I doubt myself

1. उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्।आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥6.5॥

   uddharedātmanā''tmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayetātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ

   Lift yourself up by your own effort; do not let yourself sink down. For you alone are your own friend, and you alone are your own enemy.

   Try this today

   When you hear yourself say "I can't" or "I'm useless" today, stop and replace it with one sentence a good friend would say to you, then take one small step.

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2. बन्धुरात्माऽऽत्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः।अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥6.6॥

   bandhurātmā''tmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥanātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat

   For one who has mastered the mind by the self, the self is a friend. But for one who has not, that same self behaves like an enemy.

   Try this today

   Write down one habit that works against you. Today, make one small rule for it, such as no phone for the first 30 minutes after waking, and keep it.

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3. क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते।क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ॥2.3॥

   klaibyaṃ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitattvayyupapadyatekṣudraṃ hṛdayadaurbalyaṃ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa

   Krishna says: do not give in to this cowardice, Arjuna; it is not worthy of you. Throw off this petty weakness of heart and stand up, you who defeat your enemies.

   Try this today

   Pick the one small step you have been putting off out of nervousness and do it before noon, even if it is only the first five minutes.

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4. ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ॥15.7॥

   mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥmanaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati

   A part of me, eternal, becomes the individual soul in the world of living beings. It draws to itself the five senses and the mind as the sixth, which rest in nature.

   Try this today

   When you meet someone today, even a delivery person or a classmate, remind yourself silently that the same divine spark lives in them.

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5. अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति।नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥4.40॥

   ajñaścāśraddadhānaśca saṃśayātmā vinaśyatināyaṃ loko'sti na paro na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ

   But one who lacks understanding and faith, and is full of doubt, is ruined. For the doubting mind there is neither this world, nor the next, nor happiness.

   Try this today

   Name one doubt that has kept you stuck on a decision, gather one real fact about it today, and take one small step forward.

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6. तस्मादज्ञानसंभूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनाऽऽत्मनः।छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥4.42॥

   tasmādajñānasaṃbhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinā''tmanaḥchittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata

   Therefore, Arjuna, cut through this doubt in your heart, born of ignorance, with the sword of self-knowledge. Take your stand in yoga, and rise!

   Try this today

   Choose the task you have been hesitating over the longest, decide its first step in one sentence, and do that step before noon.

   Study 4.42 in depth →

7. मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि।अथ चेत्त्वमहङ्कारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि ॥18.58॥

   maccittaḥ sarvadurgāṇi matprasādāttariṣyasiatha cettvamahaṅkārānna śroṣyasi vinaṅkṣyasi

   With your mind on me, you will cross every difficulty by my grace. But if out of ego you do not listen, you will be lost.

   Try this today

   When good advice comes your way today and your ego resists, listen fully and try it once.

   Study 18.58 in depth →

If you are in deep distress or having thoughts of harming yourself, please talk to someone you trust or call India's free Tele-MANAS helpline on 14416.