यद् यदेव प्रसक्तं हि वितर्कयति मानवः। अभ्यासात् तेन तेनास्य नतिर्भवति चेतसः॥
yad yad eva prasaktaṃ hi vitarkayati mānavaḥ । abhyāsāt tena tenāsya natir bhavati cetasaḥ ॥
Meaning of Yad Yad Eva Prasaktaṃ
Whatever a person repeatedly thinks about, the mind gradually becomes inclined towards it. Therefore, one should always cultivate noble, positive and virtuous thoughts.
Word by word
- यद्यदेवyad yad eva
whatever indeed
यद् + यद् + एव
- प्रसक्तम्prasaktam
continually engaged with, attached to
प्र + √सञ्ज्
- हिhi
indeed
- वितर्कयतिvitarkayati
ponders, thinks over
वि + √तर्क्
- मानवःmānavaḥ
a person
मानव
- अभ्यासात्abhyāsāt
through repetition, from practice
अभ्यास
- तेन तेनtena tena
towards each such thing
तद्
- अस्यasya
of that person
इदम्
- नतिःnatiḥ
inclination, tendency
√नम्
- भवतिbhavati
arises, becomes
√भू
- चेतसःcetasaḥ
of the mind
चेतस्
Commentary
The verse describes a direct relationship between repeated thought and the disposition of the mind. The expression yad yad eva makes the principle broad: whatever a person continually turns over in thought becomes formative. Vitarkayati points to pondering or mentally elaborating upon something, while abhyāsāt emphasizes repetition and sustained practice. Natir bhavati cetasaḥ then gives the result—the mind develops an inclination in that same direction. Its literal teaching is therefore about the habit-forming power of attention, without claiming that a single passing thought determines a person. What is rehearsed repeatedly acquires weight and begins to shape one's mental character. This makes the verse a practical invitation to notice which patterns of thought are being strengthened through everyday repetition.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More subhashitams on Discipline
View topic pageअद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca । nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes a character free from hatred and ego, friendly to all beings and steady in joy and sorrow.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्। स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥
anudvegakaraṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priyahitaṁ ca yat । svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅmayaṁ tapa ucyate ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and non-agitating words, together with regular study, as austerity of speech.
स्वाधीनैव समृद्धिर्जनोपजीव्यत्वमुच्छ्रयश्छाया। सत्पुंसो मरुभूरिव जीवनमात्रं समाशास्यम्॥
svādhīnaiva samṛddhir janopajīvyatvam ucchrayaś chāyā । satpuṃso marubhūr iva jīvanamātraṁ samāśāsyam ॥
For a good person, as for a tree standing in the desert, self-reliant abundance, support for others, height and shade come naturally, so only that life itself need be wished for.