Will Power

One should raise the self by the self; one should not let the self fall. The self alone is the self's friend; the self alone is the self's enemy.

Do not yield to unmanliness, O Partha — it does not become you. Cast off this petty faintheartedness and rise, O scorcher of foes.

The self is a friend to that person by whom the self has been conquered through the self. For one who has not conquered the self, the self behaves as an enemy.

Whatever object he longs for, whatever desire he desires, it arises by his mere resolve, and possessing it he is exalted.

Know that as yoga — the severing of union with sorrow. That yoga must be practiced with determination and with a mind that does not despair.

May God and Eternal Wisdom grant us the ability to remain as steadfast and unchanged as God 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 greater than will. When a man thinks, then he wills, then he reflects with the mind, then he utters speech, and he utters it as name. In name the sacred texts become one, and in the sacred texts the rites become one."

"He who meditates on will as Brahman attains the worlds he has willed: being himself enduring, he attains enduring worlds; being established, established worlds; being untroubled, untroubled worlds. He moves at will as far as will reaches — he who meditates on will as Brahman." "Venerable sir, is there anything greater than will?" "There is indeed something greater than will." "Then tell me of it, venerable sir."

"Will is greater than mind. When a man wills, then he thinks, then he utters speech, and he utters it as name. In name the sacred texts become one, and in the sacred texts the rites become one."

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 things converge in will, have will as their essence, and rest on will. Heaven and earth were formed by will; air and space were formed; water and fire were formed. Through their forming, rain takes form; through the forming of rain, food takes form; through the forming of food, the life-breaths; through the forming of the life-breaths, the sacred texts; through the forming of the sacred texts, the rites; through the forming of the rites, the world; through the forming of the world, everything takes form. Such is will. Meditate on will."

Love me with all your heart, for I am omnipresent and friendly to all. Worship me with a steadfast vow.

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.

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.