Chapter 2, Verse 55 (Bhagavad Gita 2.55)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
श्री भगवानुवाच प्रजहाति यदा कामान् सर्वान् पार्थ मनोगतान्। आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते
Transliteration
śhrī bhagavān uvācha prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān ātmany-evātmanā tuṣhṭaḥ sthita-prajñas tadochyate
Word Meanings
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—The Supreme Lord said; prajahāti—discards; yadā—when; kāmān—selfish desires; sarvān—all; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; manaḥ-gatān—of the mind; ātmani—of the self; eva—only; ātmanā—by the purified mind; tuṣhṭaḥ—satisfied; sthita-prajñaḥ—one with steady intellect; tadā—at that time; uchyate—is said
Translation
The Blessed Lord said, 'O Partha, when a man completely casts off all desires of the mind and finds satisfaction in the Self by the Self, he is then said to be one of steady wisdom.'
Meaning & Commentary
This verse reveals the pinnacle of spiritual evolution, where the seeker ceases to look outward for fulfillment. By withdrawing the mind from the endless cycle of craving, the individual undergoes a profound inner shift, shifting their identity from the ego to the eternal Soul. True stability of wisdom is not merely intellectual; it is an experiential state where one remains unshaken by external circumstances because their joy is self-existent and independent. This realization teaches us that lasting peace is found when we stop seeking completion in the material world and instead recognize the divinity already present within our own consciousness.