6-6

बन्धुरात्माऽत्मनस्तस्य येन आत्मैव आत्मना जितः ।
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेत् आत्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥ ६ ॥

bandhurAtmA'tmanastasya yena Atmaiva AtmanA jitaH |
anAtmanastu zatrutve vartet Atmaiva zatruvat || 6 ||

तस्य आत्मनः आत्मा बन्धुः [tasya AtmanaH AtmA bandhuH] The intentions of a being are favorable येन आत्मैव जितः [yena Atmaiva jitaH] when his own mind and intentions have been won over आत्मना [AtmanA] by the Self in him. अनात्मनस्तु [anAtmanastu] However, to a person who has not won over his mind, आत्मैव शत्रुवत् [Atmaiva zatruvat] his very intentions stand as his foe शत्रुत्वे वर्तेत [zatrutve varteta] and remain to work against him.

Driving or being driven – it’s your choice.

A person can win his mind from the material world using the native qualities of the Self. Then, his mind is his friend.

On the other hand, a person who hasn’t won over his mind, who has not focused his mind on realizing the Self will have the mind opposing him, like it was his enemy. Such a mind will work to counter the achievement of knowledge and the ultimate bliss it brings.

This is told by Sri Parashara too, in विश्णु पुरान [vizNu purAna] , 6-7-28: ‘The mind with its intentions is the cause for a person’s bondage and liberation. Intentions that are tied to the material world lead to bondage. For liberation , our intentions must be detached from the stimuli of the material world.’

Next, He describes the state-of-being that is suitable to start on the journey to realize the Self.