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What the Gītā says about discipline

A lamp in a windless room does not flicker. That is the image the Gītā chooses for the disciplined mind — not rigid, not clenched, just still because nothing is disturbing it. The work of discipline is creating the conditions for that stillness. Eat neither too much nor too little. Sleep neither too much nor too little. Sit, gather the senses from all sides, and practise. The Gītā is honest about difficulty: Arjuna himself protests that the mind is restless, violent, as hard to hold as wind. Krishna agrees — and says practice and dispassion will hold it anyway. Discipline here is not punishment. It is the patient, repeated act of returning. The yogi who strives across many births reaches the highest way. What matters is not perfection on any given day. It is that you sit down again tomorrow.

Verses

2.62
Dwell on something and attachment grows. From attachment, craving; from craving, anger.
The chain: dwell on something, attachment grows, then craving, then anger
2.63
Anger clouds judgment; clouded, you forget yourself; forgetting, understanding collapses — and with it, you fall.
Anger clouds judgment, you forget yourself, understanding collapses — and you fall
2.60
Even a wise man, striving hard, can be swept away — the senses are violent thieves of the mind.
Even a wise man striving hard can be swept away — the senses are violent thieves
3.34
In every sense lurk pull and push toward its object. Do not obey them — they ambush your road.
In every sense lurk pull and push. Do not obey them — they ambush your road.
6.16
This yoga is not for one who eats too much or too little, sleeps too much or too little.
Yoga is not for one who eats too much or too little — the middle way
6.19
A lamp in a windless room does not flicker. So stands the mind of a yogi in practice.
A lamp in a windless room does not flicker. So stands the yogi's mind.
6.34
The mind is restless, violent, strong, stubborn. Holding it seems as hard as holding the wind.
Arjuna's honest protest: the mind is restless, violent, stubborn
6.36
For the undisciplined self, this yoga is out of reach. For the one who strives with self-rule — attainable.
For the undisciplined, yoga is out of reach. For the one who strives — attainable.
8.8
A mind trained to return, wandering nowhere else, constantly remembering — reaches the supreme radiant person.
A mind trained to return, wandering nowhere else, constantly remembering — reaches the supreme
6.45
Striving on, washed of sin, ripened through many births — the yogi at last reaches the highest way.
Striving on, washed of sin, ripened through many births — the yogi reaches the highest way
18.33
The resolve that holds mind, breath, and senses steady through unswerving practice — that resolve is clear.
The resolve that holds mind, breath, and senses steady through unswerving practice — clear