Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 6 · Verse 5
BG 6.5
Lift yourself with your own self. Do not let yourself be dragged down. The self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self.
uddhared ātmanātmānaṃ nātmānam avasādayet | ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ ||
Sanskrit / Transliteration
TRANSLATION
One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.
EXPLANATION
You are both your greatest ally and your greatest enemy — and the deciding factor is your mind. No one else can save you; no one else can destroy you. This is one of the most empowering verses in the Gita. Self-leadership begins with this recognition.