Upanishads · Mahā 4.104
॥
Devanāgarī
मन एव समर्थं हि मनसो दृढनिग्रहे अराजकः समर्थः स्याद्राज्ञो निग्रहकर्मणि
Transliteration (IAST)
mana eva samarthaṃ hi manaso dṛḍhanigrahe arājakaḥ samarthaḥ syādrājño nigrahakarmaṇi
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
मनः एव समर्थम् हिmanaḥ eva samartham hifor the mind alone is able; precisely consciousness is capable
मनसः दृढ-निग्रहेmanasaḥ dṛḍha-nigraheof the firm subduing of the mind; of the strong curbing of consciousness
अराजकः समर्थः स्यात्arājakaḥ samarthaḥ syātcould one who is no king be able; would a man not of royal blood be capable
राज्ञः निग्रह-कर्मणिrājñaḥ nigraha-karmaṇiin the work of subduing a king; in the business of humbling a sovereign
Translation
“For only the mind is able firmly to subdue the mind: is one who is no king able to subdue a king?”
Version
9da23898ae47 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
An argument from the order of estates, and it convinces by its simplicity.
Only a king can humble a king. A commoner, however strong, has for this neither the right nor the means.
So with the mind: nothing else takes it.
This answers the natural question that arises after so many verses on the death of the mind: who then will slay it?
The answer: itself.
There is no contradiction with 4.103, where the mind is overpowered by consciousness. The speech is of different levels of one thing: the mind turned toward its source is itself that by which it is conquered.
The practical consequence matters. Do not expect circumstances, books, places or people to change you. All these may help; only the mind itself can do it.