Equilibrium in all things
The middle way between extremes. Balance in work and rest, attachment and detachment, action and reflection.
Yoga-sthah kuru karmani sangam tyaktva dhananjaya, siddhy-asiddhyoh samo bhutva samatvam yoga ucyate
Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.
Naty-ashnatas tu yogo 'sti na caikantam anashnatah, na cati-svapna-shilasya jagrato naiva carjuna
Yoga is not for one who eats too much or too little, nor for one who sleeps too much or too little, O Arjuna. The middle path of balanced living is the foundation of sustained yogic practice; extremes in any direction undermine the delicate inner work.
Yuktahara-viharasya yukta-cestasya karmasu, yukta-svapnavabodhasya yogo bhavati duhkha-ha
For one who is moderate in eating, recreation, working, sleeping, and waking, yoga destroys all sorrows.
Sukha-duhkhe same kritva labhalabhau jayajayau, tato yuddhaya yujyasva naivam papam avapsyasi
Fight for the sake of duty, treating alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin.
Raga-dvesha-vimuktais tu vishayan indriyaish caran atma-vashyair vidheyatma prasadam adhigacchati
But a person free from all attachment and aversion, able to control the senses through regulative principles of freedom, can obtain the full mercy of the Lord. One who engages with sense objects with controlled senses, free from attraction and repulsion, attains prasada — divine grace and serenity of mind.
Vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini, shuni caiva shvapake ca panditah sama-darshinah
The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater.
Ihaiva tair jitah sargo yesham samye sthitam manah, nirdosham hi samam brahma tasmad brahmani te sthitah
Even here in this world, those whose minds rest in equanimity have conquered birth; since Brahman is flawless and equal, they are established in Brahman. Equanimity of mind is not merely a virtue — it is the direct perception of Brahman's nature.
Jitatmanah prasantasya paramatma samahitah, shitoshna-sukha-duhkheshu tatha manapamanayoh
One who has conquered the mind has already reached the Supreme Self, for they have attained tranquility. To such a person, happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.
Jnana-vijnana-tripta-atma kutastho vijitendriyah, yukta ity ucyate yogi sama-loshta-ashma-kancanah
The yogi who is satisfied with knowledge and realization, who is steady and has conquered the senses, and who regards a clod of earth, a stone, and gold as equal — such a person is said to be in yoga. True contentment comes from Self-knowledge, making external objects utterly equal in worth.
Suhrn-mitraryudasina-madhyastha-dveshya-bandhuসhu, sadhushv api cha papeshu sama-buddhir vishishyate
Those who are of equal vision to friends, companions, enemies, strangers, mediators, the hateful, relatives, saints, and sinners, are considered to be most elevated.
Sarva-bhuta-stham atmanam sarva-bhutani chatmani, ikshate yoga-yuktatma sarvatra sama-darshanah
The yogis, who are united in consciousness, see the soul in all beings and all beings in the soul. They see the same in all.
Atmaupamyena sarvatra samam pashyati yo 'rjuna, sukham va yadi va duhkham sa yogi paramo matah
Those who see with equal vision their own self in all beings, and all beings in their own self, whether in happiness or in distress, are considered to be perfect yogis.
Samo 'ham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo 'sti na priyah, ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya mayi te teshu chapy aham
I am equal to all beings; none is hateful or dear to Me. But those who worship Me with devotion are in Me, and I am in them.
Adveshta sarva-bhutanam maitrah karuna eva cha, nirmamo nirahankarah sama-duhkha-sukhah kshami
One who is not envious but a kind friend to all living entities, free from proprietorship and false ego, equal in happiness and distress, forgiving.
Santushṭaḥ satataṁ yogī yatātmā dṛiḍha-niśhchayaḥ, mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
Ever content, steadfast in meditation, self-controlled, and of firm resolve, with mind and intellect offered to Me—such devotees are very dear to Me.
Asakta-buddhih sarvatra jitatma vigata-sprihah, naishkarmya-siddhim paramam sannyasenadhigacchati
Those whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who have mastered the self and are free from desires, attain through renunciation the supreme state of freedom from action.
Matra-sparshas tu kaunteya shitoshna-sukha-duhkha-dah, agamapayino 'nityas tams titikshasva bharata
O son of Kunti, the contact between the senses and sense objects gives rise to fleeting perceptions of happiness and distress. These are impermanent, and come and go like the winter and summer seasons. O descendant of Bharata, one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.
Yam hi na vyathayanty ete purusham purusharshabha, sama-duhkha-sukham dhiram so 'mritatvaya kalpate
O best among men, the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation.
Karmany akarma yah pashyed akarmani ca karma yah, sa buddhiman manushyeshu sa yuktah krtsna-karma-krt
One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among people. They are in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.
Yadriccha-labha-santushtho dvandvatito vimatsarah, samah siddhav asiddhau ca kritvapi na nibadhyate
Content with whatever comes of its own accord, free from duality, without envy, equal in success and failure — even while acting, such a person is not bound.
Read slowly and contemplate. Don't rush through these verses. Pick one that resonates and sit with it for a few minutes.
Return regularly. Ancient wisdom reveals itself gradually. Come back to these verses when you need them.
Apply to your situation. Consider how each teaching relates specifically to what you're experiencing right now.
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