Lord Krishna
Divine TeacherThe Supreme Lord, the charioteer and divine guide of Arjuna. Krishna delivers the eternal wisdom of the Gita, revealing the nature of the soul, duty, and the path to liberation.
Speaking: Chapter 6, Verse 19
Verse 19
Hard VerseThe Yoga of Meditation
As a lamp in a windless place does not waver, so the transcendentalist, whose mind is controlled, remains always steady in his meditation on the transcendent self.
Context & Meaning
A lamp in a sheltered, windless place burns perfectly still — its flame neither flickers nor bends. This is the classic image of the meditator's mind: unwavering, consistent, undisturbed by the gusts of thought and sensation.
Scholar Commentaries
1 commentary · Public domainAdi Shankaracharya
Advaita VedantaThe simile of the unwavering flame is one of the most celebrated in the entire Gita. Shankara points out that the lamp does not effort to remain still — it simply is still in the absence of wind. Similarly, the meditative mind does not struggle to be concentrated; it settles naturally when the "winds" of desire, distraction, and agitation are removed by practice and dispassion. The flame is Atman-awareness: always still, only appearing to flicker when disturbed by the mind's movements.