One who does not rejoice at the pleasant, and does not shrink from the unpleasant, is steady in understanding, free from delusion, and established in the supreme reality.
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 5.20
Hindi · हिन्दी
जो प्रियको प्राप्त होकर हर्षित न हो और अप्रियको प्राप्त होकर उद्विग्न न हो, वह स्थिर बुद्धिवाला, मूढ़तारहित तथा ब्रह्मको जाननेवाला मनुष्य ब्रह्ममें स्थित है ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
नnotप्रहृष्येत्should rejoiceप्रियंthe pleasantप्राप्यhaving obtainedनnotउद्विजेत्should be disturbedप्राप्यhaving obtainedचandअप्रियम्the unpleasantस्थिरबुद्धिःsteady in understandingअसम्मूढःundeludedब्रह्मविद्knower of the supreme realityब्रह्मणिin the supreme realityस्थितःestablished
Read literallynot · should rejoice · the pleasant · having obtained · not · should be disturbed · having obtained · and · the unpleasant · steady in understanding · undeluded · knower of the supreme reality · in the supreme reality · established
Understanding the verse
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Neither elated by the pleasant nor shaken by the unpleasant, the steady knower of Brahman stays free of delusion.
A person who stays calm in both good and bad situations has clear understanding and lives in the supreme reality.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
With Arjuna frozen between duty and grief, Krishna deepens his teaching on inner balance. He says the one who is not tossed by gain or loss, pleasure or pain, has clear understanding and stands firm in the supreme reality.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
A man gets a promotion letter on Monday and news of his mother's diagnosis on Friday. Krishna describes someone who neither leaps at the first nor collapses at the second, steady enough to do what both require.
The takeaway
“You do not have to be pushed around by every gain or loss.”
Explore related themes: buddhi(26 verses), samatva(13 verses)
Common questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 5.20 mean?
A person who stays calm in both good and bad situations has clear understanding and lives in the supreme reality.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 5.20?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Karma Sanyasa Yoga" (The Yoga of Renunciation).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 5.20?
Verse 20 sits in Chapter 5 of the Bhagavad Gita — Karma Sanyasa Yoga, "The Yoga of Renunciation". The chapter has 29 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 5.20 matter today?
A man gets a promotion letter on Monday and news of his mother's diagnosis on Friday. Krishna describes someone who neither leaps at the first nor collapses at the second, steady enough to do what both require.
Neither elated by the pleasant nor shaken by the unpleasant, the steady knower of Brahman stays free of delusion.
What this verse means
A person who stays calm in both good and bad situations has clear understanding and lives in the supreme reality.
Context & commentary
With Arjuna frozen between duty and grief, Krishna deepens his teaching on inner balance. He says the one who is not tossed by gain or loss, pleasure or pain, has clear understanding and stands firm in the supreme reality.
What it looks like today
A man gets a promotion letter on Monday and news of his mother's diagnosis on Friday. Krishna describes someone who neither leaps at the first nor collapses at the second, steady enough to do what both require.
“You do not have to be pushed around by every gain or loss.”
Explore related themes: buddhi (26 verses), samatva (13 verses)