FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 2.57

यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य श‍ुभाश‍ुभम् । नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥ ५७ ॥
yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehas
[yah sarvatraanabhisnehas]
tat tat prāpya śubhāśubham
[tat tat praapya shubhaashubham]
nābhinandati na dveṣṭi
[naabhinandati na dveshti]
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
[tasya prajnaa pratishthitaa]
Word-for-word
yaḥ — one who sarvatra — everywhere anabhisnehaḥ — without affection tat — that tat — that prāpya — achieving śubha — good aśubham — evil na — never abhinandati — praises na — never dveṣṭi — envies tasya — his prajñā — perfect knowledge pratiṣṭhitā — fixed .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehas
yaḥ
one who
sarvatra
everywhere
anabhisnehaḥ
without affection
tat tat prāpya śubhāśubham
tat
that
tat
that
prāpya
achieving
śubha
good
aśubham
evil
nābhinandati na dveṣṭi
na
never
abhinandati
praises
na
never
dveṣṭi
envies
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
tasya
his
prajñā
perfect knowledge
pratiṣṭhitā
fixed .
Important Words
  • sarvatra — everywhere
    Adverbial — *in every place*. The disposition is general, not selective. It is not 'unaffected by *some* good and evil' but *by all*. The scope is total.
  • anabhisnehaḥ — without affectionate clinging
    A + abhi + sneha — *without sticky attachment*. Sneha is literally *oiliness* — the way attachment makes one stick. The sthita-prajña has no sneha-coating; nothing sticks to him as he passes.
  • śubha - aśubham — good and evil
    Compound — both *the auspicious and inauspicious*. Like sukha-duḥkha and lābha-alābha and jaya-ajaya, śubha-aśubha is another dual the chapter wants flattened.
  • abhinandati — rejoices
    Pra-√nand — to celebrate, to greet with joy. He does not abhinandati the good. The first half of the muni's symmetric non-reactivity.
  • dveṣṭi — hates
    From √dviṣ — to hate. He does not dveṣṭi the bad. The second half. Both reactions are absent — and prajñā pratiṣṭhitā precisely because they are absent.
In the material world, one who is unaffected by whatever good or evil he may obtain, neither praising it nor despising it, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
The sthita-prajña meets every outcome — favourable or unfavourable — without either celebration or hatred. Anabhi-sneha ('no clinging affection') replaces the usual reactive seesaw; that flat-line equanimity is itself the sign of wisdom.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Note the precision of yes/no verbs: nābhinandati / na dveṣṭi — neither welcomes nor pushes away. This is not numbness; it is equanimity. The phrase pratiṣṭhitā prajñā becomes a refrain in 2.58, 2.61, 2.68 — Kṛṣṇa marks each successive description of the sthita-prajña with the same closing formula.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
यः सर्वत्र अनभिस्नेहः, तत् तत् शुभ-अशुभम् प्राप्य न अभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि — तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ।
yaḥ sarvatra anabhisnehaḥ, tat tat śubha-aśubham prāpya na abhinandati na dveṣṭi — tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā |
He who is without affection toward anything anywhere — who, on meeting this or that good or evil, neither rejoices nor recoils — his wisdom is firmly established.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
यः सर्वत्र अनभिस्नेहः तत् तत् प्राप्य शुभ-अशुभम् । न अभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
yaḥ sarvatra anabhisnehaḥ tat tat prāpya śubha-aśubham | na abhinandati na dveṣṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
यः yaḥ यद् (rel.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. who
सर्वत्र sarvatra ind. (indeclinable), adv., 'everywhere' everywhere
अनभिस्नेहः anabhisnehaḥ अन् + अभिस्नेह (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound), 'without affection' without attachment
तत् तत् tat tat तद् (pron. (pronoun)) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n., distributive 'this or that' this or that
प्राप्य prāpya प्र+√आप् abs. (absolutive), 'having attained / met' having obtained
शुभ-अशुभम् śubha-aśubham शुभ + अशुभ (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n., dvandva cpd. (compound) good or evil
न अभिनन्दति na abhinandati अभि+√नन्द् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice), with न does not rejoice
न द्वेष्टि na dveṣṭi √द्विष् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice), with न does not hate
तस्य tasya तद् (pron. (pronoun)) gen.sg. (genitive singular)m. his
प्रज्ञा prajñā प्रज्ञा (f.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), 'wisdom' wisdom
प्रतिष्ठिता pratiṣṭhitā प्रति+√स्था p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)f., 'firmly established' established
Purport

There is always some upheaval in the material world which may be good or evil. One who is not agitated by such material upheavals, who is unaffected by good and evil, is to be understood to be fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As long as one is in the material world there is always the possibility of good and evil because this world is full of duality. But one who is fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not affected by good and evil, because he is simply concerned with Kṛṣṇa, who is all-good absolute. Such consciousness in Kṛṣṇa situates one in a perfect transcendental position called, technically, samādhi.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
57. He who has no motivated affections at all, who does not rejoice on attaining good fortune or curse on attaining misfortune, is situated in prajñā.
Commentary

That person is without affections which are subject to material conditions (anabhisneha). Unconditional affection out of mercifulness however should remain to some degree. He is fixed in those qualities. On receiving something favorable to himself (śubham), through respect or feeding for instance, he does not approve, and receiving disrespect (aśubham), such as a punch from someone’s fist, he does not disapprove. He does not say, “Oh, you are so religious, serving a great devotee. I bless you with happiness.” Nor does he curse the disrespectful person saying, “Go to hell, you sinful creature.” He is prajñā pratiṣṭhitā, situated in samādhi (samādhim pratiṣṭhita), or well situated in prajñā or samādhi.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
57. He who has no motivated affections at all, who does not rejoice on attaining good fortune or curse on attaining misfortune, is situated in prajña.
Commentary

He is devoid of specific affection (anabhisnehaḥ) for any living entities (sarvatra). However, since he has the quality of compassion, he has a little general affection. Receiving favorable items such as fine offerings of food, garlands or sandalwood (subha), he does not rejoice, praising others with words like “You are very righteous. May you live long!” Nor does he show hatred when receiving unfavorable items, such as being disrespected or hit with a stick (aśubham). He does not curse, saying “You are a vile sinner. May you die!” He is a sthita prajña (tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā). This verse shows the quality of the sthita prajña by indicating what he does not speak. (The first half of the previous verse showed what he would speak.)

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

He is fixed, he is equal he is completely aloof and detached from the material world. In other words, he is on the transcendental platform. Note that this is a negative way of describing someone who is in Krsna consciousness, therefore we can also describe someone who is simply liberated. Because someone in Krsna‑loka is also unaffected by what material good or evil he may obtain‑ he doesn't have to do anything with these things; but he is active, acting on the transcendental platform for Krsna. But one who is just liberated in Brahman he is also neutral when in relation with the material world, but he has not any positive spiritual activities. But these symptoms are good for both ‑ they are just symptoms of one on the transcendental platform: "how does he walk?" Now in Texts 58 and 59 ,

[ 4a. How does he sit? (What is his mentality when his senses are restrained from their objects?) Such a person remains fixed in transcendental consciousness by virtue of his higher taste for the service of Krsna. (58‑59) ]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study Key verse
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Answers to second question – How does he speak?

This question implies: “How the intelligence and words respond to affection, anger and neutrality”
This is answered as follows: 1. Equipoised in happiness and distress (2.56) 2. Free from attachment, fear and anger (2.56) Because 3. Unaffected by good & evil and firmly fixed in perfect knowledge (2.57)
Focus of Learning

(a) How does one give up all material desires

One does not give them up artificially
But by complete engagement in Krishna Consciousness as eternal servitor
Ref. SB 5.18.12 – Without Krishna consciousness one is sure to take shelter of mental concoctions and has no good qualities

(b) How one finds satisfaction in the self alone

By realizing eternal servitorship to the Supreme Lord
He has no sense desires from petty materialism

(c) Related Analogies to illustrate the above two points (Ref. 2.60 purport)

Analogy for complete satisfaction: “Satisfied Hunger” (2.60 purport)
E.g. “Yamunacarya and Ambarisa Maharaja” (2.60 purport) – By Krishna consciousness one is free from all material desires and all good qualities manifest

(a) Importance of the word ‘symptom’ – There are symptoms of rich man/ diseased man / learned

man, similarly symptoms of a self-realized soul are addressed here

(b) Most important symptom is how he speaks – Speech is the most important quality of any man

(c) Immediate symptom of a Krishna conscious man – He speaks only of Krishna or of matters

relating to Him

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
2.57 Further, prajna, the wisdom; tasya, of that person, fo that sannyasin; pratisthita, remains established; yah, who; anabhi-snehah, has no attachment for; sarvatra, anything anywhere, even for body, life, etc.; who na abhinanadati, neither welcomes; na dvesti, nor rejects; tat tat, anything whatever; subha-asubham, good or bad; propya, when he comes across it, i.e. who does not rejoice on meeting with the good, nor reject the bad on meeting with it. Of such a person, who is thus free from elation or dejection, the wisdom arising from discrimination remains established.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
2.57 He, who, has no love for all pleasing objects, i.e., who is indifferent to them, and who does not feel attraction or repulsion when he is united with or separated from attractive or repulsive objects respectively, who neither rejoices at the former, nor hates the latter - he also is of firm wisdom. Sri Krsna now mentions the next lower state.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
2.57 Yah sarvatra etc. There is no joy or sorrow in him while meeting the good or the bad.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
2.57 He who is everywhere without attachment, on meeting with anything good or bad, who neither rejoices not hastes, his wisdom is fixed.
Commentary

2.57 यः he who? सर्वत्र everywhere? अनभिस्नेहः without attachment? तत् that? तत् that? प्राप्य having obtained? शुभाशुभम् good and evil? न not? अभिनन्दति rejoices? न not? द्वेष्टि hates? तस्य of him? प्रज्ञा wisdom? प्रतिष्ठिता is fixed.Commentary The sage possesses poised understanding or evenness of mind. He does not rejoice in pleasure nor is he averse to pain that may befall him. He is ite indifferent as he is rooted in the Self. He has no attachment even for his life or body as he identifies himself with Brahman or the Supreme Self. He will not praise anybody when the latter does any good to him nor censure anyone when one does him any harm. This is the answer given by the Lord to Arjunas ery How does a sage of steady wisdom talk

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
2.57 The wisdom of that person remains established who has not attachment for anything anywhere, who neither welcomes nor rejects anything whatever good or bad when he comes across it.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
2.57 He who wherever he goes is attached to no person and to no place by ties of flesh; who accepts good and evil alike, neither welcoming the one nor shrinking from the other - take him to be one who is merged in the Infinite.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Arjava (Simplicity / Straightforwardness)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 12.17 BG 14.22-25 BG 18.10 SB 1.5.20 SB 3.29.16 SB 11.29.16 CC Ādi 7.111 CC Madhya 8.241 CC Antya 20.21 Īśa Upaniṣad 6 BRS 1.2.247
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Without attachment in any direction, neither rejoicing in good nor lamenting in evil — such a person is fixed in perfect knowledge.
Practical Applications
  • Notice one piece of news today that you neither celebrate nor mourn — practice that posture more often.
  • Withhold judgment on events until enough time has passed to see their dharmic shape.
  • Free yourself from the cycle of celebration and lamentation in the inner life.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I addicted to celebration or lamentation as a form of identity?
  • How would 'no rejoicing, no lamenting' change my information diet?
Analogy

A mirror reflects the rose and the thorn without preference or distortion — and is unchanged by either. The sthita-prajña is this mirror in conduct: śubha and aśubha pass over him with neither nandana (rejoicing) nor dveṣa (repulsion). The reflection is true; the mirror is unmoved.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 2