Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5, Verse 20

Chapter 5 – Karma Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम् ।
स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मविद् ब्रह्मणि स्थितः ॥

Transliteration

na prahṛṣyetpriyaṃ prāpya nodvijetprāpya cāpriyam .
sthirabuddhirasammūḍho brahmavid brahmaṇi sthitaḥ ॥

Meaning

One who does not rejoice on getting the pleasant nor is agitated on getting the unpleasant — steady in intellect, undeluded, a knower of Brahman, is established in Brahman.

Word meanings

प्रियम् – the pleasant
प्राप्य – having obtained
न प्रहृष्येत् – should not rejoice
अप्रियम् – the unpleasant
प्राप्य – having got
च – and
न उद्विजेत् – should not be agitated
स्थिरबुद्धिः – of steady intellect
असम्मूढः – undeluded
ब्रह्मवित् – knower of Brahman
ब्रह्मणि – in Brahman
स्थितः – established

Anvaya (word order)

स्थिरबुद्धिः असम्मूढः ब्रह्मवित् ब्रह्मणि स्थितः, प्रियं प्राप्य न प्रहृष्येत्, अप्रियं च प्राप्य न उद्विजेत् ।

Explanation

The previous verse spoke of being established in Brahman; here the Lord gives its practical marks. In life we swing between pleasant and unpleasant experiences. When the pleasant comes we swell, and when the unpleasant comes we break. The knower of Brahman is recognised by being even in both: ‘na prahrishyet priyam prapya nodvijet prapya chapriyam’.

Three epithets occur: ‘sthira-buddhi’, whose intellect does not waver; ‘asammudha’, untouched by delusion; and ‘brahmavit’, who knows Brahman. They go together. Until Self-knowledge has settled, the waves of pleasant and unpleasant keep shaking the intellect. As knowledge becomes steady, their influence lessens.

According to Shankara, this verse describes the marks of the knower, by which other seekers can test their progress. Ramanuja calls it the disciplined state of the Self-knower. The comparison recalls the description of the steady-minded sage in Chapter 2 (2.55–2.58).

This does not mean he is emotionless. He accepts the pleasant naturally and bears the unpleasant patiently, but does not lose inner peace through them. His joy and peace do not depend on circumstances.

Context

Verse 5.19 praised the mind established in equanimity. Verse 5.20 gives the practical marks of that equanimity. In 5.21 the inner happiness of the same seeker is discussed.

Life lesson

The next time unpleasant news or a very welcome opportunity arrives, pause and see whether inner peace is still in place. That is the practice of steadiness.

Key terms

Sthira-buddhi: one whose intellect is steady
Asammudha: free from delusion
Brahmavit: knower of Brahman