Chapter 2 · Verse 57

Transcendental Knowledge

यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम्। नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता

yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehas tat tat prāpya śhubhāśhubham nābhinandati na dveṣhṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā

Word Meanings

yaḥ sarvatra anabhisnehaḥ tat tat prāpya śhubha aśhubham na abhinandati na dveṣhṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā

Translation

He who is unattached to everything, who neither rejoices upon gaining good nor recoils from evil, his wisdom is firmly established.

Commentary

यः he who? सर्वत्र everywhere? अनभिस्नेहः without attachment? तत् that? तत् that? प्राप्य having obtained? शुभाशुभम् good and evil? न not? अभिनन्दति rejoices? न not? द्वेष्टि hates? तस्य of him? प्रज्ञा wisdom? प्रतिष्ठिता is fixed.Commentary The sage possesses poised understanding or evenness of mind. He does not rejoice in pleasure nor is he averse to pain that may befall him. He is ite indifferent as he is rooted in the Self. He has no attachment even for his life or body as he identifies himself with Brahman or the Supreme Self. He will not praise anybody when the latter does any good to him nor censure anyone when one does him any harm. This is the answer given by the Lord to Arjunas ery How does a sage of steady wisdom talk