Bhagavad Gita · Dhyana Yoga (Atma-samyama Yoga)Chapter 6, Shloka 9 (6.9)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते
॥ 6.9 ॥
suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu
sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate
Translation
"One whose understanding is even towards well-wisher, friend, enemy, the indifferent, the neutral, the hateful and kin — and towards saints and sinners alike — that (yogi) is outstanding."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya — one long compound. Suhṛt ity-ādi ślokārdham ekaṃ padam — the first line is a single word (compound). Definitions: suhṛt — pratyupakāram anapekṣya upakartā (one who helps without wanting a return); mitraṃ snehavān; ariḥ śatruḥ; udāsīnaḥ na kasyacit pakṣaṃ bhajate (one who takes no one's side); madhyasthaḥ yo viruddhayoḥ ubhayoḥ hitaiṣī (one who wishes well to both of two opponents); dveṣyaḥ ātmanaḥ apriyaḥ; bandhuḥ saṃbandhī; sādhuṣu śāstrānuvartiṣu … pāpeṣu pratiṣiddha-kāriṣu. Even understanding = kaḥ kiṃ-karmā ity avyāpṛta-buddhiḥ — the understanding not getting stuck on "who does what". A variant reading: in place of viśiṣyate, vimucyate is also found, Shankara notes.
Acharya Ramanuja — fine definitions of relationships. Suhṛdaḥ — well-wishers regardless of age; mitrāṇi — well-wishers of the same age; arayaḥ nimittataḥ anartha-icchavaḥ — those who wish harm for some reason; janmata eva ubhaya-rahitā madhyasthāḥ (from birth neither friend nor enemy); janmata eva aniṣṭecchavo dveṣyāḥ; janmata eva hitaiṣiṇo bandhavaḥ. The reason for evenness: ātmaika-prayojanatayā … prayojanābhāvād virodhābhāvāc ca — since the self alone is one's purpose, there is neither purpose nor opposition with any of these; so even understanding yogābhyāsārhatve viśiṣyate — stands out in fitness for the practice of yoga.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.