The wise, endowed with wisdom, abandon the fruits of action and, freed from the cycle of birth, attain a state beyond all suffering.
Those who act with wisdom, renouncing the fruits of their actions, are freed from the bonds of karma and attain the state of liberation. Krishna highlights that wisdom leads to the end of the cycle of birth and death. This teaching motivates Arjuna to act selflessly, aiming for spiritual freedom rather than worldly gains.
When your mind crosses the illusion of dualities, you will develop dispassion for all that you have heard and will hear.
When Arjuna’s mind crosses the mire of delusion, he will develop dispassion towards what he has heard and will hear. Krishna indicates that true wisdom will help Arjuna see beyond the dualities of life, allowing him to be unmoved by praise or criticism. This state of detachment is essential for attaining inner peace and self-realization.
When your mind remains unshaken amidst conflicting teachings and is firmly established in the self, you will attain the state of Yoga.
Krishna advises that when Arjuna’s mind is no longer confused by conflicting teachings and is firmly established in meditation, he will achieve Yoga. This state of unwavering concentration on the self is essential for true spiritual awakening, helping Arjuna overcome his confusion and understand his true nature.
Arjuna asks Krishna how a person with steady wisdom speaks, sits, and walks, desiring to understand the characteristics of a steadfast person.
Arjuna asks Krishna to describe the characteristics of a person whose wisdom is steady and who is absorbed in self-realization. He seeks to know how such a person speaks, sits, and moves, indicating his desire to understand the external and internal qualities of an enlightened being, which would serve as a model for his own behavior.
Krishna explains that when one completely gives up all desires of the mind and is content in the self, then one is said to be of steady wisdom.
Krishna explains that when one gives up all desires of the mind and is content in the self alone, such a person is said to be of steady wisdom. This teaching introduces the idea that true happiness and satisfaction come from within, not from external objects. It encourages Arjuna to seek contentment in his own self rather than in worldly pursuits.
The person whose mind is unperturbed in sorrow, who has no desire for joy, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger is called a sage of steady wisdom.
The one who remains unperturbed in sorrow and free from desire in joy, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is a sage of steady wisdom. Krishna emphasizes emotional balance and inner tranquility as signs of a realized soul, encouraging Arjuna to cultivate these qualities and rise above fleeting emotions and desires.
He who is free from attachment, who does not rejoice in good or lament in evil, has attained a steady state of wisdom.
One who is free from attachment and does not rejoice in good fortune or lament in adversity has attained steady wisdom. Krishna teaches that equanimity in all circumstances is essential for spiritual growth. By remaining unattached to outcomes, one can maintain inner peace and wisdom, regardless of external circumstances.