The Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 6 · verse 6.5

Lift yourself by yourself; do not let yourself sink. For the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self.

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्। आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः॥

Transliteration

uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet; ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

English translation

Lift yourself by yourself; do not let yourself sink. For the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self.

Meaning — what the verse is actually saying

The most personally directed verse in the Gita. No-one will rescue you. You will be rescued by the part of you that is willing to rescue you. The same self that destroys you can save you.

Modern practice — what to do today because of this

In the worst hour of a personal collapse, return to this verse. The Gita is not promising a saviour. It is telling you that the friend who can lift you is also you. Get up. Or do not. The choice is the entire teaching.

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