Bhagavad Gita · Sankhya YogaChapter 2, Shloka 56 (2.56)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः
वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते
॥ 2.56 ॥
duḥkheṣvanudvignamanāḥ sukheṣu vigataspṛhaḥ
vītarāgabhayakrodhaḥ sthitadhīrmunirucyate
Translation
"One whose mind is not shaken when sorrow comes, who has no craving when pleasure comes, from whom attachment, fear and anger have passed away — such a reflective person is called a muni of steady understanding."
Interpretation
In sorrow, in pleasure — both ways. The shloka describes steadiness in two directions: in sorrow the mind is not udvigna (shaken), in pleasure there is no spṛhā (craving for more).
Shankaracharya's comparison with fire. What is craving in pleasure like? Shankaracharya: na agnir iva indhanādy-ādhāne sukhāny anu vivardhate — just as fire blazes up more when you add fuel, so craving grows when pleasure is gained. The craving of the sthita-prajña does not grow like that.
Three enemies — Ramanuja's subtle definitions:
- Attachment (raga): Ramanuja — anāgateṣu spṛhā — craving for what has not yet come.
- Fear: the pain that arises from seeing the cause of losing what is dear or meeting what is unwelcome.
- Anger: when another person becomes the cause of losing what is dear or meeting what is unwelcome, a disturbance in one's own mind — anger.
Notice — Ramanuja calls anger "a disturbance in one's own mind"; the cause may appear to be outside, but the anger arises within us.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.