Bhagavad Gita · Dhyana Yoga (Atma-samyama Yoga)Chapter 6, Shloka 36 (6.36)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः
वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः
॥ 6.36 ॥
asaṃyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ
vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo'vāptumupāyataḥ
Translation
"For one who has not controlled the mind, yoga is hard to attain — this is My view; but one who has controlled the mind and keeps striving can attain it by the right means."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. Abhyāsa-vairāgyābhyām asaṃyataḥ ātmā antaḥkaraṇaṃ yasya — one whose mind is not restrained by practice and dispassion; vaśyātmanā … yatatā bhūyo'pi prayatnaṃ kurvatā — one whose mind is controlled, who strives again and again; upāyataḥ yathoktād upāyāt — by the means described above. Then the reason for Arjuna's doubt: what of one who gave up the actions for this world and the next for the sake of yoga, did not attain right vision either, and maraṇa-kāle calita-cittaḥ — whose mind wavered at the time of death?
Acharya Ramanuja — the means = karma yoga. Asaṃyatātmanā ajita-manasā mahatā api balena yogo duṣprāpa eva — for one with an unconquered mind, yoga is hard to attain even with great force; upāyatas tu vaśyātmanā pūrvoktena mad-ārādhana-rūpeṇa antargata-jñānena karmaṇā jita-manasā yatamānena — the means is the action in the form of My worship, containing knowledge, described earlier — one who conquers the mind through it and keeps striving can attain this yoga of equal vision.
The difference: "Means" — Shankara: practice and dispassion; Ramanuja: karma yoga as worship of the Lord (which is the means of conquering the mind).
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.