यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ। समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते
The person described as 'fit for immortality' is the one who remains undisturbed by pain and pleasure, and whose mind is steady despite sensory contacts. This individual perceives happiness and sorrow equally and is not shaken by the changing conditions of life.
These verses offer a spiritual view of the enduring self. In a period of loss or change, you can consider that perspective without demanding that grief disappear or neglecting care for your body.
Go deeper into this verse
What does the phrase 'pain and pleasure are the same' imply about the wise person in this teaching on Arjuna?
The phrase means that the wise person maintains equanimity, not getting elated by pleasure or depressed by pain. Such balance allows them to act with clarity and avoid the emotional extremes that disturb the mind, which is essential for spiritual progress.
How does being 'not disturbed by the contacts of the senses and their objects' contribute to the person's qualification for immortality?
When a person is not disturbed by sensory contacts, they transcend the temporary fluctuations of the external world. This detachment fosters inner peace and steadiness, qualities that align the individual with the eternal nature of the soul, making them fit for immortality.
In Chapter 2, Verse 15, what is the significance of 'immortality' in the context of this teaching on Arjuna?
Immortality here refers to the spiritual liberation or eternal existence of the soul beyond physical birth and death. It signifies freedom from the cycle of suffering caused by attachment and aversion, achieved through steady wisdom and equanimity.
Why does the verse call the person who sees 'pain and pleasure as the same' the 'best among men' or 'purusha-ṛṣabha'?
This title honors the individual's supreme mental discipline and detachment. By transcending dualities like pleasure and pain, they exemplify the highest human potential for self-mastery and spiritual realization. Such a person embodies the ideal state of steady wisdom and is thus considered the best among men.
The man whom these torment not, O chief of men, balanced in pain and pleasure, steadfast, he is fitted for immortality.