Devanagari
यदारम्भेषु निर्विण्णो विरक्त: संयतेन्द्रिय: ।
अभ्यासेनात्मनो योगी धारयेदचलं मन: ॥ १८ ॥
Verse text
yadārambheṣu nirviṇṇo
viraktaḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ
abhyāsenātmano yogī
dhārayed acalaṁ manaḥ
Synonyms
yadā
—
when
;
ārambheṣu
—
in material endeavors
;
nirviṇṇaḥ
—
hopeless
;
viraktaḥ
—
detached
;
saṁyata
—
completely controlling
;
indriyaḥ
—
the senses
;
abhyāsena
—
by practice
;
ātmanaḥ
—
of the soul
;
yogī
—
the transcendentalist
;
dhārayet
—
should concentrate
;
acalam
—
steady
;
manaḥ
—
the mind .
Translation
A transcendentalist, having become disgusted and hopeless in all endeavors for material happiness, completely controls the senses and develops detachment. By spiritual practice he should then fix the mind on the spiritual platform without deviation.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
When a person becomes disgusted with material endeavors, becomes detached from the results of prescribed duties, controls his senses by practice and follows yamas and niyamas, he should concentrate to make his mind steady.
Having praised the human body which allows practice of both jṣāna and bhakti, Kṛṣṇa speaks of the actions necessary for persons qualified for jṣāna. Their initial state is described in nine and a half verses. The person is disgusted with material household life, disturbed by seeing its suffering, and becomes detached from the results of karma attained by karmīs. Engaged in the yamas and niyamas of yoga (yogī), he meditates so that his mind becomes immovable.
Purport
The inevitable result of material sense gratification is disappointment and pain that sears the heart. One becomes gradually hopeless and despondent in material life; then, receiving good instructions from the Lord or His devotee, one transforms one’s material disappointment into spiritual success. Actually, Lord Kṛṣṇa is our only true friend, and this simple understanding can bring one to a new life of spiritual happiness in the company of the Lord.