Equanimity: What it is?
The theme of equality of vision or even-mindedness or equanimity is emphasized at several places in the Gita. A few illustrations are discussed here.
vidyaavinaya sampanne braahmane gavi hastini
shuni chaiva shvapaake cha panditaah samadarshinah || (5.18)
The wise person regards all beings alike, be it a brahmana who is full of wisdom and humility or an outcaste, a cow, an elephant or a dog.
This is one of the most popular verses of the Gita suggesting Sama Darshan towards all beings.
A matured person is not egoistic. He perceives the same one God in diverse entities. The use of the words high-caste, low-caste and animals emphasizes that the indweller, of an awakened person as also of a lowly one and the animals is basically the same. The physical diversities need not hide from us the Reality which is common to all beings. This view enables us to look upon our fellow beings with compassion and helpfulness.
When a man perceives one ultimate Reality in all diverse beings and situations, he does not expect that people should behave in a particular way. He faces even difficult situations with a relaxed life style.
The wise sees divinity everywhere and finds no distinction in the world of names and forms just like the ocean makes no difference between one wave and the other. As the purity of sun’s rays are not vitiated although they fall equally on the sacred river Ganga or a dirty drainage the wise has a homogenous view of life unaffected by the three Gunas of Prakriti.
This does not mean that there are no differences between one being and another; differences and inequalities are in built in all beings and things by their very origin and nature. What is implied here is equal attitude towards all living beings, be they high or low or animals. It is like our having different dealings with different parts of our body and yet caring for them equally.
The wise, although, has different dealings with different beings according to differences in their nature, interest, capacity, understanding etc., they behold The Lord pervading in all of them and hence loves and serves them equally without any attachment or aversion towards anybody. Sankara declares ‘A man should be non-dual in feelings, rather than in dealings’.
Life will be certainly more fulfilling, if we can live with the constant awareness of ourselves in others and others in us. We need to shift the focus from ourselves to others.
Equanimity: Practical Implementation
The principle of equanimity is easier said than done. However one can try it for one’s own spiritual evolution. Here are a few guidelines.
yogasthah kuru karmani sangam tyaktwaa dhananjaya
siddhyasiddhyoh samo bhootwaa samatwam yoga uchyate ||(2.48)
Fixed in Yoga, O Arjuna, do your work, forsaking selfish desires, being even minded in success and failure. Such equanimity (of mind) is called Yoga.
While explaining this verse Sankara says ‘O Dhananjaya, being established in Yoga perform actions only for God without even having the desire to please Him. Knowledge gained by purification of mind as a result of the desireless (without desire for fruits) actions is called ‘Siddhi’ (Success) and whatever is contrary to it (lack of knowledge) is ‘Asiddhi’ (Failure). Perform actions being even-minded amidst success and failure. This evenness of mind or equanimity is called ‘Yoga’.
Equanimity is of two kinds - of the mind and of the self. To remain even, in favorable and unfavorable circumstances, without having any attachment or aversion, is equanimity of mind, while equanimity of the self is union with God or Self-Realization
jnaana vijnaana triptaatmaa kootastho vijitendriyah
yuktah ityuchyate yogee samaloshtaashmakaanchanah || (6.08)
suhrinmitraaryudaaseena madhyastha dweshya bandhushu
saadhushwapi cha paapeshu samabuddhirvishishyate ||(6.09)
A man whose mind is contended through wisdom and experience (equanimity), which has triumphed over the senses, to which a lump of earth and a bar of gold are alike, he is said to have attained Self-Realisation.
He is distinguished who is equal minded towards companions, friends and foes, towards the unconcerned, the mediator, or the jealous, and also towards relatives, sinners and saints.
sankalpaprabhavaan kaamaanstyaktwaa sarvaan asheshatah
manasaivendriyagraamam viniyamya samantatah ||(6.24)
shanaih shanairuparamed budddhyaa dhritigriheetayaa
aatmasamstham manah kritwaa na kinchidapi chintayet ||. (6.25)
Relinquishing completely all desires born of selfish motives, restraining all the senses from every side, let him, step by step, attain tranquility by means of a steady intellect with his mind fixed on his inner Self, and not thinking of anything else.
In these verses Lord Krishna explains that Yoga or Equanimity can be obtained by meditation on God who is attributeless and formless.
sarvabhootasthamaatmaanam sarvabhotani chaatmani
eekshate yogayuktaatma sarvatra samadarshanah ||(6.29)
He who is accomplished in Yoga sees the same divinity everywhere. He sees the Self residing in all beings and all beings as residing in the Self.
aatmaupamyena sarvatra samam pashyati yo'rjuna
sukham vaa yadi vaa duhkham sa yogee paramo matah ||(6.32)
He who sees everything with an even vision in the image of his own Self, be it pleasure or pain, he, in My view, is the highest Yogi, O Arjuna.
A person of equanimous mind sees the same divinity in all just as toys made out of sugar are nothing but sugar although they are of different shapes and colors. An ordinary person regards the injury to any of his limbs as his own because his vision is restricted to his body only. But a person of balanced-mind (Yogi) regards others as his own Self and thinks of their injuries or harm as his own harm and thereby attains infinite Bliss within himself.
adweshtaa sarvabhootaanaam maitrah karuna eva cha
nirmamo nirahankaarah samaduhkhasukhah kshamee ||(12.13)
santushtah satatam yogee yataatmaa dridhanishchayah
mayyarpitamanobuddhiryo madbhaktah sa me priyah ||(12.14)
One who does not hate any creature, who is friendly and compassionate, free from the notion of "I" and "my", even-minded in pain and pleasure, forgiving; and who is ever contented, who has subdued his mind, whose resolve is firm, whose mind and intellect are engaged in dwelling upon Me, who is devoted to Me, is dear to Me.
anapekshah suchirdaksha udaaseeno gatavyathah
sarvaarambhaparityaagee yo madbhaktah sa me priyah ||(12.16)
The one by whom others are not agitated and who is not agitated by others, One who is desireless, pure, wise, impartial, and free from anxiety; who has renounced the doership in all undertakings; such a devotee is dear to Me.
yona hrishyati na dweshti na shoochati na kaangkshati
shubhaashubhaparityaagee bhaktimaan yah sa me priyah ||(12.17)
He who neither rejoices nor hates nor grieves, nor desires, who does not differentiate between fortunate and unfortunate happenings, full of devotion, he is dear to Me.
samah shatrau cha mitre cha tathaa maanaapamaanayoh
sheetoshnasukhaduhkheshu samah sangavivarjitah ||(12.18)
tulyanindaastutirmaunee santushto yena kenachit
aniketah sthiramatirbhaktimaan me priyo narah ||(12.19)
The one who behaves alike towards friend or foe, in honour or dishonour, in heat or cold, in pleasure or pain; who is free from all attachments; who is indifferent to censure or praise; who is restrained in speech, and content with whatever he has; unattached to any place or a thing; who is equanimous, and full of devotion - that person is dear to Me.
The Lord described in the foregoing verses the essential qualities of an equanimous person who has attained perfection. When we can identify the pain and pleasure of every other being as our own, when ‘I’ and ‘Mine’ are relegated to the background, life becomes a pleasant journey from ‘I’ to ‘We’.
indriyaartheshu vairaagyamanahankaara eva cha
janma mrityu jaraa vyaadhi duhkha doshaanu darshanam ||(13.09)
asaktiranabhishwangah putradaaragrihaadishu
nityam cha samachittatwam ishtaanishtopapattishu ||(13.10)
mayi chaananyayogena bhaktiravyabhichaarinee
viviktadesha sevitwam aratir janasamsadi ||(13.11)
adhyaatma jnaana nityatwam tattwa jnaanaartha darshanam
etajjnaanamiti proktam ajnaanam yadatonyathaa ||(13.12 )
Dispassion towards the objects of senses and absence of egoism; constant perception of evil and misery in birth, death, and old age and disease; non-attachment, non-identification of the self with son, wife and home and the like and equanimity in all desirable and undesirable happenings; unswerving devotion to Me with whole hearted discipline, introspection in solitary places, dislike for crowds, constant pursuit of Self-Knowledge, insight into the purpose of true knowledge; all these are declared to be knowledge and what is opposed to it is ignorance (ajnana).
The identification of the Self with the body, leads to constant birth and death. The answer to the question what should be done to be free from the cycle of birth and death is given below.
samam sarveshu bhooteshu tishthantam parameshwaram
vinashyatswavinashyantam yah pashyati sa pashyati ||(13.28)
The one who sees the same eternal Supreme Lord abiding in all beings, and never perishing even when the beings perish, he indeed really sees.
This means that he who sees his own self identified with body does not really see while he who sees his self, identified with The Lord really sees.
samam pashyan hi sarvatra samavasthitameeshwaram
na hinastyaatmanaatmaanam tato yaati paraam gatim ||(13.29)
When one beholds one and the same Lord existing equally in every being, one does not destroy anybody; because one considers everything as one’s own Self. And thereupon he attains the Supreme Abode.
A person by identifying himself with the body had to take his future births in good or evil bodies. But by shifting his identity to The Supreme Lord, he attains the supreme goal of freedom from the cycle of births and deaths.
samaduhkhasukhah swasthah samaloshtaashmakaanchanah
tulyapriyaapriyo dheeras tulyanindaatma samstutih ||(14.24)
maanaapamaanayostulyas tulyo mitraaripakshayoh
sarvaarambhaparityaagee gunaateetah sa uchyate ||(14.25)
He who regards pain and pleasure alike, is contended within his Self, regards a clod of earth, stone and gold as alike, remains equable amidst pleasant and unpleasant situations, is of firm mind, is indifferent to praise or blame, is alike in honor and dishonor, is the same to friends and foes, has abandoned selfish motives for work, such a person is said to have risen above the three Gunas or modes of nature.
These two verses symbolize the equanimity of a great person who has transcended the three modes of nature.