yathā dīpo nivāta-stho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā yogino yata-cittasya yuñjato yogam ātmanaḥ
"As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker—this is the simile used for a yogi of controlled mind practicing yoga of the Self."
What This Means:
A beautiful image: the yogi's mind is like a flame that doesn't flicker because there's no wind. In a windless place, the flame burns steady and bright. That's the controlled mind in meditation.
Going Deeper:
The winds are the sense impressions and mental disturbances (vrittis). When these are stilled, awareness becomes steady (sthira) like the unflickering flame. This is one of the Gita's most famous meditation images.
How To Apply This:
Use this image in meditation. Visualize your awareness as a steady flame. When disturbances arise (the winds), notice how the flame wavers. Practice returning to stillness until the flame burns steady.
Key Sanskrit Terms: