For Eternal Beginners
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनः चन्चलम् अस्थिरम् ।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतत् आत्मन्येव वशम् नयेत् ॥ २६ ॥
yato yato nizcarati manaH cancalam asthiram |
tatastato niyamyaitat Atmanyeva vazam nayet || 26 ||
चन्चलम् [cancalam] The ever-wandering अस्थिरम् [asthiram] unstable मनः [manaH] mind नयेत् [nayet] needs to be brought ततस्ततो नियम्यैतत् [tatastato niyamyaitat] under control among यतो यतो [yato yato] things that निश्चरति [nizcarati] make it wander. वशम् [vazam] Constrain it आत्मनि एव [Atmani eva] in the Self alone.
Wandering is in the nature of the mind. That’s why it doesn’t stay within the Self.
When the mind wanders away from the quest for the Self for various reasons, bring it back from those reasons; Endeavour to restrain it with dedication and keep it in the quest for the Self alone, with focus on the unlimited joy that it yields.