Chapter 2 – Sankhya Yoga
Verse 57
Sanskrit Verse
yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehas tat tat prāpya śubhāśhubham |
nābhinandati na dveṣhṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā || 57||
Simple Meaning
O Arjuna!
One who is completely free from attachment everywhere, who neither rejoices in favorable situations nor hates unfavorable ones, is considered to have steady wisdom.
Detailed Explanation
Free from Attachment Everywhere
Lord Krishna describes a person who does not cling emotionally to anything in the world. Whether people, objects, or situations, there is no deep attachment that binds the mind. Such a person remains inwardly independent in all circumstances.
Equanimity in Good and Bad Situations
When good things happen, this person does not become overly excited or attached. When bad things happen, they do not fall into hatred, sadness, or resistance. Both pleasant and unpleasant experiences are received with equal mental balance.
Neither Rejoicing nor Hating
Ordinary reactions are driven by duality—liking the good and disliking the bad. But the wise person transcends this pattern. They do not emotionally swing between joy and aversion based on external events.
Who is a Truly Steady Thinker?
Such a person is described as having established wisdom (prajñā pratiṣṭhitā). Their intelligence is stable because it is not disturbed by external changes. Peace comes not from controlling the world, but from mastering the mind.
Wisdom in Daily Life
This verse teaches that spiritual maturity is seen in how we respond to life. True strength is not reacting emotionally to every situation, but remaining centered. Success does not inflate the ego, and failure does not break the spirit.
Key Points
- Freedom from attachment in all situations
- No extreme reaction to good or bad outcomes
- No craving for pleasure or resistance to pain
- Equal-mindedness in every experience
- Such a person has steady wisdom
Profound Spiritual Meaning
Krishna emphasizes that liberation begins when duality loses its grip on the mind. When attraction and aversion both dissolve, inner stability arises naturally. At that stage, life is experienced without emotional disturbance.
The deeper message is:
True wisdom is the ability to remain unchanged within, no matter how the outer world changes.
Word-by-Word Meaning
yaḥ – One who
sarvatra – Everywhere
anabhisnehaḥ – Free from attachment
tat tat – Those various situations
prāpya – Having attained / encountered
śubha-aśubham – Good and bad (favorable and unfavorable)
na abhinandati – Does not rejoice
na dveṣhṭi – Does not hate
tasya – His
prajñā – Wisdom
pratiṣhṭhitā – Is firmly established
Message of the Shloka
A truly wise person remains unaffected by both success and failure, joy and sorrow. By transcending attachment and aversion, the mind becomes steady, peaceful, and firmly rooted in wisdom.
