स्थित प्रज्ञ Steady Wisdom

The Bhagwad Gita

Chapter 2 (2)

Sanjay Mehta

One of the hallmarks of the Bhagwad Gita’s teachings is the philosophy of “Sthita Pragya” (Steady Wisdom or State of Mind).  When our mind is unstable, it experiences frustration, agitation, stress, nervousness etc.  Arjun was in such a state of mind just before Mahabharata.  He was confused, disillusioned, and deviated from his goal.  Through his discourse Bhagwan Krishna helped Arjun regain his wisdom, confidence, and commitment to his duty (Swa-dharma).

We all must perform actions (Karma) at various stages and roles in our life, as a student, sportsman, professional, and as a householder.  Our goal is to perform these actions with perfection.  The foremost requirement of ‘perfection’ in action is to have a steady mind/wisdom.

Bhagwan explained the origin of ‘agitation in mind’ or how ‘wisdom becomes unsteady’ to Arjun.

क्रोधात्वभवति सम्मोहः सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः;
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति || ६३ ||

Krodhatbhavati sammohah sammohatsmritivibhramah
Smritibrhanshaad buddhinasho buddhinashatpranashyati ||63||

• Continuous thinking of objects/personal possessions generates an attachment to these objects – Vishaya Dhyaan
• From attachment, an undesirable wish is born – Kama (sanga)
• When this desire is not fulfilled, anger/agitation arises – Krodha
• From anger, there arises deception (misunderstanding) – Sammoha
• Deception turns into loss of memory – Smriti-bhramsha
• Form loss of memory, one loses power of judgement (Buddhi) of good or bad – Buddhi-Naash
• From loss of judgement, one loses awareness and perishes/disintegrates – Patan

Bhagwan then teaches Arjun how to become a person of steady wisdom and what happens after that:

रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रिययैश्चरनः ;
आत्मवशैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति || ६४ ||

Raagadwesha viyuktaistu vishayaanindriyaishcharanah
Aatmavashyair vidheyaatmaa prasaadmadhigachchhati ||64||

• Have self-control while living with all materialistic objects – Atma-vashyaih
• Remain free from attraction and repulsion (pair of opposites) — Raag-Dvesh Viyukt
• Such a person attains peace and happiness because his mind/wisdom is steady – Prasaadam

Essence

Image Credit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Krishna_tells_Gita_to_Arjuna.jpg