Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, Verse 36

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः । वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः

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

Translation

Yoga, methinks, is hard to attain for a man of uncontrolled self; but by him who (often) strives, self-controlled, it can be acquired by (proper) means.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

asaṃyatātmanā

uncontrolled, self, whose, by him

yogaḥ

yoga

duṣprāpaḥ

hard-gained

iti

thus

me

my

matiḥ

opinion

vaśyātmanā

controlled, self, whose, by him

tu

indeed

yatatā

(by the) endeavouring

śakyaḥ

possible

avāptum

to obtain

upāyataḥ

through means

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Uncontrolled self: the antaḥ-karaṇa not controlled by means of constant practice and by indifference to worldly gain. Self-controlled: who has subdued the mind.