiced with
conviction and without depression of spirits.

24.

सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः ।
मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः ॥ ६- २४ ॥

saṅkalpaprabhavānkāmāṃstyaktvā sarvānaśeṣataḥ |
manasaivendriyagrāmaṃ viniyamya samantataḥ ||

Having completely renounced all desires born of fancy,
controlling well the senses from all sides by the mind
alone, (Yoga should be practiced).

25.

शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया ।
आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ॥ ६- २५ ॥

śanaiḥ śanairuparamed buddhyā dhṛtigṛhītayā |
ātmasaṃsthaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiṃcidapi cintayet ||

One should withdraw by degrees, establishing the mind in
the Self by the intellect regulated by concentration, and
should not think of anything else.

26.

यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् ।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥ ६- २६ ॥

yato yato niścarati manaścaṃcalamasthiram |
tatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṃ nayet ||

Wherever the restless and unsteady mind wanders,
from that very object it should be restrained and brought
under the control of the Self alone.

27.

प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम् ।
उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम् ॥ ६- २७ ॥

praśāntamanasaṃ hyenaṃ yoginaṃ sukhamuttamam |
upaiti śāntarajasaṃ brahmabhūtamakalmaṣam ||

To this Yogin whose activities (Rajas) has subsided, who is
of a tranquil mind, sinless and identified with Brahman,
comes supreme bliss.

28.

युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः ।
सुखेन ब्रह्मसंस्पर्शमत्यन्तं सुखमश्नुते ॥ ६- २८ ॥

yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī vigatakalmaṣaḥ |
sukhena brahmasaṃsparśamatyantaṃ sukhamaśnute ||

The Yogi entirely free from taint, constantly controlling
the mind thus, attains easily the infinite bliss of union
with Brahman.

29.

सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।
ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः ॥ ६- २९ ॥

sarvabhūtasthamātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani |
īkṣate yogayuktātmā sarvatra samadarśanaḥ ||

The man whose mind is absorbed through Yoga and who
sees the same (Brahman) everywhere, sees the Self in
all beings and all beings in the Self.

30.

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति ।
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति ॥ ६- ३० ॥

yo māṃ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṃ ca mayi paśyati |
tasyāhaṃ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati ||

He who sees Me everywhere and sees all things in Me,
does not lose sight of Me, nor do I of him.

31.

सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः ।
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते ॥ ६- ३१ ॥

sarvabhūtasthitaṃ yo māṃ bhajatyekatvamāsthitaḥ |
sarvathā vartamāno'pi sa yogī mayi vartate ||

He who worships Me residing in all beings in a spirit of unity,
becomes Yogi and, whatever his mode of life, lives in Me.

32.

आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन ।
सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं स योगी परमो मतः ॥ ६- ३२ ॥

ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṃ paśyati yo'rjuna |
sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ sa yogī paramo mataḥ ||

He who by comparison with himself looks upon the
pleasure and pain in all creatures as similar – that Yogi,
O Arjuna, is considered the best.

33.

अर्जुन उवाच । योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन ।
एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात्स्थितिं स्थिराम् ॥ ६- ३३ ॥

arjuna uvāca:
yo'yaṃ yogastvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana |
etasyāhaṃ na paśyāmi caṃcalatvātsthitiṃ sthirām ||

Arjuna said:
For this Yoga that you have described as equanimity,
O slayer of Madhu (Sri Krishna), I do not see any
permanence, owing to restlessness (of the mind).

34.

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम् ।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥ ६- ३४ ॥

caṃcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham |
tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyoriva suduṣkaram ||

For the mind, O Krishna, is restless, turbulent, strong
and obstinate; I think it is extremely difficult to control
like the wind.

35.

श्रीभगवानुवाच । असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् ।
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥ ६- ३५ ॥

śrībhagavānuvāca:
asaṃśayaṃ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṃ calam |
abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate ||

The Blessed Lord said:
Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed one (Arjuna), the mind is
restless and hard to control; yet by practice and dispassion,
O son of Kunti, it is controlled.

36.

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः ।
वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः ॥ ६- ३६ ॥

asaṃyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ |
vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo'vāptumupāyataḥ ||

For one whose mind is not controlled, I consider Yoga
is hard to attain; but it is attainable by one whose mind
is under control and who strives through (the prescribed) means.

37.

अर्जुन उवाच ।
अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः ।
अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति ॥ ६- ३७ ॥

arjuna uvāca:
ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāccalitamānasaḥ |
aprāpya yogasaṃsiddhiṃ kāṃ gatiṃ kṛṣṇa gacchati ||

Arjuna asked:
He who, though endowed with faith, strives not, and whose
mind wanders from Yoga- failing to attain the fruition of
Yoga, what goal, O Krishna, does a person attain?

38.

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति ।
अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि ॥ ६- ३८ ॥

kaccinnobhayavibhraṣṭaśchinnābhramiva naśyati |
apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi ||

Does he not, O mighty-armed one, fallen from both and
without any support perish like a detached cloud, being
deluded in the path of Brahman?

39.

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः ।
त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते ॥ ६- ३९ ॥

etanme saṃśayaṃ kṛṣṇa chettumarhasyaśeṣataḥ |
tvadanyaḥ saṃśayasyāsya chettā na hyupapadyate ||

This doubt is mine, O Krishna, You should dispel in its
entirety, for there is none else but You who can remove
this doubt.

40.

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते ।
न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद् दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति ॥ ६- ४० ॥

śrībhagavānuvāca:
pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate |
na hi kalyāṇakṛtkaścid durgatiṃ tāta gacchati ||

The Blessed Lord said:
Verily, neither here nor hereafter, O Pārtha, is there
destruction for him; for the doer of good, my child,
never comes by evil.

41.

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः ।
शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते ॥ ६- ४१ ॥

prāpya puṇyakṛtāṃ lokānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ |
śucīnāṃ śrīmatāṃ gehe yogabhraṣṭo'bhijāyate ||

Having attained the worlds of the righteous and lived
there for many, many years, one who has fallen from Yoga
is born again in the house of the pure and prosperous.

42.

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् ।
एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् ॥ ६- ४२ ॥

athavā yogināmeva kule bhavati dhīmatām |
etaddhi durlabhataraṃ loke janma yadīdṛśam ||

Or he is reborn even in the family of Yogis who are wise;
such a birth is rare indeed in this world.

43.

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम् ।
यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन ॥ ६- ४३ ॥

tatra taṃ buddhisaṃyogaṃ labhate paurvadehikam |
yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṃsiddhau kurunandana ||

There he comes in contact with knowledge acquired in
the previous birth, and strives harder than before for
perfection, O descendant of Kuru (Arjuna).

44.

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः ।
जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते ॥ ६- ४४ ॥

pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśo'pi saḥ |
jijñāsurapi yogasya śabdabrahmātivartate ||

By that very previous practice he is irresistibly carried away.
Even a mere inquirer after Yoga transcends the Vedas.

45.

प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः ।
अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥ ६- ४५ ॥

prayatnādyatamānastu yogī saṃśuddhakilbiṣaḥ |
anekajanmasaṃsiddhastato yāti parāṃ gatim ||

Verily, a yogi who practices assiduously, being purified
of all sins, is perfected through many births, (and) then
attains the supreme Goal.

46.

तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः ।
कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन ॥ ६- ४६ ॥

tapasvibhyo'dhiko yogī jñānibhyo'pi mato'dhikaḥ |
karmibhyaścādhiko yogī tasmādyogī bhavārjuna ||

The Yogi is regarded as greater than ascetics, greater
than even men of knowledge and greater also than those
devoted to work; therefore be a Yogi, O Arjuna.

47.

योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना ।
श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः ॥ ६- ४७ ॥

yogināmapi sarveṣāṃ madgatenāntarātmanā |
śraddhāvānbhajate yo māṃ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ ||

Of all Yogis even, he who, possessed of faith, worships
Me with his mind absorbed in Me, is in My opinion
the greatest.

He who taught the Yoga of the Self to the greatest of the devotees
(Arjuna) I worship that Mādhava, the embodiment of supreme
Bliss – the treasures of the devotees.

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
आत्मसंयमयोगो नाम षष्ठोऽध्यायः ॥ ६ ॥

OM tatsaditi śrīmad bhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu
brahmavidyāyāṃ yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvāde
ātmasaṃyamayogo nāma ṣaṣṭho'dhyāyaḥ