Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, Verse 18

यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते । निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा

yadā viniyataṃ cittamātmanyevāvatiṣṭhate | niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyo yukta ityucyate tadā

Translation

When the well-restrained thought is established in the Self only, without longing for any of the objects of desire, then he is said to be a Saint.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

yadā

when

viniyatam

subdued

cittam

mind

ātmani

in the self

eva

only

avatiṣṭhate

sits down

niḥspṛhaḥ

not-desiring

sarvakāmebhyaḥ

(for) all, (for objects of) desires

yuktaḥ

balanced

iti

thus

ucyate

is said

tadā

then

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Well-restrained: which attained to one-pointedness or concentration. In the Self only: having abandoned all thoughts of external objects, the thinking principle (citta) remains steadily in the Self. Objects of desire: seen or unseen.