Gita : Ch-2 Slo-57.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :


Chapter-2. ( Samkya-yogam )


Slokam-57. ( Lord Krishna explains here that one devoid of attachment to everything, when exposed to that which is good does not rejoice, neither does such a one lament when exposed to that which is not good. )




Yah   sarvatranabhisnehah     tattat    prapya     subhasubham,


Nabhinandati     na     dveshti   tasya    prajna     pratishthita.




yah  sarvatra   anabhisnehah  =   one   who  anywhere,  in  anything  without  greed & attachment;

tat  tat   subhasubham    prapya  =   whether   subham   (  good  )  or  asubham   (  bad/evil),  whichever  comes  across;

na   abhinandati   na   dveshti  =   never    be   happy   ( likes )  or   be   hate   ( dislikes  );

tasya   prajna   pratishthita   =   his  bhuddhi   ( intelligence )  is   strong,  perfect  and   fixed.




The question how does such a person talk is now being answered. He who is without affection even towards friends and relatives, neither praising what is congenial or criticising what is uncongenial is steady in wisdom. This is the meaning.

He who is without attachment, who does not rejoice when he obtains good, nor lament when he obtains evil, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge.

Forming no attachments in any situation means to be indifferent, unconcerned in an aloof state or attitude. Auspicious is a situation that is pleasing and inauspicious is a situation that is displeasing. Lord Krishna is instructing not to be overjoyed by the pleasing nor despondent over the unpleasant. One who can successfully engage themselves thus is sthita-prajna situated in the perfect knowledge of transcendental consciousness. The next lower stage is given in the next slokam.

There is always some upheaval in the material world which may be good or evil. One who is not agitated by such material upheavals, who is unaffected by good and evil, is to be understood to be fixed in consciousness. As long as one is in the material world there is always the possibility of good and evil because this world is full of duality. But one who is fixed in  consciousness is not affected by good and evil because he is simply concerned with Lord, who is all good absolute. Such consciousness in God situates one in a perfect transcendental position called, technically, samadhi.


Lord Krishna now answers the question of how one situated in transcendent consciousness speaks. He does this by explaining that one who is unattached to everything without a mental inclination towards anything totally indifferent to all sense objects. When exposed to sources of pleasure like mouth watering vegetable preperations, delicious nectarian fruit drinks, silky, fashionable clothes or luxurious homes such a one does not rejoice at receiving these things nor give praise to those who have bequeathed these things. Similarly when exposed to sources of unpleasantness like unpalatable food and drink, coarse unfashionable clothes and humble homes such a one does not show disdain and is indifferent to statements made by people to criticise him such as being called a pseudo yogi or a hypocrite. Thus the essence is such a one uses his words sparsely, praises no one and blames no one and because he possesses neither love nor hatred for any living being benefits all. Such a one is situated in transcendent consciousness.

To be continued  ...