धृत्या यया धारयते मन:प्राणेन्द्रियक्रिया: |
योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृति: सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी || 33||
dhṛityā yayā dhārayate manaḥ-prāṇendriya-kriyāḥ
yogenāvyabhichāriṇyā dhṛitiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī
dhṛityā—by determining; yayā—which; dhārayate—sustains; manaḥ—of the mind; prāṇa—life-airs; indriya—senses; kriyāḥ—activities; yogena—through Yog; avyabhichāriṇyā—with steadfastness; dhṛitiḥ—determination; sā—that; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; sāttvikī—in the mode of goodness
Translation:
O Arjuna! that unswerving firmness which, by Yoga, holds the functions of the mind, Prana, and bodily organs, is called Sattvic (pure).
Commentary:
Firm courage is exhibited by men in various directions in the world. Some fight harmless, some roam about freely in dark and dangerous forests, some climb mountain peaks, some reach the moon in rockets, and so on. We are able to see and understand this style of courage and firmness. But here, the firm holding of the internal forces is explained. The mind, the vital forces, the external and internal instruments of the body, should be held, and controlled, by unswerving Yogic concentration. This is Sattvic Dhriti’. The yogi is determined to conquer the whole of the inner universe and keep it under his control. He draws the mind back from the innumerable temptations of the sense-enjoyment; he frees himself from the tremendous delusion of the objective universe. This is Sattvic courage and firmness. Besides worldly courage which helps man to overcome external difficulties and dangers, one should cultivate firmness of Yoga in the conquest of the internal forces.
This courage should be unswerving, firm, and immovable. Therefore it is described as ‘avyabhicharinya‘. We see that the courage of renunciation is strong sometimes and weak at other times. It stays for some period and when its hold is loosened, the seeker once again reverts to the old enslaved way of life. Such sporadic fits of courage or firmness are not of much use in the spiritual path. So, it is declared by the Lord that the Sattvic Dhriti’ is unswerving, firm, immovable under all circumstances.
Question: What is the nature of ‘Sattvic Dhriti’?
Answer: That courage by which man conquers all the internal forces and establishes himself firmly in the Self, is called Sattvic.