Chapter 2, Verse 56 (Bhagavad Gita 2.56)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः। वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते
Transliteration
duḥkheṣhv-anudvigna-manāḥ sukheṣhu vigata-spṛihaḥ vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ sthita-dhīr munir uchyate
Word Meanings
duḥkheṣhu—amidst miseries; anudvigna-manāḥ—one whose mind is undisturbed; sukheṣhu—in pleasure; vigata-spṛihaḥ—without craving; vīta—free from; rāga—attachment; bhaya—fear; krodhaḥ—anger; sthita-dhīḥ—enlightened person; muniḥ—a sage; uchyate—is called
Translation
He whose mind is undisturbed in adversity, who is devoid of desire for pleasures, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady wisdom.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse defines the sthitaprajna—the person of established wisdom—who remains emotionally resilient despite the volatile nature of external circumstances. By transcending the binary of pleasure and pain, the individual achieves a state of psychological equanimity that is not dependent on worldly validation. This inner stability is born from the realization that true joy comes from within, rather than from fleeting material objects. Practicing this detachment allows one to shed the shackles of ego-driven responses like fear and anger, leading to a state of profound peace. Ultimately, it teaches that liberation is not an escape from the world, but a transformation of how one perceives and interacts with it.