Chapter 14, Verse 24 (Bhagavad Gita 14.24)
Chapter 14: Guṇa Traya Vibhāg Yog – Yoga through Understanding the Three Modes of Material Nature
Sanskrit Shloka
समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः।तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः
Transliteration
sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ sama-loṣhṭāśhma-kāñchanaḥ tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-sanstutiḥ
Word Meanings
sama—alike; duḥkha—distress; sukhaḥ—happiness; sva-sthaḥ—established in the self; sama—equally; loṣhṭa—a clod; aśhma—stone; kāñchanaḥ—gold; tulya—of equal value; priya—pleasant; apriyaḥ—unpleasant; dhīraḥ—steady; tulya—the same; nindā—blame; ātma-sanstutiḥ—praise;
Translation
He who is alike in pleasure and pain, who is established in the Self, to whom a clod of earth, a stone, and gold are the same, who is equal to the dear and the unfriendly, who is firm, and to whom censure and praise are the same.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound revelation on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Bhagwan Shri Krishna defines the state of a sthitaprajna, a soul liberated from the dualities of the material world. By transcending the value judgments imposed by the senses, such a devotee realizes that everything in creation is an expansion of the Supreme Lord’s energy. Shri Krishna teaches that true spiritual stability is found only when the heart rests in the eternal Self, untouched by the fluctuations of worldly honor or disgrace. Through this detachment, the seeker attains the supreme grace of Bhagwan Shri Krishna, moving beyond the three modes of nature to find eternal peace in His divine shelter.