chañchalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛiṣhṇa pramāthi balavad dṛiḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva su-duṣhkaram
chañchalam — restless;
hi — certainly;
manaḥ — mind;
kṛiṣhṇa — Shree Krishna;
pramāthi — turbulent;
bala-vat — strong;
dṛiḍham — obstinate;
tasya — its;
aham — I;
nigraham — control;
manye — think;
vāyoḥ — of the wind;
iva — like;
su-duṣhkaram — difficult to perform
In this verse, Arjuna is talking to Krishna about the challenges of controlling the mind. He describes the mind as being very restless and turbulent, which means it often feels chaotic and doesn't settle down easily. He uses words like 'obstinate' and 'strong' to highlight just how stubborn and powerful the mind can be. Essentially, he’s saying that just like the wind, which can be wild and unpredictable, controlling the mind is extremely hard.
Arjuna points out a common struggle that many people face: the mind can often take over our thoughts and feelings, even when we want to be calm or focused. For example, when someone is trying to concentrate on studying or working, their mind might still wander to worries about daily life, distractions like social media, or even thoughts about things that happened in the past. This constant shifting of focus can make it really difficult to get anything done.
He compares controlling the mind to controlling the wind. Just as it's nearly impossible to catch or tame the wind, it's also very challenging to master our own minds. This comparison helps us understand that no matter how hard we try, our thoughts can sometimes feel out of our control. This is especially true for people who are involved in different kinds of relationships, whether with friends or enemies—I mean, trying to keep a balanced view of everyone can be tough when our emotions are involved.
Furthermore, Arjuna suggests that many people might pretend or try to appear calm and balanced, but in reality, it’s an incredibly difficult task, especially with the daily conflicts and pressures we face in life. So, he’s expressing a feeling of frustration and recognition of this struggle.
In conclusion, Arjuna's words highlight the difficulty of keeping a steady mind in a world full of distractions, emotions, and challenges. It reminds us that it's okay to find it hard to focus and that controlling our thoughts is something many people grapple with.