BHAGAVAD-GITA 2:56

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 2:56

 

duhkhesv anudvigna-manah

sukhesu vigata-sprhah

vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah

sthita-dhir munir ucyate

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

duhkhesu--in the threefold miseries; anudvigna-manah--without being

agitated in mind; sukhesu--in happiness; vigata-sprhah--without being

interested; vita--free from; raga--attachment; bhaya--fear;

krodhah--and anger; sthita-dhih--whose mind is steady; munih--a sage;

ucyate--is called.

 

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.

 

PURPORT

 

The word muni means one who can agitate his mind in various ways for

mental speculation without coming to a factual conclusion. It is said

that every muni has a different angle of vision, and unless a muni

differs from other munis, he cannot be called a muni in the strict

sense of the term. Na casav rsir yasya matam na bhinnam (Mahabharata,

Vana-parva 313.117). But a sthita-dhir muni, as mentioned herein by

the Lord, is different from an ordinary muni. The sthita-dhir muni is

always in Krsna consciousness, for he has exhausted all his business

of creative speculation. He is called prasanta-nihsesa-mano-rathantara

(Stotra-ratna 43), or one who has surpassed the stage of mental

speculations and has come to the conclusion that Lord Sri Krsna, or

Vasudeva, is everything (vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma

su-durlabhah). He is called a muni fixed in mind. Such a fully Krsna

conscious person is not at all disturbed by the onslaughts of the

threefold miseries, for he accepts all miseries as the mercy of the

Lord, thinking himself only worthy of more trouble due to his past

misdeeds; and he sees that his miseries, by the grace of the Lord, are

minimized to the lowest. Similarly, when he is happy he gives credit

to the Lord, thinking himself unworthy of the happiness; he realizes

that it is due only to the Lord's grace that he is in such a

comfortable condition and able to render better service to the Lord.

And, for the service of the Lord, he is always daring and active and

is not influenced by attachment or aversion. Attachment means

accepting things for one's own sense gratification, and detachment is

the absence of such sensual attachment. But one fixed in Krsna

consciousness has neither attachment nor detachment because his life

is dedicated in the service of the Lord. Consequently he is not at all

angry even when his attempts are unsuccessful. Success or no success,

a Krsna conscious person is always steady in his determination.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.