Universal
Uddhared Atmana — Gita 6.5
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् । आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥
Uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet, ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ
Simple reading: Ud-dha-red aat-ma-naat-maa-nam naat-maa-nam a-va-saa-da-yet, aat-mai-va hyaat-ma-no ban-dhur, aat-mai-va ri-pur aat-ma-nah
About this mantra
The Gita's verse of self-responsibility — lift yourself by yourself; you are your own best friend, and can be your own enemy.
Meaning
Let one raise oneself by one's own self; let one not lower oneself. The self alone is one's friend, and the self alone one's enemy. The verse hands over the case file: no rescuer is coming who is not already you — and no saboteur either. Its double edge, friend and enemy, is not a threat but a location: the entire battlefield of the Gita, folded into one person.
When to recite it
Morning resolve — recited at the start of self-improvement seasons, recoveries, and training; the verse for the day one begins again.
Word by word
- उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानंuddhared ātmanātmānaṁ
- raise yourself by your own self
- नात्मानमवसादयेत्nātmānam avasādayet
- do not let yourself sink
- आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुःātmaiva hy ātmano bandhuḥ
- the self alone is one's friend
- आत्मैव रिपुरात्मनःātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ
- the self alone one's enemy
Source: Bhagavad Gītā 6.5