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Chapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized · 72 verses

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Remember who is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Take the verse as He directs.
  2. 2Say the verse and its words. Read the Sanskrit, then each word with its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation as it is. Let the translation say what it says, without adding your own meaning.
  4. 4Read the purport. Hear the verse through the disciplic succession.
  5. 5Bring your own question. Ask: where does this verse meet my life, my trouble, my doubt?
  6. 6Act on it, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Carry one instruction into your work today.
Read the full guide: how to read the Bhagavad-gītā ›
Mind & yogaChapter 2 · Contents of the Gītā Summarized

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 2.56

Qualities of steady wisdom and sense regulation

Jīva · The soul

दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्न‍मनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः ।

वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थिधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ॥ ५६ ॥

duḥkheṣv anudvigna-manāḥ

sukheṣu vigata-spṛhaḥ

vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ

sthita-dhīr munir ucyate

Translation

One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

3 study points

A Steady Mind

  1. 1

    A sage of steady mind is undisturbed by suffering, not carried away by happiness, and free from attachment, fear and anger.

  2. 2

    Such a sage goes beyond mental speculation and stays in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, knowing that Kṛṣṇa is everything.

  3. 3

    He accepts suffering as the Lord’s mercy and happiness as His grace, remaining determined to serve Him even when his efforts fail.

Key points from the purport

These notes cover verses 2.56–57

Answers to second question — How does he speak?

This question implies: “How the intelligence and words respond to affection, anger and neutrality”

This is answered as follows:

1

Equipoised in happiness and distress (2.56)

2

Free from attachment, fear and anger (2.56) Because

3

Unaffected by good & evil and firmly fixed in perfect knowledge (2.57)

a

Definition of ‘Sthita–Dhira’ Muni (2.56)

He is a sage of steady mind

He is always in Krishna consciousness

He has exhausted all business of creative speculation

Ref. Stotra-ratna – He has surpassed the stage of mental speculations and come to the conclusion that Krishna or Vasudeva is everything (Ref. Bg. 7.19 “Vasudevah sarvam iti…”)

b

Muni — one who can agitate his mind in various ways (2.56)

For mental speculation

Without factual conclusion

All Munis have different angles of vision (Ref. Mahabharata “na casav rsir…”)

c

How one in Krishna consciousness is:

Equipoised (2.56) – because:

He accepts everything (happiness / distress) as Krishna’s mercy

Free from attachment, fear and anger (2.56) – because:

He is always daring and active, and fixed on the service of the Lord

He does not come under attachment / aversion

He never gets angry, whether successful or not

He is steady in determination

Unaffected by good and evil (2.57) – because:

The material world is anyway full of relativities and dualities, and there is always some upheaval

The soul is simply concerned with Krishna who is always all-good & Absolute

Such a Krishna conscious position is in perfect transcendental position called “Samadhi”

Further reading

Sthita–Prajna / Samadhi — Fight!

Become fixed in Krishna Consciousness

By working in Buddhi-yoga one attains ‘material detachment’ and the ‘equipoised platform of liberation’ called Samadhi

Chapter 2, section V: Sthita–Prajna / Samadhi — Fight!
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. duḥkheṣuin the threefold miseries
  2. anudvigna-manāḥwithout being agitated in mind
  3. sukheṣuin happiness
  4. vigata-spṛhaḥwithout being interested
  5. vītafree from
  6. rāgaattachment
  7. bhayafear
  8. krodhaḥand anger
3

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: manas, indriya, yoga.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 2.56 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to mind & yoga?

Practice

Sit quietly for ten minutes and gently return the mind.

5

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 2 ›
6

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

Live this todayThe Art of All WorkA practice from BG 2.50, close to this verse

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.