Bhagavad Gita 6.5
Krishna to Arjunaउद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration
uddhared ātmanātmānaṃnātmānam avasādayetātmaiva hy ātmano bandhurātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ
One should lift oneself by oneself, and not let oneself sink. For the self alone is the self’s friend, and the self alone is the self’s enemy.
Original King of Dwarka translationReflection inspired by Bhagavad Gita 6.5
The way we direct ourselves can either deepen a difficulty or help us meet it. Becoming an ally may begin with one honest, workable choice. There is room for discipline here without turning the inner voice into another source of hostility.
Source & context
At the opening of his teaching on meditation, Krishna describes the self as its own friend or adversary. Ātman has a range of meanings here, including self and mind; the verse is not a claim that a person should manage every difficulty without support.