चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम् | तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् || ३४ ||
cañcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram
cañcalam—flickering; hi—certainly; manaḥ—mind; kṛṣṇa—O Krishna; pramāthi—agitating; balavat—strong; dṛḍham—obstinate; tasya—its; aham—I; nigraham—subduing; manye—think; vāyoḥ—of the wind; iva—like; suduṣkaram—difficult.
“The mind is truly restless, O Krishna — agitating, powerful, and stubborn. I think it is as difficult to control as the wind.”
Arjuna's description of the mind is precise and experientially accurate. Cañcala (restless), pramāthi (agitating — it disturbs the peace of the entire being), balavat (powerful — the force of habit and passion is enormous), dṛḍha (obstinate — it clings to its patterns). And then the perfect simile: trying to control the mind is like trying to catch the wind. Arjuna speaks for all of humanity in this verse. No serious practitioner can read it without recognition.
Sit still for five minutes with no intention other than to watch your mind. Notice how frequently and rapidly it moves from topic to topic, worry to wish, past to future. This observation is itself the beginning of the practice. You cannot work with something you have not first honestly seen.