Bhagavad Gita 2.56
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः। वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते॥
duḥkheṣv anudvigna-manāḥ sukheṣu vigata-spṛhaḥ | vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ sthita-dhīr munir ucyate ||
“One whose mind is unshaken in distress, who is free from craving in pleasure, and from whom attachment, fear, and anger have departed, that one is called a sage of steady wisdom.”- equanimity
- anxiety
- fear
- anger
- suffering
What this verse is about
This verse speaks to a mind that stays steady through pleasure and pain, anxiety about outcomes and what is yet to come, and fear, especially of things we cannot fully control.
✦ Contemplation
Steady does not mean feeling less. It means feeling fully without being taken over.
✦ A small practice
When something shakes you today, name the feeling out loud. See what changes.
Chapter 2
The Yoga of KnowledgeSāṅkhya Yoga
Krishna introduces the deathless Self, the duty of action, and the ideal of a mind that stays steady through pleasure and pain.
Dilemmas this verse speaks to
Questions real people carry that this verse has something to say about.
Should I Quit My Job? A Bhagavad Gita Perspective on Work, Dread, and Purpose
The salary feels like a reason to stay. The dread feels like a reason to leave.
Read reflection ›
What should I do when I feel confused about my career?
You’re not stuck, you’re just unclear.
Read reflection ›
Why do I get angry so easily over small things?
The reaction feels bigger than the situation.
Read reflection ›
Sit with this verse a little longer.
Ask Dharma how this verse might land in your own life, and receive a calm, verse-grounded reflection.
Ask Dharma about 2.56