Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingयतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्
yato yato niśhcharati manaśh chañchalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad ātmanyeva vaśhaṁ nayet
Anuṣṭubh(!!) irregular in source
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaThe yogi should bring this mind under the subjugation of the Self itself, restraining it from all those causes that cause the restless, unsteady mind to wander away.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
यह चंचल और अस्थिर मन जिन कारणों से (विषयों में) विचरण करता है, उनसे संयमित करके उसे आत्मा के ही वश में लावे अर्थात् आत्मा में स्थिर करे।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiयतो यतो निश् चरति (!!)
मनश् चञ्चल मस् थिरम्
ततस् ततो नियम् यै तत्
आत्मन् येव वशन् नयेत्
॥ २६ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthayataḥ yataḥwhenever and wherever
niśhcharatiwanders
manaḥthe mind
chañchalamrestless
asthiramunsteady
tataḥ tataḥfrom there
niyamyahaving restrained
etatthis
ātmanion God
evacertainly
vaśhamcontrol
nayetshould bring
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA6.26What is the standing order for whenever the restless mind wanders off?
The yogi should bring this mind under the subjugation of the Self itself, restraining it from all those causes that cause the restless, unsteady mind to wander away.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.