Illustration for Bhagavad Gita chapter 14 verse 24
Chapter 14 · Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga

Beyond Praise and Blame · Freedom from Being Pulled

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः । तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ॥

sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthaḥ sama-loṣṭāśma-kāñcanaḥ tulya-priyāpriyo dhīras tulya-nindātma-saṁstutiḥ

Meaning

"Equal in pleasure and pain, dwelling in the self, regarding a clod, a stone, and gold alike, wise and steady amid the pleasant and unpleasant, alike in praise and blame—"

Explanation

Treating a lump of clay and a piece of gold with the same regard sounds extreme, but the point is freedom from being pulled around by what the world calls valuable or worthless.

Today's Life Lesson

Notice today how much praise or criticism pulls at you, and practice letting your sense of worth rest somewhere steadier.

More verses to reflect on