Gita 6.36

Dhyana Yoga

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः | वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः ||३६||

asaṁyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ | vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo 'vāptum upāyataḥ ||36||

In essence: Yoga is not denied to anyone—it is only denied to those who deny themselves the effort of self-mastery.

A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply

Sadhak-Guru Dialogue

Sadhak: "Guruji, this verse seems to say that yoga is only for those who already have self-control. But I came to yoga precisely because I lack self-control. Isn't this a catch-22?"

Guru: "It would be a catch-22 if Krishna demanded complete self-control before beginning. But notice he contrasts 'asaṁyatātmanā' with 'vaśyātmanā.' The first has NO control—complete chaos, no governance whatsoever. The second has control—not perfect control, but functional governance. The question is not 'Do you have perfect self-mastery?' but 'Do you have enough stability to sustain effort?' Even coming to ask this question shows you have some."

Sadhak: "What counts as 'enough' self-control to begin?"

Guru: "Can you sit for a few minutes without immediately jumping up? Can you postpone immediate gratification for ten seconds? Can you choose to do something mildly unpleasant because it serves a larger goal? These minimal capacities are sufficient to begin. Practice itself develops further self-control—you don't need to finish the journey before starting it. The 'vaśyātmanā' is not the fully realized being but the one who has enough governance to engage with the practice."

Sadhak: "The verse mentions 'yatatā'—one who strives. How much effort is enough? Sometimes I feel I'm not trying hard enough; sometimes I feel I'm trying too hard."

Guru: "True striving has a quality of earnestness without strain. Too little effort and the mind drifts without engagement; too much and you create tension that itself becomes obstacle. The sweet spot is consistent, sincere engagement—showing up fully without forcing. Think of learning an instrument: too relaxed and you won't progress; too tense and your playing is stiff. 'Yatatā' suggests ongoing effort, not occasional bursts followed by collapse."

Sadhak: "What are these 'proper means' (upāyataḥ) Krishna mentions?"

Guru: "The Gita itself teaches them: the eight limbs of yoga, ethical foundation, proper posture, breath control, sense withdrawal, concentration, meditation. Also: learning from qualified teachers, studying scriptures that clarify the path, associating with others on the path. Effort without method is like rowing hard in the wrong direction. The 'upāya'—the means—includes both technique and context. This is why the tradition emphasizes sampradāya, the lineage of teaching."

Sadhak: "It sounds like many conditions: self-control, effort, proper means. What if someone has some but not all?"

Guru: "Then they work on developing what's missing. These are not rigid prerequisites checked at a gate but capacities that develop together. Your effort develops self-control; proper guidance directs your effort more effectively; increased self-control allows you to apply guidance more consistently. They spiral upward together. You don't need to perfect one before addressing another."

Sadhak: "Why does Krishna say 'in My opinion' (me matiḥ)? Doesn't He know for certain?"

Guru: "Beautiful observation. Krishna the divine teacher knows perfectly, yet He says 'in My opinion' with humility and respect for Arjuna's autonomy. This is pedagogical grace—not forcing truth upon the student but offering it for consideration. It also indicates that this is experiential truth that each person must verify, not dogma to be accepted blindly. 'This is how I see it; examine for yourself.'"

Sadhak: "If yoga is difficult even with all these conditions, why should I bother? Maybe I'm just not cut out for it."

Guru: "'Difficult' is not 'impossible.' Difficult means worthwhile achievements require genuine investment. The alternatives—remaining at the mercy of the uncontrolled mind, repeating cycles of craving and dissatisfaction—are not easier, just more familiar. The question is not whether the path is challenging but whether the destination is worth the challenge. And Krishna's answer in the coming verses addresses your exact fear: even incomplete effort is never wasted."

Sadhak: "How do I know if I'm making real progress versus just going through motions?"

Guru: "Check not your meditation experiences but your life between meditations. Are you slightly less reactive? Do cravings hold you less tightly? Is there increasing space between stimulus and response? Do you recover faster from being disturbed? These practical changes indicate real progress regardless of what happens on the cushion. Yoga proves itself in transformed living, not in impressive meditation states."

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🌅 Daily Practice

🌅 Morning

Start with 'Self-Governance Assessment.' Before practice, honestly evaluate your current state of self-control (1-10 scale): How did you sleep? Did you wake when intended or repeatedly snooze? Did yesterday include moments of successful self-regulation or mostly automatic reaction? This is not self-judgment but honest inventory. Then set a 'micro-mastery goal' for today—one small area where you will exercise conscious choice over automatic reaction: perhaps not checking phone first thing, or pausing before snacking, or speaking only after breathing. This targeted daily practice of self-control builds the 'vaśyātmanā' Krishna describes. End the assessment with your main practice—meditation, japa, whatever your core technique—with full engagement.

☀️ Daytime

Practice 'Upāya Alignment' by checking your activities against proper means. When challenges arise, ask: 'Am I applying what I've learned, or defaulting to old patterns?' The proper means include not just formal practice but how you handle situations: Do you bring equanimity to difficulties? Do you catch reactivity and choose response? Each challenge is an opportunity to apply 'upāya.' Additionally, notice the three elements Krishna mentions: Where is your self-control strong today? Where are you genuinely striving? Where are you applying learned methods well? Build on strengths while noting areas for development. If you catch yourself in uncontrolled reaction, don't despair—note it as data: 'Self-control needs strengthening here.'

🌙 Evening

Close with 'Yatatā Reflection'—assessing your striving. Review: Did you make genuine effort today, or go through motions? Genuine effort feels engaged, present, sincere—even when difficult. Going through motions feels hollow, waiting for it to be over. Be honest: How much of your spiritual practice today was genuine striving versus performance? No self-criticism—just clarity. Plan one adjustment for tomorrow that would increase genuine engagement. Also review your micro-mastery goal: Did you exercise self-control in that chosen area? Success builds confidence; temporary failure provides information. End with quiet sitting, releasing the day's assessment into stillness. Tomorrow brings fresh opportunity to develop the conditions Krishna describes.

Common Questions

The verse seems elitist—yoga is for those with self-control, implying it's not for ordinary struggling people. How is this teaching democratic?

The teaching is realistic, not elitist. Krishna is describing how things work, not creating arbitrary barriers. It's like saying 'climbing Everest is difficult without physical fitness.' This isn't elitist; it's truthful. The crucial point is that self-control is developable—it's not a fixed trait you either have or don't have. Every human has some degree of self-control (the capacity to delay gratification even briefly) and can develop more through practice. The verse doesn't say yoga is denied to the uncontrolled; it says it's difficult—and then immediately offers the path forward: develop control through striving with proper means. This is the opposite of elitism; it's an open invitation that honestly describes the effort required.

What about grace? Other spiritual traditions emphasize that transformation comes through divine grace, not human effort. Is Krishna overemphasizing self-effort here?

The Gita teaches both effort and grace as complementary, not contradictory. In many verses, Krishna emphasizes surrendering to divine will and receiving His support. Here, He emphasizes what the practitioner can and must do. Think of it as a partnership: grace creates the possibility and supports the journey; effort actualizes the possibility and walks the path. Overemphasizing grace can lead to passivity; overemphasizing effort can lead to pride and burnout. The mature understanding holds both: you make sincere effort (your part) while remaining open to support beyond your personal capacity (grace). Krishna's emphasis here on effort addresses Arjuna's doubt about whether it's possible at all—yes, with proper conditions, it is possible for one who strives.

I've tried many 'proper means'—different techniques, teachers, traditions—and still struggle. Maybe I'm the exception who simply cannot attain yoga?

The mind that says 'I am the exception' is itself an obstacle to examine. But let's take your experience seriously. First, has your practice been sustained, or have you jumped from method to method before any could work deeply? Consistency matters more than technique. Second, has effort been balanced—neither forcing nor floating? Third, have you addressed foundational elements like ethical conduct and lifestyle that support practice? Often, people try advanced techniques while ignoring basics. If you have genuinely practiced consistently with proper guidance over years and see no change whatsoever, this would be extremely rare. More likely, something in the implementation is incomplete—perhaps subtle resistance, perhaps wrong expectations, perhaps overlooked foundational work. Rather than concluding you cannot attain, examine more carefully what might be incomplete.

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