Chapter 6, Verse 9 (Bhagavad Gita 6.9)
Chapter 6: Dhyān Yog – Path of Meditation
Sanskrit Shloka
सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु। साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते
Transliteration
suhṛin-mitrāryudāsīna-madhyastha-dveṣhya-bandhuṣhu sādhuṣhvapi cha pāpeṣhu sama-buddhir viśhiṣhyate
Word Meanings
su-hṛit—toward the well-wishers; mitra—friends; ari—enemies; udāsīna—neutral persons; madhya-stha—mediators; dveṣhya—the envious; bandhuṣhu—relatives; sādhuṣhu—pious; api—as well as; cha—and; pāpeṣhu—the sinners; sama-buddhiḥ—of impartial intellect; viśhiṣhyate—is distinguished
Translation
He who views with equal regard the well-wisher, the friend, the enemy, the indifferent, the neutral, the hateful, the relative, the righteous, and the unrighteous, is considered supreme.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse teaches the profound spiritual discipline of 'Samatva' or equanimity. It calls for a radical psychological shift where the seeker rises above the egoic projections of like and dislike that typically govern human relationships. By recognizing the same Divine essence in everyone—regardless of their external conduct or their attitude toward us—one transcends the duality of worldly attachments. This state of consciousness is not indifference, but a state of supreme love and wisdom that sees the underlying unity of existence. Practically, it grants the practitioner an unshakable inner peace that remains untouched by the shifting opinions and behaviors of others.