The Bhagavad Gita's teachings on Self-Control & Discipline offer a transformative framework for understanding mastering the senses, building willpower, and achieving self-discipline This 7 day reading plan guides you through the most essential verses on this theme, with daily reflections and practical action steps. Whether you are new to the Gita or deepening an existing practice, this structured approach ensures steady, meaningful progress. The concept of Self-Control & Discipline appears throughout the Gita, particularly in chapters 2, 3, 6, 17. Krishna presents this teaching not as abstract philosophy but as practical wisdom for navigating life's most pressing challenges, including lack of willpower, addictions, overindulgence. By following this day-by-day plan, you will build a deep, embodied understanding rather than just surface-level familiarity. This plan is designed so that each day builds on the previous one. The early days establish foundational concepts like sense control, while later days explore more nuanced aspects such as moderation. Take your time with each day's reflection question and action step — these are where real transformation happens.
Plan Overview
- Duration: 7 days
- Daily Time: 15 minutes
- Level: addiction recovery
- What You Need: A copy of the Bhagavad Gita (or use the Srimad Gita App)
Introduction to Self-Control & Discipline
Verses to Read: BG 2.58
Reading Time: 15 minutes
Key Teaching: When, like the tortoise which withdraws all its limbs on all sides, he withdraws his senses from the sense-objects, then his wisdom becomes steady.
Reflection: How does today's teaching relate to your experience of lack of willpower? What shift in perspective might the Gita be offering you?
Action Step: Today, practice sense control in one specific situation. Notice how it changes your experience.
Sense Control
Verses to Read: BG 2.59, BG 2.60
Reading Time: 15 minutes
Key Teaching: The objects of the senses turn away from the abstinent man, leaving the longing behind; but his longing also turns away upon seeing the Supreme.
Reflection: How does today's teaching relate to your experience of addictions? What shift in perspective might the Gita be offering you?
Action Step: Today, practice willpower in one specific situation. Notice how it changes your experience.
Willpower
Verses to Read: BG 2.61, BG 2.64
Reading Time: 15 minutes
Key Teaching: Having restrained them all, he should sit steadfast, intent on Me; his wisdom is steady whose senses are under control.
Reflection: How does today's teaching relate to your experience of overindulgence? What shift in perspective might the Gita be offering you?
Action Step: Today, practice habits in one specific situation. Notice how it changes your experience.
Habits
Verses to Read: BG 3.41
Reading Time: 15 minutes
Key Teaching: Therefore, O best of the Bharatas, control your senses first and then kill this sinful thing, which destroys knowledge and realization.
Reflection: How does today's teaching relate to your experience of impulsive behavior? What shift in perspective might the Gita be offering you?
Action Step: Today, practice fasting austerity in one specific situation. Notice how it changes your experience.
Fasting Austerity
Verses to Read: BG 3.43, BG 6.5
Reading Time: 15 minutes
Key Teaching: Thus, knowing Him who is superior to the intellect and restraining the self by the Self, slay thou, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the enemy in the form of desire, hard to conquer.
Reflection: How does today's teaching relate to your experience of inconsistency? What shift in perspective might the Gita be offering you?
Action Step: Today, practice moderation in one specific situation. Notice how it changes your experience.
Moderation
Verses to Read: BG 6.6, BG 17.14
Reading Time: 15 minutes
Key Teaching: The Self is the friend of the self of him by whom the Self has been conquered; but to the unconquered self, this Self stands in the position of an enemy, like an external foe.
Reflection: How does today's teaching relate to your experience of lack of willpower? What shift in perspective might the Gita be offering you?
Action Step: Today, practice sense control in one specific situation. Notice how it changes your experience.
Integration: Living Self-Control & Discipline
Verses to Read: BG 17.15, BG 17.16
Reading Time: 15 minutes
Key Teaching: Speech that causes no excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of studying the Vedas is called austerity of speech.
Reflection: How does today's teaching relate to your experience of addictions? What shift in perspective might the Gita be offering you?
Action Step: Today, practice willpower in one specific situation. Notice how it changes your experience.
After Completing This Plan
You have completed this 7 day study of Self-Control & Discipline through the Bhagavad Gita. The verses you studied contain deep wisdom that reveals new layers of meaning with repeated reading. Consider revisiting this plan in a month, or continue exploring related topics like Vairagya and Dhyana Yoga. The Srimad Gita App provides daily verse reminders and deeper commentary to support your ongoing practice.
Why Self-Control & Discipline Matters in the Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita's teaching on Self-Control & Discipline is among its most practical and widely applicable wisdom. Set against the backdrop of Arjuna's crisis on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, this teaching addresses the universal human struggle with lack of willpower and addictions. Krishna does not offer mere philosophy — he provides a framework for action that has guided seekers for over five thousand years.
In the modern world, the relevance of self-control & discipline has only grown. Whether you are dealing with lack of willpower, seeking clarity about addictions, or working to develop sense control, the Gita's teaching provides tested, reliable guidance. The verses in chapters 2, 3, 6, 17 lay out a progressive path from understanding to practice to mastery.
What makes the Gita's approach distinctive is its emphasis on integration. Rather than requiring withdrawal from the world, Krishna teaches Arjuna — a warrior, a family man, a person with real-world responsibilities — how to practice self-control & discipline right in the middle of daily life. This makes the teaching accessible to students, professionals, parents, and seekers of all backgrounds.
Key Concepts in Self-Control & Discipline
The Gita's teaching on Self-Control & Discipline encompasses several interconnected concepts that work together to form a complete path of practice:
- Sense control: This aspect of self-control & discipline teaches us how to approach lack of willpower with wisdom and equanimity. Understanding sense control is essential for putting the Gita's broader teaching into practice.
- Willpower: This aspect of self-control & discipline teaches us how to approach addictions with wisdom and equanimity. Understanding willpower is essential for putting the Gita's broader teaching into practice.
- Habits: This aspect of self-control & discipline teaches us how to approach overindulgence with wisdom and equanimity. Understanding habits is essential for putting the Gita's broader teaching into practice.
- Fasting austerity: This aspect of self-control & discipline teaches us how to approach impulsive behavior with wisdom and equanimity. Understanding fasting austerity is essential for putting the Gita's broader teaching into practice.
- Moderation: This aspect of self-control & discipline teaches us how to approach inconsistency with wisdom and equanimity. Understanding moderation is essential for putting the Gita's broader teaching into practice.
Each of these concepts builds on the others. As you study and practice them, you will notice how understanding one naturally deepens your grasp of the rest. The Srimad Gita App provides detailed commentary on each of these themes, allowing you to explore them at your own pace.
How to Begin Practicing Self-Control & Discipline
Starting a practice of self-control & discipline does not require any special background or preparation. The Gita teaches that every person, regardless of their current situation, can begin right where they are. Here is a simple approach to getting started:
Step 1: Read the key verses. Begin with BG 2.58 and BG 2.59. Read them slowly and reflectively, using the Srimad Gita App for multiple translations and audio pronunciation of the Sanskrit.
Step 2: Choose one principle to practice. Rather than trying to implement everything at once, select one aspect of self-control & discipline — such as sense control — and focus on it for a full week.
Step 3: Observe and reflect. Throughout your day, notice moments where the teaching is relevant. In the evening, spend a few minutes journaling about what you observed. This reflective practice accelerates understanding.
Step 4: Deepen gradually. After your first week, add another dimension of the teaching. Over time, your practice of self-control & discipline will become more natural and integrated into your daily life.
The Bhagavad Gita's Context for Self-Control & Discipline
The Bhagavad Gita, often called simply "the Gita," is a 700-verse scripture that forms part of the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. Set on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, it records the dialogue between Prince Arjuna and his charioteer Lord Krishna, who reveals himself to be the Supreme Divine. The teaching on self-control & discipline emerges directly from Arjuna's real-life crisis — facing a battle where his own relatives and teachers stand on the opposing side.
This setting is significant because it means the Gita's wisdom on self-control & discipline was not given in a monastery or ashram, but in the most intense, high-stakes situation imaginable. Krishna's teaching is designed for people engaged in the world, not withdrawn from it. When he speaks about sense control, he is addressing someone who must act immediately and decisively.
The classical commentators who have shaped our understanding of the Gita's teaching on self-control & discipline include Adi Shankaracharya (8th century), who founded the Advaita Vedanta school and emphasized non-dual knowledge; Ramanujacharya (11th century), who established Vishishtadvaita and highlighted qualified non-dualism with devotion; and Madhvacharya (13th century), who taught Dvaita or dualistic devotion. Each of these masters brought a unique lens to the same verses, and studying their perspectives enriches understanding immensely. The Srimad Gita App includes commentary references from these traditions.
Related Bhagavad Gita Teachings
Self-Control & Discipline connects deeply with several other important Gita themes. Exploring these related teachings will enrich your understanding and provide multiple perspectives on the spiritual path:
- Vairagya — Freedom from attachment to outcomes, possessions, and worldly desires
- Dhyana Yoga — Practices for stilling the mind, achieving inner peace, and spiritual absorption
- Shanti — Achieving mental calm, emotional balance, and lasting inner peace
The Bhagavad Gita's genius is in showing how all these teachings converge toward the same goal of self-realization, inner peace, and liberation. By studying self-control & discipline alongside these related themes, you develop a comprehensive understanding that supports genuine spiritual growth.