sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ sama-loṣhṭāśhma-kāñchanaḥ
tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-sanstutiḥ
sama — alike;
duḥkha — distress;
sukhaḥ — happiness;
sva-sthaḥ — established in the self;
sama — equally;
loṣhṭa — a clod;
aśhma — stone;
kāñchanaḥ — gold;
tulya — of equal value;
priya — pleasant;
apriyaḥ — unpleasant;
dhīraḥ — steady;
tulya — the same;
nindā — blame;
ātma-sanstutiḥ — praise;
This verse talks about a special type of person who remains calm and stable, no matter what happens around them. Imagine someone who doesn’t get overly happy when things go well and doesn’t get overly sad when things go wrong. Instead of being affected by ups and downs, they stay centered and focused on who they truly are inside.
This person treats all things the same. For example, if you think about a piece of dirt, a stone, and gold, generally, we see gold as very valuable and dirt as worthless. But for this individual, all these things are equal. They don’t let material wealth or poverty affect how they feel or act. This shows they have a deeper understanding of life—knowing that real worth isn't about physical things.
They also don’t show favoritism. Whether someone is a close friend or a stranger, they treat everyone equally. This means they don’t get biased towards people they like; instead, they extend the same respect and kindness to everyone, even those who may not be friendly towards them.
Moreover, this person stays steady in their mind. When someone criticizes them or praises them, it doesn’t change how they feel deep down. They don’t get upset by bad comments nor get too proud from good comments. They recognize that such dualities—good or bad—are temporary and don’t define their true self.
By having this mindset, they rise above the everyday differences that can cause stress or chaos. They understand that life has ups and downs, but these do not impact their deeper sense of self. Instead, they keep their focus on their spiritual path, seeking connection with something much greater than just the material world.
In short, this verse teaches us to remain balanced and peaceful in our hearts regardless of external situations. It encourages us to realize that deep happiness comes from within rather than from what we possess or how others treat us.