Bhagavad Gita - Daily - II 2:56 II

[Guest guest]

|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

|| 2-56 ||

 

duhkheshv anudvigna-manaah, sukhesu vigata-sprhah

veeta-raaga-bhaya-krodhah, sthita-dheer munir uchyate

 

" He whose mind remains unperturbed in adversity, and on receiving favorable and

pleasurable situations his mind does not hanker after pleasures, and who is

entirely free from passion, fear and anger is called a sage of steady wisdom. "

 

From " Gita Prabodhani " in Hindi, page 56 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

----------------------

 

Chapter 2, Verse 56 is as follows;

 

DuHkheshu = in sorrow / in adversity

Ana-Udvigna-ManaaH = of un-agitated mind

SukheShu = in pleasure / in prosperity

Vigata-spruhaH = without hankering (after expectations of favourable results)

Veeta-Raaga- Bhaya-KrodhaH = free from attachment, fear and anger

Sthita-DheeH = person of steady wisdom

MuniH = Sage

Uchyate = (he) is called

 

English translation:-

 

He, whose mind is not perturbed in adversity, who does not hanker after pleasure

even being in prosperity, who is free from passion, fear and rage; is called a

Sage of steady wisdom.

 

This verse addresses Arjuna's second question: `How does a Sage like person

speak?' Arjuna wanted to know: After having merged his individuality in the

Infinite Brahman, how the Sage like person expresses himself by means of his

various day to day activities?

 

Every person faces trials and tribulations in his daily life. As a natural

consequence, every person is bound to get affected and afflicted by them. If a

person is already in a mentally agitated state, then his agitations are bound to

accentuate; just like when fuel is added to a fire, its size and intensity

increase. This leads the person under duress to a further ruinous path in life.

 

On the contrary, a Sage like person remains unperturbed by the unstoppable play

of `Prakriti' in this mortal world and treats its consequences as natural and

unavoidable phenomenon and finally ignores them without generation of undue

fondness, scare and resentment or belligerent attitudes. He certainly undergoes

feeling of joy or sorrow. But being under the rudder of steady intellect, he

does not become irrational. He does not allow any one of his emotions to have a

final say or way. He always remains calm, cool and collected. He maintains an

attitude of serenity, equanimity and equipoise.

 

Desire is the root cause of emotions. A desire erupts like a volcano due to our

sense of imperfection, incompleteness and the feeling of an inner void due to

non fulfillment of something that the mind secretly craves for.

 

There are three traits that tarnish the mind of an ordinary person.

 

The first trait is fondness or attachment that robs the ability of proper

discrimination of an aspirant of spiritual progress. A person fails to notice

defects in those things and in the people, he is fond of. A dispassionate

affection and a genuine love expecting nothing in return are needed to replace

the feelings of attachments and expectation of perpetuating those feelings of

attachments ad infinitum.

 

The second trait is fear of the known as well as unknown, which is hard to

conquer. Under the feeling of a misplaced fear, a rope in the dark is imagined

to be a snake. The worse is under hallucination; where in day-light, even in the

absence of a rope one imagines presence of a snake. A Sage like person fears

nothing including his own death.

 

Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta removes that fear of death.

 

The third trait is the feeling of displeasure or indignation at some act or

remark of a person that is regarded as causing insult and / or injury.

 

In this connection, please refer verses 62 and 63 of chapter 2 in Shreemad

Bhagawad Geeta.

 

From attachments spring desire and any obstruction in the process of fulfillment

of the desire sprouts anger. From anger arises bewilderment, from bewilderment

loss of memory; and from loss of memory arises destruction of intelligence and

from destruction of intelligence an aspirant perishes with certainty.

 

Therefore, what is called for is not a forced isolation from the mortal world

but smooth and gradual reductions in daily wants and desires and subsequent

total withdrawal from the sensuous and materialistic world.

 

To hate the senses is as wrong as to be infatuated with them. The horses of

senses are not to be unyoked from the chariot i.e. the physical body; but to be

controlled by the reins of the mind under the rudder of the intellect in the

path of realisation of the Self.

 

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi

 

-----------------------

 

|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

All Sadhaks can participate in discussion / clarification of the verses.

 

OTHER REQUESTS FROM SADHAKS -

 

Please feel free to take the lead in any of these areas so that all

sadhaks may benefit.

 

- Introduction to Chapters (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK SANJIVANI)

- Chapter Summary - Principles and Laws emanating from it.(N.B. VYAS)

- Summary of Chapter from Sadhak Sanjivani " AS IS "

- Yes, Epilogue / Important Facts in each verse good to bring out.

- Any subtle thoughts / interpretation (MIKE)

- In-depth explanation of " Om Tat Saditi Srimadbhagavadgitaasu,

Upanishadsu..... " is a very good idea. (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK

SANJIVANI)

 

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram

-----------------------------

[Guest guest]

|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

|| 2-56 ||

 

Link: — The next two verses deal with the manner in which a realised soul

speaks.

 

duhkheshvanudvignamanaah sukhesu vigatasprhah

veetaraagabhayakrodhah sthitadheermuniruchyate || 56 ||

 

He, whose mind remains unperturbed in sorrow, and on receiving favorable and

pleasurable situations his mind does not hanker after pleasures, and is entirely

free from passion, fear and anger is called a sage of steady wisdom. 56

 

Comment: —

 

[Arjuna attaching importance to action puts forth a question that – " how does a

realized soul speak? " , but Lord Krsna answers, attaching importance to

sentiments (bhaav), because in actions the sentiments are most important. All

actions are nothing but expression of sentiments. A change in sentiments /

feelings brings about a corresponding change in action.* On change of sentiments

or motive, the character of action changes, in other words, the outward action

may appear to be the exact same, however in reality it does not remain the same.

The Lord is discussing here, the sentiments, feelings or the motive which change

the character of action.]

 

'Duhkhesvanudvignamanah' — Even on receiving unfavorable or sorrowful situations

and circumstances, then too he remains unperturbed. In other words, while

discharging his duty, if obstacles arise, if criticism and insults come his way,

if the results are unfavorable, then in spite of all unfavorable outcomes, his

mind remains at ease.

 

The reason a Karmayogi's mind remains in peace is because the aim of his life is

to discharge his duty to the best of his ability and capacity for the welfare of

others, remaining ever alert that in this discharge of duty at no time he

develops any desire, attachment and proprietary interest in its fruit. So doing,

his mind always remains cheerful. And due to this inner delight and

contentment, even on facing many unfavorable situations and circumstance, his

mind remains free of all agitation and anxiety.

 

'Sukheshu vigatasprhah' — He does not crave for any kind of pleasure such as

praise, honor and favorable circumstances etc., nor does he have a desire to

prolong such a state. He remains unruffled in the midst of favorable or

unfavorable circumstances.

 

'Vitaraagabhayakrodhah' — Our entanglement with worldly things, and getting

blended in its colors is known as attraction (passion, attachment, raag). If a

stronger person tries to deprive us of, or destroys the worldly possessions that

are desirable to us, or creates obstacles in acquiring these, then it arouses

fear in us. If that person is weak, then it arouses anger in us. But a person

who has keen inner sentiments of doing what is good for others, for their

welfare, for serving them then their attraction and attachment is automatically

wiped out. This freedom from passion and attachment, leads him to fearlessness

and calmness. Thus he becomes free from passion (attraction, attachment), fear

and anger.

So long as there remains even the slightest trace of agitation, desires

(cravings), passion (attraction, attachment), fear and anger, a man is called a

striver (sadhak, aspirant). But when he is totally free from them, he becomes an

enlightened soul (siddha).

 

'Sthitadheermuniruchyate' — The mind of one who follows the Discipline of

Selfless Action, becomes steady and stable. Here, the term 'muni' has not been

used, for a person who keeps silent. The Lord has also not used the term 'mauna'

for penance of speech, but He has used it for mental penance (Gita 17/16). So

here, 'muni' has been used for a contemplative person, free from desire and

attachment. He contemplates to remain unattached, like an enlightened soul.

Throughout his practice he is very cautious to remain constantly on the guard

that no desires or attachment/infatuation comes in him. To remain ever free

from all attachments is the prudence and cautiousness of a siddha (realized

soul). Such cautiousness automatically exists in an enlightened soul. That

awareness leads him to attainment of beatitude (Gita 3/19). It is because of

this virtue of prudence, alertness and awareness, that he has been able to

attain God.

 

(partial posting)

 

From " The Bhagavadgita - Sadhak Sanjivani " in English, page 206 - 208 by Swami

Ramsukhdasji