One should lift oneself up by oneself and not let oneself sink down; for the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self.
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् | आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ||६-५||
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Will Power
Across spiritual traditions, will power refers to inner strength and determination. Traditions converge on its importance for personal growth. They diverge in its application and source.
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Across traditions
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Quotes
Do not yield to weakness, Partha; it does not become you. Cast off this petty faintheartedness and rise, scorcher of foes.
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते | क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ||२-३||
For one who has conquered the self by the self, the self is a friend; but for one who has not mastered the self, the self remains hostile, like an enemy.
बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः | अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ||६-६||
Whatever region he desires, whatever object of desire he wishes for, arises by his mere intention, and having obtained it he is exalted.
यं यमन्तमभिकामो भवति यं कामं कामयते सोऽस्य संकल्पादेव समुत्तिष्ठति तेन सम्पन्नो महीयते
let this be known as yoga, the severance of union with suffering. This yoga is to be practiced with determination and with a mind that does not despair.
तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् | स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा ||६-२३||
May God and the Eternal Wisdom grant us to remain equally immovable and unalterable with Himself. Amen.
You will need to struggle for a long time with patience and perseverance to achieve this. For a seeker with unwavering determination and unshakeable resolve, nothing is impossible.
'Thought is indeed greater than will. For when one considers, then one wills, then one thinks in the mind, then one utters speech, and one utters it in the form of a name; in the name the sacred formulas become one, and in the formulas the rites.'
चित्तं वाव सं कल्पाद्भूयो यदा वै चेतयतेऽथ संकल्पयतेऽथ मनस्यत्यथ वाचमीरयति तामु नाम्नीरयति नाम्नि मन्त्रा एकं भवन्ति मन्त्रेषु कर्माणि
'One who meditates on will as Brahman attains worlds that are firmly willed into being — himself firm; well-founded worlds — himself well-founded; untroubled worlds — himself untroubled; and he can move about at will as far as will reaches — such is the reward of one who meditates on will as Brahman.' 'Sir, is there anything greater than will?' 'There is indeed something greater than will.' 'Then please tell it to me, sir.'
स यः संकल्पं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते संकॢप्तान्वै स लोकान्ध्रुवान्ध्रुवः प्रतिष्ठितान् प्रतिष्ठितोऽव्यथमानानव्यथमानोऽभिसिध्यति यावत्संकल्पस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यः संकल्पं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवः संकल्पाद्भूय इति संकल्पाद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति
'Will is indeed greater than mind. For when one wills, then one thinks in the mind, then one utters speech, and one utters it in the form of a name; in the name the sacred formulas become one, and in the formulas the rites.'
संकल्पो वाव मनसो भूयान्यदा वै संकल्पयतेऽथ मनस्यत्यथ वाचमीरयति तामु नाम्नीरयति नाम्नि मन्त्रा एकं भवन्ति मन्त्रेषु कर्माणि
Those simple and apparently harmless phrases, spoken with deep concentration, had possessed sufficient hidden force to explode like bombs and produce definite effects. I understood, later, that the explosive vibratory power in speech could be wisely directed to free one's life from difficulties.
'All these have will as their sole meeting-point, consist of will, and rest on will. Heaven and earth were formed by will, wind and space were formed by will, water and heat were formed by will. Through their being willed into shape, rain is willed into being; through rain being willed, food is willed into being; through food being willed, the vital breaths are willed into being; through the breaths being willed, the sacred formulas are willed into being; through the formulas being willed, the rites are willed into being; through the rites being willed, the world is willed into being; through the world being willed, everything is willed into being. Such is will. Meditate on will.'
तानि ह वा एतानि संकल्पैकायनानि संकल्पात्मकानि संकल्पे प्रतिष्ठितानि समकॢपतां द्यावापृथिवी समकल्पेतां वायुश्चाकाशं च समकल्पन्तापश्च तेजश्च तेषाꣳ सं कॢप्त्यै वर्षꣳ संकल्पते वर्षस्य संकॢप्त्या अन्नꣳ संकल्पतेऽन्नस्य सं कॢप्त्यै प्राणाः संकल्पन्ते प्राणानाꣳ सं कॢप्त्यै मन्त्राः संकल्पन्ते मन्त्राणाꣳ सं कॢप्त्यै कर्माणि संकल्पन्ते कर्मणां संकॢप्त्यै लोकः संकल्पते लोकस्य सं कॢप्त्यै सर्वꣳ संकल्पते स एष संकल्पः संकल्पमुपास्स्वेति
Love me with all your heart, for I am omnipresent and friendly to all. Worship me with a steadfast vow.
अब गृह जाहु सखा सब भजेहु मोहि दृर्ह नेम, सदा सर्बगत सर्बहित जानि करेहु अति प्रेम
Therefore, I am firmly resolved in thought, word, and deed. If they are mere mortal princes, I will conquer them in battle and take the bride.
बचन कर्म मन मोरि गति भजनु करहिं निःकाम, तिन्ह के हृदय कमल महु करौ सदा बिश्राम
The mind works with the five senses of knowledge and the five senses of action, making eleven in total. The twelfth aspect is Understanding, which resolves doubts and aids comprehension when questions arise.
When we resolve to cast off sorrow, it marks the beginning of happiness. Anything that brings us joy leads to pleasure, and this pleasure can give rise to pride, which in turn produces sorrow.
Stand firm in your resolve to fight and defeat your enemies, O leader of the celestial beings!
I steadfastly attach myself to those who are devoted to their duties, who never fall away from patience, and who take pleasure in walking the path that leads to heaven.
With determination to give up your lives, conquer your enemies. Do not fall into a state of ignominy and hell.
Shake off this sorrow through repentance and engage in action with a strong will.