yathā dīpo nivāta-stho
neńgate sopamā smṛtā
yogino yata-cittasya
yuñjato yogam ātmanaḥ
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 6.19
As a lamp in a windless place does not waver, so the transcendentalist, whose mind is controlled, remains always steady in his meditation on the transcendent self.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
A truly Krishna conscious person, always absorbed in transcendence, in constant undisturbed meditation on his worshipable Lord, is as steady as a lamp in a windless place.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
It is considered exactly (yatha) similar (upama) to the lamp, which does not move (na ingate) when in a windless place (nivata sthah). The elision of sa with upama is according to the rule so’ci lope cet pada-puranam. (Panini 6.1.134) What is the comparison? It is compared to the consciousness of the yogi, devoid of movement.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
6.19 As a lamp does not flicker in a windless place, i.e., does not move, but remains steady with its illumination — this is the simile used to illustrate the nature of the self of the Yogin who has subdued his mind, who has got rid of all other kinds of mental activity and who is practising Yoga concerning the self. The meaning is that the self remains with its steadily illumining light of knowledge because all other activities of the mind have ceased, just as a lamp kept in a windless place has an unflickering flame.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
A simile is given in this verse by Lord Krishna in His comparison of a candle flame that never wavers in a windless place and the mind of a yogi or one perfected in the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness, rapt in concentrated meditation, bright and steady like a flame never flickering away from the atma or soul.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Here Lord Krishna uses the word atmanah to indicate the eternal, resplendent Supreme Lord Himself.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
In this manner Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of one established in yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness. Now He gives a simile comparing an unwavering flame in a windless place with the mind of a yogi rapt in concentrated mediatation on the atma or soul. The purport is as a candle flame is sheltered from the wind, the mind of a yogi shines bright by the unflickering effulgence of the atma.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
6.19 Yatha, as; a dipah, lamp; nivata-sthah, kept in a windless place; na ingate, does not flicker; sa upama, such is the simile-that with which something is compared is an upama (smile)-; smrta, thought of, by the knowers of Yoga who understand the movements of the mind; yoginah, for the yogi; yata-citasya, whose mind is under control; and yunjatah, who is engaged in; yogam, concentration; atmanah, on the Self, i.e. who is practising Self-absorption. By dint of practising Yoga thus, when the mind, comparable to a lamp in a windless place, becomes concentrated, then-
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
6.19 Yatha etc. Just as a lamp existing in the windless palce does not shake, so is the man of Yoga. Shaking in his case is the efforts like acquiring sense objects and so on. Now, the characteristic of this Brahman – Itself being Its own nature – is described indirectly with a good number of adjectives. This is different from the characteristics assumed in other systems –
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
yatha dipo nivata-stho
nengate sopama smrta
yogino yata-cittasya
yuñjato yogam atmanah
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
yathā — as; dīpaḥ — a lamp; nivāta-sthaḥ — in a place without wind; na — does not; ińgate — waver; sā — this; upamā — comparison; smṛtā — is considered; yoginaḥ — of the yogī; yata-cittasya — whose mind is controlled; yuñjataḥ — constantly engaged; yogam — in meditation; ātmanaḥ — on transcendence.
