Chapter 2, Verse 57
य: सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम् | नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥57॥
yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehas tat tat prāpya śhubhāśhubham | nābhinandati na dveṣhṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā
"The wisdom of that person remains established who has no attachment for anything anywhere, who neither welcomes nor rejects anything whatever good or bad when he comes across it."
Key Insight:
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 2.57 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 2.57 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
Detailed Meaning
This verse defines the 'Sthitaprajña'—one of steady wisdom—through their reaction to the dualities of life. A person with established wisdom is 'anabhisnehaḥ' (without clinging affection) in all circumstances. They treat 'Shubha' (auspicious/pleasant) and 'Ashubha' (inauspicious/unpleasant) with the same equanimity. Like the 'impostors' in Kipling's poem 'If', triumphs and disasters are viewed as temporary external phenomena that do not disturb the internal ocean of the soul's peace. This state is not one of apathy, but of profound spiritual maturity where one's happiness is no longer a hostage to external fortune.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core message of Gita 2.57?
The wisdom of that person remains established who has no attachment for anything anywhere, who neither welcomes nor rejects anything whatever good or bad when he comes across it.