Gita 17.16
Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga
मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः | भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ||१६||
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ | bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat tapo mānasam ucyate ||16||
In essence: The ultimate austerity is invisible - cultivating an inner climate of serenity, gentleness, and purity where thoughts themselves become offerings.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Guruji, serenity sounds passive. Won't I become useless - unable to engage with life's challenges?"
Guru: "You confuse serenity with lethargy. Manaḥ-prasāda is more like the calm of a martial artist before action - utterly present, undisturbed, yet capable of instant powerful response. An agitated mind wastes enormous energy in friction. A serene mind has all its resources available for effective action."
Sadhak: "And the silence Krishna mentions - surely I cannot stop thinking entirely?"
Guru: "Mauna is not thought-suppression but thought-witnessing. When you step back from identification with the thinker, thoughts arise and pass like clouds - present but not possessing you. This inner mauna can exist even during conversation. You remain anchored in stillness while words flow through you."
Sadhak: "What exactly is bhāva-saṁśuddhi? How do I purify my 'being'?"
Guru: "Bhāva is the feeling-texture underlying your thoughts - whether your mental climate is essentially loving, fearful, resentful, generous. You purify it not through force but through awareness and repeated orientation toward the Divine. Each time you catch yourself in pettiness and consciously turn toward vastness, you cleanse bhāva. Over time, the default setting shifts."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Begin with 5 minutes of cultivating manaḥ-prasāda: simply sit and let the mind settle, like silt in water. Don't force cheerfulness - allow clarity to emerge naturally. Set intention for saumyatva: 'Today I will look at others with gentle eyes.' Notice your default mental weather and gently adjust toward serenity.
Practice 'micro-mauna' - brief moments of inner silence between activities. Before meetings, phone calls, or transitions, pause for three breaths of mental stillness. When you catch yourself in mental criticism of others, apply saumyatva: find something to appreciate instead. Monitor ātma-vinigraha by catching obsessive thought-loops early.
Review the day's mental activity. Were there periods of genuine prasāda? Moments when saumyatva replaced judgment? Practice bhāva-saṁśuddhi by consciously releasing any mental residue from the day - resentments, worries, self-criticism. End with meditation focused on the felt-sense of purity in your being-space.