Contributed By Dr Thimappa Hegde
Stitha Prajna
Verse 2.55
Arjuna uvāca
sthitaprajñasya kā bhāṣā samādhisthasya kēśava |
sthitadhīḥ kiṃ prabhāṣēta
kimāsīta vrajēta kim || 2.54 ||
śrībhagavānuvāca
prajahāti yadā kāmān
sarvān pārtha manōgatān |
ātmanyēva''tmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadōcyatē || 2.55
The Lord Answered – Oh Arjuna! satisfied in himself by himself, when one
gives up all the desires obtaining in the mind, then, he is said to be (a man) of
firm knowledge.
The Characteristics of a Sthita Prajñā
We need certain things to survive, but we require nothing external to be happy or secure.
The source of happiness is within us.
This knowledge needs to be integrated so that it becomes our nature.
If we can be firmly established in this knowledge, such a person is called sthita prajñā.
Stitha Prajna
Sadanani Indriyanigrahaha 58
Manonigrahaha 62,63
Nidhidyasanam 61
Lakshanani 56, 57, 70
FIR
1. Frequency
2. Intensity
•Mental
•Verbal
•Body
3. Recovery
Verse 2.58
Contributed by Dr. Srinivas Nooti
yadā saṃharatē cāyaṃ kūrmō'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ |
indriyāṇīndriyārthē'bhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā || 2.58 ||
Moreover, when he completely withdraws the sense organs from the sense
objects just as a tortoise (withdraws its) limbs, then, his knowledge (becomes)
firm.
ca Moreover, yadā ayam when he sarvaśaḥ saṁharatē
completely withdraws indriyāṇi the sense organs indriyārthebhyaḥ from the sense objects , iva kūrmaḥ just as a tortoise (withdraws) , aṅgāni (its) limbs , tadā then, , tasya his knowledge , prajña pratiṣṭitā (becomes) firm.
yadāsaṃharatēcāyaṃ kūrmō'ṅgānīvasarvaśaḥ |
indriyāṇīndriyārthē'bhyastasyaprajñāpratiṣṭhitā
•Regulating the sense organs is important for a seeker who has the intellectual knowledge but who is yet to gain the emotional strength
• He is a prajña who is yet to become a sthira-prajña
•When a prajña encounters a situation that raises the sense of his ego or provokes the emotions of desire, anger, attachment or fear (kāma-krodha-rāga-bhaya) in him, he should immediately avoid the situation
•Vali example
Contributed By Sri Vishwanath Belliappa
S T I T H A - P R A J N A - S A D H A N A N I - M A N O N I G R A H A H A
Verses 2.62 & 2.63
dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣū ’pajāyate
saṅgāt saṁjāyate kāma ḥ kāma t krodho ’bhijāyate 2.62
For a person who is constantly thinking of the sense objects, a fondness for them arises. From fondness, desire is born. From desire, anger comes.
krōdhad bhavati saṁmohaḥ saṁmohāt smṛtivibhramaḥ
smṛtibhraṁśād buddhināśo buddhināśāt praṇaśyati 2.63
From anger arises delusion. From delusion, the loss of memory. From loss of memory, the loss of discrimination. With the loss of discrimination he perishes.
dhyāyatōviṣayānpuṁsaḥ saṅgastēṣūpajāyatē |
saṅgātsañjāyatēkāmaḥ kāmātkrōdhō'bhijāyatē
puṃsaḥ For a person , dyāyataḥ who constantly dwells on, , viṣayān the sense-objects, saṅgaḥ a fancy , teṣu towards them , upajāyate arises , kāmaḥ sañjāyate desire is born , krodhaḥ abhijāyate anger arises.
Sense objects can still enter your mind and the mind dwells on it
•This tendency of the mind is called viṣaya dhyāna
•When a thought comes to mind, an intelligent and alert person nips it in the bud
• According to the Vedanta, the world is not the source of joy or sorrow
•The more one dwells upon it, the more one appreciates or detests it as a source of joy or sorrow
•Krishna calls that attachment (saṅga); one develops a fancy for the object when he dwells on it
It is a problem when the person feels that he is more complete with that object in his possession.
•This is so strong that one cannot let it go even after repeatedly hearing the teachings of the Vedanta.
• A thwarted desire becomes anger.
The summary of verse 62 is:
•Viṣaya dhyāna à Viṣaya sangaà Viṣaya kāma àKrodha
•Dwelling on an object Attachment> Desire >Anger
krōdhādbhavati sammōhaḥ sammōhāt smṛtivibhramaḥ|
smṛtibhraṁśād-buddhināśō buddhināśāt praṇaśyati || 2.63 ||
krodhād bhavati From anger arises, saṃmohaḥ delusion, smṛtivibhramaḥ the loss of memory
, buddhināśaḥ loss of discrimination , praṇaśyati he perishes
•When the mind is gripped by anger, one loses the discriminative power.
• Non-discrimination may give rise to temporary madness.
• The knowledge that one has acquired is temporarily lost because of loss of discrimination;
• All the things one has learned is not available for him at the time of crisis.
•With the sustained occurrence of this loss of knowledge, there will be a permanent loss of discrimination;
• This is the ladder of fall of eight rungs that begins with Viṣaya dhyāna; so one must master the mind.
Ladder of Fall
Viṣaya dhyāna (Dwelling on an object)
Viṣaya sanga (Attachment to the object)
Viṣaya kāma(Desire for the object)
Krodha(Anger because of thwarted desire)
Saṃmoha(Delusion – temporary loss of discrimination)
Smṛtivibhrama (Loss of knowledge)
Buddhināśa (Permanent loss of discrimination)
Praṇaś (Loss of (cease being) a human being)
Verse 2.61
Contributed By Dr. Sanjay Mehrotra
2nd Chapter verse 61
Introduction A Sthitha prjna – also means, that person who has assimilated the teaching!
What do mean by assimilation of teaching? – Converting the knowledge, understood at the Intellectual level into - emotional strength!!
Mind which is emotionally stable and not be swayed by Kamah, kordha, Lobhah, mohah, madah & Matsarya – this mind is now a Sthithiprajna mind!!
We have discussed it before – converting the knowledge obtained through Guru Shastra Updesha and its Assimilation is – Nidhidhyasana!!
How do the sense Organs become effected by Pramada?
•Sense organs are extremely powerful – despite being considered that you have controlled them – yataha api- if one becomes negligent- sense organs would drag you to an attraction which can become detrimental!!
Example of Sita being very much with Rama – who is brahmananda – the Maricha golden dear ( desire) attracted and lead to misery!
tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya yukta āsīta matparaḥ |
vaśē hi yasyēndriyāṇi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā || 2.61 ||
Having restrained all those (sense organs), the self-controlled should remain