Muni's PlaySituational Awareness - Sthitaprajna
The Sthitaprajna (Sanskrit: स्थितप्रज्ञ) is the ideal of a person whose wisdom is firm and whose mind is steady, undisturbed by the dualities of life. This description occurs in the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, following Arjuna’s question about how such a person lives, speaks, and acts.
1. Arjuna’s Question
Arjuna asks for the defining characteristics of one who is established in steady wisdom.
Sanskrit (Verse 2.54)
अर्जुन उवाच
स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव।
स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम्।।2.54।।
Transliteration
arjuna uvācha
sthita-prajñasya kā bhāṣhā samādhi-sthasya keśhava
sthita-dhīḥ kiṁ prabhāṣheta kim āsīta vrajeta kim
English Translation
Arjuna said, “O Krishna, what is the description of one who has steady wisdom and is merged in the superconscious state? How does one of steady wisdom speak, how do they sit, and how do they walk?“
2. Defining Characteristics
Krishna defines the Sthitaprajna as one who is satisfied in the Self and free from the compulsions of desire.
2.1. Inner Satisfaction
Sanskrit (Verse 2.55)
श्री भगवानुवाच
प्रजहाति यदा कामान् सर्वान् पार्थ मनोगतान्।
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते।।2.55।।
Transliteration
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān
ātmany-evātmanā tuṣhṭaḥ sthita-prajñas tadochyate
English Translation
The Blessed Lord said, “When a man completely casts off, O Arjuna, all the desires of the mind and is satisfied in the Self by the Self, then he is said to be one of steady wisdom.”
2.2. Freedom from Disturbance
Sanskrit (Verse 2.56)
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः।
वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते।।2.56।।
Transliteration
duḥkheṣhv-anudvigna-manāḥ sukheṣhu vigata-spṛihaḥ
vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ sthita-dhīr munir uchyate
English Translation
He whose mind is not shaken by adversity, who does not long for pleasures, and is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady wisdom.
3. Mastery of the Senses
A person of steady wisdom is defined by their ability to withdraw their senses from their objects.
3.1. The Tortoise Metaphor
Sanskrit (Verse 2.58)
यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता।।2.58।।
Transliteration
yadā sanharate chāyaṁ kūrmो ’ṅgānīva sarvaśhaḥ
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā
English Translation
When, like the tortoise which withdraws all its limbs on all sides, he withdraws his senses from the sense-objects, then his wisdom becomes steady.
4. The Ladder of Fall (The Path of Degradation)
Krishna warns that even a wise person’s mind can be carried away if the senses are not controlled. He describes the sequential decline of the intellect.
Sanskrit (Verses 2.62-2.63)
ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते।
सङ्गात् संजायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते।।2.62।।
क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः।
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति।।2.63।।
Transliteration
dhyāyato viṣhayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣhūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛiti-vibhramaḥ
smṛiti-bhranśhād buddhi-nāśho buddhi-nāśhāt praṇaśhyati
English Translation
When one thinks of objects, attachment to them arises; from attachment, desire is born; from desire, anger arises. Anger leads to delusion, which causes loss of memory; this, in turn, leads to the destruction of discrimination, resulting in destruction.
5. Attaining Peace (Prasada)
Peace is attained not through forceful suppression, but through self-control and detachment.
Sanskrit (Verse 2.64)
रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन्।
आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति।।2.64।।
Transliteration
rāga-dveṣha-viyuktais tu viṣhayān indriyaiśh charan
ātma-vaśhyair-vidheyātmā prasādam adhigachchhati
English Translation
But the self-controlled man, moving among objects with the senses restrained and free from attachment and repulsion, attains peace.
6. The Final Goal: Brahmi Sthiti
The culmination of steady wisdom is the eternal state of oneness with the Divine.
Sanskrit (Verse 2.72)
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति।
स्थित्वाऽस्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति।।2.72।।
Transliteration
eṣhā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha naināṁ prāpya vimuhyati
sthitvāsyām anta-kāle ’pi brahma-nirvāṇam ṛichchhati
English Translation
O son of Pritha, this is the eternal state, the Brahmic seat. Attaining this, one is not deluded. Being established in it, one attains oneness with Brahman even at the end of life.
Source: Gita Chapter 2