Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 5 (BG 6.5) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

# BG 6.5 — The Purpose of the Gita and the Path of Self-Redemption The Gita, as a scripture, exists solely to expound truth—and truth alone. It matters not that in certain ages, people's beliefs have taken different forms; in the proclamation of truth, the prevailing opinions of society hold no weight. The widely held belief that an external source, such as divine grace, continuously aids the seeker and propels him forward on the path of spiritual practice is not harmful in itself. Yet alongside this belief, one's own earnest effort and striving are absolutely essential for complete success. That a human being must accomplish his own liberation through his own endeavor—this is the clear declaration of Lord Krishna Himself. This is no sweet jest spoken by Krishna in moments of joy while engaged in divine play with the gopis upon the banks of the Yamuna; rather, it is a summons addressed to Arjuna in the final, supremely tense moments of the battlefield of Kurukshetra, and it represents the very fulfillment of His incarnate purpose. If a human being desires cultural and spiritual advancement, he must elevate his dormant inner powers from their present degraded state and recognize his own pure nature. Every human heart harbors an ideal. Though at the intellectual level one perceives that ideal clearly, unfortunately it remains forever confined to imagination and fails to take concrete form in the practical world. We may know through our intellect what we ought to become, yet in our conduct we act in direct contradiction to our own ideals. The chasm between the ideal self and the actual self is the measure of humanity's descent from perfection. Most people remain unaware of their own dual nature. Generally, we regard ourselves as ideal persons, while in reality we are burdened with countless faults—yet we refuse to acknowledge this. In society, we encounter those who, though intensely selfish themselves, harshly criticize even the minor selfishness of their neighbors. In a land without mirrors, it is possible for a man with crooked eyes to mock another man with crooked eyes, for he does not know what angle his own eyes make with one another. Upon careful self-examination, it becomes evident that at the intellectual level, our ideal is that of a moral, compassionate, and disciplined person—one whom we wish to become. Yet in the emotional realm of the mind, we suffer from the distortions of our own attachments, likes and dislikes, love and hatred, desire and anger. Then we behave like a common street dog that fights with its own kind over a dry bone stripped of flesh and marrow. Until a human being becomes aware of this dual nature within himself, dharma holds no meaning or purpose for him. Dharma is the means prescribed for one who has recognized the chasm between the ideal and the actual, and who desires to liberate himself. Our mind is the destroyer—it lures us toward sensory pleasures and enslaves us to them. It is the mind that forgets the ideal and promotes base tendencies. Such a mind must be brought under the control of the intellect, which is the supreme instrument for expressing the atman. In brief, when the discriminative power of the intellect is employed to restrain the fickle, object-oriented mind, that very mind becomes united with the highest and divine nature. The process by which this work is accomplished is called spiritual practice. The work of self-redemption cannot be contracted out to another. Each seeker must accomplish this work himself. It is a path to be walked alone—utterly alone. No guru can assume responsibility for it, nor can any scripture promise liberation. No altar of worship can, through its blessings alone, transform the base into the noble. It is true that the guru, the scriptures, and the temple each have their place, purpose, and influence on the path of self-development. Yet the principal task of freeing oneself from one's defects and false beliefs must be undertaken by oneself alone. Until now, the Lord has described a remedy that, in certain respects, resembles what modern psychology calls self-examination—an effort to understand one's faults, to abandon falsehood, and to live as nobly as possible. But this is only a partial remedy, not a complete one. Here, Sri Krishna describes the complete remedy. It is not sufficient merely to practice the discipline indicated in self-examination. Rather, our effort should be to preserve whatever victories we gain over the kingdom of the inner demon, and not to surrender them again. In this single sentence, the Lord cautions us: do not allow the atman to fall again into degradation. In the second line of this verse, a profound truth is expressed in beautiful language—a truth that has made Vyasa immortal: we ourselves are both our own friend and our own enemy. Any wise person, upon reflecting on the experiences of his own life, can verify the truth of this statement. From the perspective of philosophy, its meaning is profound. The elevation of a lower mind is possible if it is willing to come under the influence of higher qualities. To the extent that it cooperates, to that extent will its elevation occur. The conscious atman is eternally available, and through its consciousness, a human being can accomplish either his elevation or his degradation. Both options are presented before him. Which one he chooses depends upon his will. A question may arise: which person is his own friend, and which person is his own enemy? The answer is...