यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ | समदु:खसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते || 15 || |
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“O Arjuna, he who is unruffled by the contact of the senses with matter, who is calm and even- minded during pain and pleasure, he is ordained by the gods to attain the heavenly kingdom”
Commentary
The basic principle of creation is duality. Attachment to sense pleasure or aversion to pain both destroy the equilibrium of the inner nature. These psychological twins, man’s feelings of pleasure and sorrow, have a common father: they spring from desire. Fulfilled desire is pleasure and contradicted desire is pain or sorrow. They are inseparable.
The saints have found that happiness lies in a constant mental state of unruffled peace during all the experiences of earthly dualities. A changeable mind perceives a changeable creation and is easily disturbed; the unchangeable soul and the unruffled mind, on the other hand, behold, behind the masks of change, the Eternal Spirit.