yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṁ yoga ucyate
"Established in yoga, perform your actions, abandoning attachment, O Arjuna. Be equal in success and failure, for such equanimity is called yoga."
What This Means:
Do your work while staying centered in inner balance. Let go of attachment. Treat success and failure the same way. This evenness of mind—not getting elated by success or crushed by failure—this is what 'yoga' really means.
Going Deeper:
Here Krishna defines yoga not as postures or breathing exercises, but as 'samatvam' (equanimity). The root 'yuj' means union—and this union is achieved when the mind is no longer pulled apart by reactions to outcomes. When success doesn't inflate you and failure doesn't deflate you, you're established in yoga.
How To Apply This:
After every outcome—good or bad—practice returning to center. Got the job? Feel the happiness, then return to center. Didn't get it? Feel the disappointment, then return to center. The goal isn't to suppress emotions but to not let them take you hostage. You feel, but you're not lost in feelings.
Key Sanskrit Terms: