BG 6.19 — Dhyāna-Yoga — Sūtrakṛt-Gītā

Bhagavad Gītā 6.19Chapter 6 · Dhyāna-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · anuṣṭubh

यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता ।

योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः ॥

yathā dīpo nivāta-stho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā

yogino yata-cittasya yuñjato yogam ātmanaḥ

spokensingle-voice recital; rendered via IndicF5 conditioned on a Sanskrit reference clip

meaning

A lamp in a windless spot does not flicker; that is the image given for the yogi whose mind is controlled and absorbed in the practice of the Self.

ekras · bhāṣya

As a lamp standing in a windless place does not flicker, that is the simile recorded for the yogi whose chitta is restrained, yoking the yoga of the atman. The image is so still that the verse itself slows around it.

Shankara holds the simile precisely. The antahkarana of the yogi whose chitta is completely restrained remains motionless in samadhi. The yogi is not merely calm; he is dissolved into one-pointed awareness. The simile is recording the cessation of subtle agitation — the kind that even a calm mind retains until it is absolutely still. The lamp does not flicker not because it is forced to be still but because the wind is no longer there.

Ramanuja reads the lamp differently: the lamp is the atman itself — radiant and unflickering — once all manovritti except atma-vishaya, the mind-movement directed to the Self alone, is withdrawn. The yata-chitta yogi, freed from sakala-itara-manovritti — every other mental current — stands like the windless lamp: steady in luminosity, not merely still. The luminosity is the point, not just the stillness.

Madhva's compressed gloss says it directly: the yoga that has Bhagavan as object, belonging to the jiva. The flickering is the pull of anything other than Bhagavad-vishaya; the windless place is the inner clearing in which Hari alone is held.

Vallabha names the inner clearing nirgata-vata-desha — the inner clearing produced by Pushti-marga grace, where the distracting winds of worldly desire have been stilled by Krishna's own action.

Madhusudana situates the verse exactly at the pivot between samprajnata and asamprajnata samadhi — the lamp simile applies precisely at the nirodha-bhumi where all chitta-vritti are arrested.

Context

where

Chapter 6 · Dhyāna-Yoga · meter anuṣṭubh

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna

preceded by — BG 6.18

When the mind, fully reined in, rests in the self alone and all craving for every desire has gone, that person is called integrated in yoga.

What's going on

A lamp in a windless spot does not flicker; that is the image given for the yogi whose mind is controlled and absorbed in the practice of the Self.

Sūtras through this verse (63)

RamsukhdasclassicalA

What binds you (and how to let go)between

6.1True renouncing acts; drops the inner hook.───→here6.19───→7.30Hold the Lord through every layer of life.

RāmānujaclassicalB

The śāstra is one bracket (2.12 → 18.66)between

2.39Practice seam begins.───→here6.19───→6.46The yogi outranks every other path.

MadhvaclassicalT2

Soul depends on Lord — the gap that does not closebetween

6.9Souls differ by nature not by accident alone.───→here6.19───→13.23Soul and Lord coexist in the body, not as one.

show all 63

Madhusūdanaclassicalmadhusudan_bhagavad_arpana

Madhusudan Bhagavad Arpanabetween · other

6.1Renouncer and yogi together───→here6.19───→9.22Yogakshema as offering returned

MadhusūdanaclassicalB

Different students need different teachingsbetween

6.1The renouncer and yogi are one under two views.───→here6.19───→7.16Four kinds of devotee, ranked by ripeness.

MadhusūdanaclassicalC

Action purifies before knowing can landbetween

6.1Renouncing too lives by purity of mind.───→here6.19───→16.1The dispositions decide who can even begin.

MadhusūdanaclassicalD

Offer the act to the Lord and it stops bindingbetween

6.1The fruit-unattached one is yogi and renouncer.───→here6.19───→9.22The undivided ones the Lord himself sustains.

MadhusūdanaclassicalG

Knowing and acting cannot run togetherbetween

6.1Calling a karma-yogi 'renouncer' is only a courtesy.───→here6.19───→18.1At the very end, the line still holds.

MadhusūdanaclassicalI

Liberation while alive — the body finishes its runbetween

3.1The architecture ends in living-liberation, then bodily.───→here6.19───→6.46The yogi with mind-stilled stands above mere knowing.

MadhusūdanaclassicalE

Devotion is how knowing actually arrivesapproach

───→here6.19───→7.1The chapter elaborates the prior bhajana-line.

MadhusūdanaclassicalF

Every middle chapter opens with a bow to the teacherapproach

───→here6.19───→7.1A bow to the bliss-cloud, Nanda's son, opens seven.

RamsukhdasclassicalB

This human birth — your one chance to actbetween

3.8Even keeping the body alive requires action.───→here6.19───→6.40A fallen seeker still keeps the human birth.

RamsukhdasclassicalC

Desire is the root — not actionbetween

5.26With desire gone, the goal stands on all sides.───→here6.19───→6.24Renounce every desire born of will.

RamsukhdasclassicalG

Equanimity in everythingbetween

6.8Clay, stone, and gold are all level to him.───→here6.19───→6.32Sees others' pain and joy as his own.

RamsukhdasclassicalH

All paths arrive at the same roombetween

5.4Insight and practice are not two paths.───→here6.19───→6.46The lover outranks every other yogi.

RamsukhdasclassicalK

The body is not yoursbetween

6.3Body, senses, and mind: none of them yours.───→here6.19───→13.20Nature causes the act; you only experience.

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here6.19───→

RamsukhdasclassicalI

The Lord already inside the heartapproach

───→here6.19───→6.30See Me everywhere, I am never lost.

RāmānujaclassicalC

Three ṣaṭkas (1–6 / 7–12 / 13–18)between

6.1The renouncer and yogi are the same person.───→here6.19───→7.1Open the second ṣaṭka: mind clung to Me.

RāmānujaclassicalD

Karma-yoga as kainkarya (worship)between

6.1The renouncer is the one who acts for Me.───→here6.19───→9.27Whatever you do, do it as offering.

MadhvaclassicalT3

Ranking is real — and it never collapsesbetween

6.9Devas, asuras, mortals are three native kinds.───→here6.19───→14.27Brahman has gradations within its own form.

MadhvaclassicalT6

Citation is the spine — texts carry the loadbetween

6.6Maitrāyaṇī defines the stilled mind.───→here6.19───→7.5Doubled prakṛti named from a single śruti.

MadhvaclassicalT7

Action and knowledge — never rivalsbetween

6.1The renouncer and yogi are one person, two names.───→here6.19───→18.2The ritualists' śruti fixes the closing definition.

MadhvaclassicalT8

Direct vision — the only proximate causebetween

6.7The stilled mind sees the seated supreme self.───→here6.19───→6.46The five-rung ladder ends in love, not knowledge.

MadhvaclassicalT9

Devotion and grace — what knowledge cannot do alonebetween

2.72Many lives of bhakti precede the final crossing.───→here6.19───→6.30Devotion brings what the seeker cannot earn.

MadhvaclassicalT12

Closure by gloss — the small repertoirebetween

5.7'Self of all' resolves to the Lord himself.───→here6.19───→6.20'Self' here is not soul but the Lord within.

VallabhaclassicalC

Drop the doer, not the deedbetween

6.1Real renouncing keeps the act alive.───→here6.19───→18.1The closing chapter reopens this question.

VallabhaclassicalD

Chapter-opening preludesbetween

6.1Prelude binds yoga to puṣṭi-bhakti.───→here6.19───→7.1Seven-verse prelude opens the bhakti-ṣaṭka.

VallabhaclassicalE

Three paths, one teaching orderbetween

6.1The two paths are one through fruit-renouncing act.───→here6.19───→6.46The lover outranks the wise and the disciplined.

VallabhaclassicalH

Stilling the mind — into the Lordbetween

2.48Yoga itself is just sameness of mind.───→here6.19───→6.46The yogi closing the ṣaṭka is a mind-stiller.

RāmānujaclassicalA

World as the Lord's body (antaryāmin)approach

───→here6.19───→7.4Two natures of the Lord: matter and selves.

RāmānujaclassicalE

Bhakti as continuous recollectionapproach

───→here6.19───→7.17I am dearest to him.

RāmānujaclassicalF

Two prakṛtis · jīva as eternal aṃśaapproach

───→here6.19───→7.4Lower nature: matter.

RāmānujaclassicalJ

Śeṣa-śeṣī · pati-vrata simileapproach

───→here6.19───→7.18He is My self; I cannot hold without him.

VallabhaclassicalB

Grace alone — the technical markapproach

───→here6.19───→7.18The wise one is Myself, by grace alone.

VallabhaclassicalK

Aphorism, gloss, full commentaryapproach

───→here6.19───→6.47Six chapters of aphorism close at this verse.

Gauravmodernchaplaincy_kit_of_tools

Chaplaincy Kit Of Toolsbetween

6.11Mudra and posture. 'Shuchau deshe pratishthapya sthiram asanam atmanah.' Establi───→here6.19───→9.26Puja and havan. 'Patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayachchhati.' Whoev

Gauravmoderncivilizational_air_conditioning

Civilizational Air Conditioningbetween

6.5'Uddhared atmanatmanam natmanam avasadayet.' Lift yourself by yourself, do not l───→here6.19───→16.21'Tri-vidham narakasyedam dvaram nashanam atmanah, kamah krodhas tatha lobhah.' T

Gauravmodernheart_leadership

Heart Leadershipbetween

6.7'Jitatmanah prashantasya paramatma samahitah.' For the self-conquered, in-peace,───→here6.19───→6.35'Asamshayam maha-baho mano durnigraham chalam, abhyasena tu Kaunteya vairagyena

Gauravmodernthree_yogas_braid

Three Yogas Braidbetween

5.5'Yat sankhyaih prapyate sthanam tad yogair api gamyate.' The place reached by sa───→here6.19───→6.46'Tapasvibhyo'dhiko yogi jnanibhyo'pi mato'dhikah, karmibhyash chadhiko yogi tasm

Gauravmodernwitness_self_neti_neti

Witness Self Neti Netibetween

2.20'Na jayate mriyate va kadachit, nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah, ajo nityah sh───→here6.19───→6.20'Yatroparamate chittam niruddham yoga-sevaya, yatra chaivatmana'tmanam pashyann

ĀnandagiriclassicalB

Three hexads = tat tvam asibetween

2.1First hexad opens, tvam-pada implicit.───→here6.19───→6.46Inner-self hexad closes; pivot prepared.

ĀnandagiriclassicalC

Adhikāra: seeker vs. fulfilledbetween

5.1Two saṃnyāsas: fruit and means.───→here6.19───→6.46Yogin vs. jñānin: not synonyms.

ĀnandagiriclassicalK

Upasaṃhāra — recap as instrumentbetween

2.39Wisdom section wound up here.───→here6.19───→6.46Dhyāna section sealed: yogin is supreme.

ĀnandagiriclassicalI

Bhakti carries jñāna, never parallelapproach

───→here6.19───→7.1Upāsya and tat-pada in apposition. Anchor.

ĀnandagiriclassicalJ

Prakṛti is never autonomousapproach

───→here6.19───→7.4Two-fold prakṛti is the Lord's own power.

Śaṅkaraclassicalshankara_jnana_nishtha

Shankara Jnana Nishthabetween · other

6.1Soft sense of renouncer───→here6.19───→18.49Naishkarmya-siddhi by sannyāsa

ŚaṅkaraclassicalB

Knowledge alone, with all action laid downbetween

6.1The fire-keeper is renouncer only in a soft sense.───→here6.19───→18.49Action-freedom comes from full renunciation.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalF

Saṅgati — anticipation-and-resolutionbetween

3.1Arjuna's question resolves 2.49's hint.───→here6.19───→6.47Top-yogin clause — the chapter-7 hinge.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalG

Three yogas — three angles on one configurationbetween

6.1The renouncer and yogi are one figure.───→here6.19───→6.46The yogi outranks tapasvi, jñāni, karmin.

ŚrīdharaclassicalL

Chapter prefaces as the bhāṣya's spinebetween

6.1Pure mind is not yet release: now meditate.───→here6.19───→8.1Now, the questions of Brahman and self.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalI

The lover and the knower are one personapproach

───→here6.19───→7.16Of the four devotees, the knower is dearest.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalB

Prapatti — bhakti's access for those the long path defeatsapproach

───→here6.19───→7.14Those who take refuge cross the māyā.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalI

9.24 — the standing citation for ārādhyaapproach

───→here6.19───→7.21Deity-worship: His self-arrangement of grace.

ŚrīdharaclassicalC

Devotion is both the way and the homeapproach

───→here6.19───→6.47Be a devotee: that is the meaning.

ŚrīdharaclassicalH

The grammar of single-pointednessapproach

───→here6.19───→7.14Undivided love crosses the great mist.

ŚrīdharaclassicalK

Death-memory as the test of daily habitapproach

───→here6.19───→8.5Whoever remembers Me at the last reaches Me.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalG

After knowing, act only to hold the worldexit

5.8I do nothing at all, says the knower.───→here6.19───→

Ekrasmodernmeditation

Meditation — the dhyāna tourstation · v2 · station 5/11

───→here6.19───→

Ekrasmodernvairagya

Vairāgya — dispassion as instrumentbetween · v2

6.4Renounced in resolve───→here6.19───→6.35Practice and dispassion

Ekrasmodernbhakti

Bhakti — devotion pathapproach · v2

───→here6.19───→7.16Four kinds of bhakta

JayatīrthaclassicalC

Refuting Śaṅkara-style readings, named or unnamedbetween

6.1Householder is not figurative saṁnyāsin.───→here6.19───→7.13Why this declaration? The gloss must answer.

JayatīrthaclassicalD

Saṅgati declared at the head of every adhyāyabetween

6.1Karma-yoga is outer; samādhi-yoga inner.───→here6.19───→7.1First ṣaṭka closed; new pratijñā opens.

Śabda · lemmas (15 unique · 15 occurrences)

स्मृता √smṛ — to remember (verbal root) · nominative feminine singular participle noun
आत्मनः ātman — the Self, soul; one's own self · genitive masculine singular noun · also at 5.16, 6.5, 6.11, 16.21, 16.22
योगम् yoga — yoga; union, discipline, application · accusative masculine singular noun · also at 2.53, 3.7, 4.42, 6.12, 7.1, 9.5 +2
चित्तस्य citta — mind, thought, consciousness, mental substance · genitive masculine singular noun

show all 15

यथा yathā — as, in the manner that
दीपः dīpa — lamp · nominative masculine singular noun
निवात nivāta — windless, sheltered (ni- + vāta) · compound
स्थः stha — standing, situated (suffix) · nominative masculine singular noun
न na — not (negation particle)
इङ्गते √iṅg — to move, stir (verbal root) · present indicative 3rd person singular verb
सा tad — that (distal demonstrative); also 3rd-person pronoun · nominative feminine singular noun
उपमा upama — comparable, like (from upamā 'comparison') · nominative feminine singular noun
योगिनः yogin — yogi (yoga + -in 'possessor of') · genitive masculine singular noun
यत √yam — to restrain, control (verbal root); also: which (relative) · compound participle (compound member)
युञ्जतः √yuj — to yoke, join, engage in (verbal root) · genitive masculine singular present participle verb

Praśna · so what (7)

01If the simile describes the mind in samadhi, does the 'windless place' indicate an external condition to be cultivated (retreat, silence) or an internal condition achievable anywhere — and what does each reading demand of the practitioner?
02Sankara and Ramanuja agree on the metaphor but disagree on what the lamp represents: the antahkarana for Sankara, the atman itself for Ramanuja. What is at stake theologically in that difference, and which reading does the mula Sanskrit more naturally support?

show all 7

03Madhusudana insists that citta is not 'always already' atma-akara — yoga must produce the atma-karata. Does this contradict the Advaita claim that the Self is ever-present, or does it refine it?
04Madhva's compressed gloss reduces the whole simile to Bhagavad-visaya: does a theistic re-anchoring of the lamp simile change its practical upshot, or does the meditation technique remain structurally identical across all six schools?
05The lamp in a windless place is an image of protected stillness, not effortful stillness. What does that imply for how grace (prasada, anugraha) relates to yogic effort across the Pusta-marga versus the Patanjala-yoga frameworks?
06Sridhara emphasizes both properties together — steady and luminous (niskampa and prakasaka). In contemporary terms: is the goal of meditation stillness, or luminous awareness, or are these inseparable — and why does the distinction matter?
07All commentators treat the verse as a simile (upama) for an achieved state. None addresses what causes the wind to return after samadhi. What does each school offer for the practitioner who achieves momentary stillness but finds the wind returns?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

Advaita practice with this verse means identifying in daily life the precise moment when the 'wind' of proliferating thought begins — a news alert, an anticipatory worry, a remembered grievance — and using that recognition not to suppress the thought but to return attention to the witness-awareness that was already present before the thought arose. The lamp is not built; it is uncovered. One practical form: a brief pre-task pause in which you ask 'what is already still here?' rather than trying to create stillness.

Dvaita

Madhva's reading calls for a specific daily discipline: every act of concentration is explicitly dedicated to Hari before it begins, so that the 'wind' that would disturb the lamp is identified as svabhimana (self-referential ego), not merely distraction. Practically, a Dvaita practitioner treats this verse as a reminder that even the steadiness of meditation is not self-produced — it is the Lord's grace that removes the wind, and claiming the stillness as one's own achievement is itself the next disturbance.

show all 4

Bhakti

Sridhara's emphasis on the lamp's simultaneous steadiness and radiance points to a practical test: after a period of meditation or prayer, check not only whether the mind was quiet but whether it was clear and illuminating — did it reveal anything, resolve anything, make anything more visible? If the session produced only blankness, Sridhara's reading suggests the practice is incomplete; the goal is niskampa-prakasa (steady luminosity), not mere cessation.

Advaita-Bhakti

Madhusudana's synthesis suggests a two-phase everyday practice tracking his samprajnata/asamprajnata distinction: first, concentrate on Krsna as a specific object (samprajnata phase, using image, mantra, or narrative) until the mind becomes genuinely one-pointed; then, allow that object to dissolve into the awareness that was holding it (asamprajnata phase). The bhakti element is not abandoned — it is the fuel that produces the sattvodreaka making nirodha available — so the practitioner who finds formless meditation dry or inaccessible is advised to return to Krsna-smarana as the wind-removing agent.

Adhiṣṭhāna · substrate signature

substratev2.6-frozen

parserByT5-Sanskrit-multitask (Nehrdich/Hellwig/Keutzer EMNLP 2024)

mūlaBelvalkar critical edition (BORI 1947), via Ambuda multi-witness

show all metadata

weightsa=1 · b=0.01 · e_v=0.005 · z=0.2 · h=0 · th=0.01

anchorfit on Ramsukhdas's Sādhak Sañjīvanī (1980), frozen across the eight-commentator panel; cross-validated R@4 = 71.6% on Śaṅkara

extracted2026-04-21

methodPaper 1, Section II.B

↓ view raw per-verse object (JSON)↗ per-verse-object schema ↗ substrate code (MIT) + data (CC-BY 4.0)

The schema generalizes to any bounded-polysemy corpus with discrete primary text units, attested witness traditions, identifiable schools, and formal substrate. Port the per-verse object; refit weights on a domain-appropriate Layer-3 anchor; ship.

Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 6, Verse 19: Krishna to Arjuna — Dhyāna-Yoga