Gita 06.05 – The responsibility for controlling the mind rests on us

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uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ
nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur
ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ (Bg 6.5)

Word-for-word:
uddharet — one must deliver; ātmanā — by the mind; ātmānam — the conditioned soul; na — never; ātmānam — the conditioned soul; avasādayet — put into degradation; ātmā — mind; eva — certainly; hi — indeed; ātmanaḥ — of the conditioned soul; bandhuḥ — friend; ātmā — mind; eva — certainly; ripuḥ — enemy; ātmanaḥ — of the conditioned soul.

Translation:
One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.

Explanation:
Verses 6.5 and 6.6 are among the most quoted in the Bhagavad-gītā regarding the mind. Of course, verse 6.34—cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa—is also famous in this context.

In 6.5, Kṛṣṇa states:
uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ: One should elevate the soul by the mind. Here, the first ātmanā refers to the instrument, namely the mind, and the second ātmānaṁ refers to the receiver of the action, the soul. Thus, with the mind, the soul is to be elevated.
nātmānam avasādayet: One should not degrade the soul. Again, the subject is implied to be the mind.
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur: The mind can be the friend of the soul.
ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ: The mind can also be the enemy of the soul.

Kṛṣṇa here essentially states that we are not helpless victims of the mind, nor are we obliged to submit to everything the mind suggests. Rather, He conveys that we have the power to direct the mind—uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ.

All of us sense a force within, a voice that keeps speaking to us: “Do this, don’t do this.” This inner voice can work in both directions. At times, it is the voice of conscience, guiding us toward what is right and cautioning us against what is wrong.

That inner voice enables us to move forward in the right direction. But sometimes, from within, another voice arises—one that urges us toward wrongdoing: “Come on, the opportunity to enjoy is right there, why not take it? Just go and get it, just enjoy it.”

When the mind tempts us in this way, it is important to recognize that not all inner voices are the same. We often stereotype the mind as only an enemy, but in truth, the mind can be our friend as well. Ultimately, the mind is the instrument through which we think and guide the body into action. And like any instrument, it needs to be properly used.

Unlike an external enemy—say, in a war between India and Pakistan, if Pakistan attacks India, the Indians can treat Pakistan as the enemy and work to keep them out of Indian territory. But the mind is not that kind of enemy whom we can keep outside, because the mind resides within us. And not only is it inside us, but unlike an external foe that can be captured and locked away in prison, the mind cannot simply be arrested and confined.

But the mind is also not like that, because the mind is the very instrument we have to use. It serves as the interface between the gross body and the soul. For us to act in this world, we inevitably need the mind. Therefore, we cannot simply wish the mind away.

We cannot discard the mind, nor can we ignore it. Then what is the alternative? We need to restrain and redirect it. In other words, we must purify the mind. And how is this purification achieved? Through steady observation and determined effort. Kṛṣṇa places the initiative on us, instructing us to observe the mind carefully and elevate ourselves by engaging the mind rightly.

If someone tells us, “Lift yourself up with that and don’t degrade yourself with that,” we naturally wonder—what is that “something” by which I can either elevate myself or bring myself down? It can be compared to a rope—if I hold on properly, I can climb higher, but if I lose my grip, I may slip and fall further. Or it can be compared to a staircase—standing on an intermediate floor, I have the choice to go up or to go down.

These are simple examples we can consider. Someone may say, “Use the staircase to go up, don’t use the staircase to go down.” Likewise, Kṛṣṇa says, uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ—elevate yourself with the mind, don’t degrade yourself. The staircase is essentially a tool for motion. It provides a path upwards and a path downwards. Ultimately, it is up to us to choose which direction we take.

This is the first part of the verse, and we can keep this concept and example in mind—either we elevate ourselves or we degrade ourselves. Now, the third and fourth lines state, ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur—the mind is the friend of the soul; ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ—the mind is also the enemy of the soul.

Here, the important point to recognize is that the mind is not simply like a staircase that leaves it entirely up to us to decide whether to go up or down. Rather, we can expand that example and think of it as an elevator with a suction pull. The elevator can draw us inside and carry us upward, or it can drag us downward. If we visualize it this way—with the ropes pulling us in one direction or the other—we can better understand Kṛṣṇa’s point: the mind can be our friend, and the mind can also be our enemy.

If we get caught in the downward pull, it is as if there is a dungeon below where we will be trapped. But above, there is open ground, fresh air, and sunlight where we can be rescued. The same staircase, therefore, can act in two very different ways. If there are forces dragging us downward, it becomes inimical. If there are forces pulling us upward, it becomes liberating.

What makes the mind friendly or hostile will be discussed in the next verse. But suffice it to say that in this verse Kṛṣṇa places the responsibility for controlling the mind squarely on us. It is for us to recognize the nature of the mind and the dual role it can play.

This dual role is different from a double role. A double role in a movie is the same actor playing two characters, who may even appear together at times. The mind, however, is not like that. It can function either as a friend or as an enemy, depending on whether we control it or allow it to control us, as the next verse will clarify.

Thus, in this verse, Kṛṣṇa places the onus of responsibility squarely on us, urging us to use the mind to elevate ourselves, not to degrade ourselves.

Thank you.