Verse 56

Continuing on the characteristics of the man of steady wisdom, Bhagawan describes this individual as one who maintains all equanimity in pain and pleasure.  In adversity-duhkesv he remains unshaken; in celebration-sukhesu he is unattached.  Having attained a steady intellect-sthita-dhir he is free from attachments, fear, and anger.  The Lord describes an individual capable of such equipoise of the mind as a sage-muni.

Verse 57

This man of steady wisdom meets life unattached-anabhisneha.   With all equanimity and poise he performs his duties with detachment. Through a balanced composure and peaceful within himself he meets all challenges in life. He neither rejoices-abhinandati any auspicious-subha movements, nor does he hate-devsti any inauspicious-asubha situations in life.  Bhagawan says that such an individual has a clear intellect and a proper discrimination. He is firm and unchanging-pratishita in his wisdom.  This verse may be considered as an answer to Arjuna’s question as how does a man of wisdom speak.

Verse 58

This verse can be taken as an answer to Arjuna’s question concerning how a man of wisdom gets established in himself or in other words how does he sit.  Using an example of a tortoise-kurmo, the Lord explains that the man of steady wisdom is able to withdraw-samharate all his senses from the disturbing field of sense objects just as a tortoise can instinctively withdraw its limbs-nganiva when it senses danger. 

Thus, a man of knowledge is forever satisfied in the Self.  He lives in perfect equanimity in pain and pleasure. In him is the complete absence of attachment to joy or sorrow.  Such a Perfect man comes to enjoy the bliss of the Self. 

Verse 59

In the previous verse, using the example of the tortoise, the Lord explains to us how to control the senses-dama.  In this verse Bhagawan speaks about control of the mind-sama.  Normally, in the absence of sense objects, the delight in physical enjoyment that the senses bring in is also absent.  But when the mind constantly dwells on the joys that the sense objects bring in, the desire to enjoy the sense object is so intense that even in the absence of the sense objects the mind continues to roam in the enjoyment of its pleasures. 

Assuring Arjuna the Lord explains that, in the abstinent-dehinah individual the sense objects turn away-vinivartante.  But, to the man having known-drstva the Supreme Bliss-Param even the longing-raso for the objects of senses-visaya goes away.

Verse 60

In this verse The Lord cautions us on the imposing nature of the senses-indriyani.  Bhagawan admits that even a man of wisdom who is striving-yatato for perfection, the turbulent-pramathini senses violently steals-haranti the mind away and draws them to the sense objects.

Verse 61

Having highlighted the arresting and forceful nature of the senses in the previous verse Bhagawan in this verse shows us the way to attain Self-perfection.  The Lord says that an individual by sheer strength of his will when withdraws-samyamya his senses from the objects of temptation and at the same time sits committed with his mind intent-mat-parah on Me, as his Supreme goal, such an individual is firm-pratisthita in his wisdom-prajna. 

Verse 62 and 63

From verse 58 onwards Bhagawan has described different techniques of attaining Self-perfection.  In spite of the practice of above disciplines for long periods of time and having experienced Self perfection many seekers become victims of failure and regret.  Versus 62 and 63 beautifully describe the ladder of the fall in an un-disciplined man.

The spiritual drop in the seeker begins from incorrect thinking and false imaginations.  When a man constantly thinks of sense-objects, attachment for the object arises. When his affection for the object intensifies desire is born for its possession and enjoyment.   Unable to fulfill this desire results in anger-krodho.  An intellect when filled with anger comes to experience delusion-sammohah resulting in the loss of memory-smrti-vibhramah.  With these mental disturbances caused by all these emotions an individual forgets his dignity and loses his ability to discriminate-buddhi-naso.  Thus, having lost the power to discriminate, he perishes-pranasyati.

Verse 64

Having shown the step by step fall in the man brooding over sense objects the Lord in this verse describes a man who has experienced tranquility of the mind. 

Bhagawan says that a realized man with his mind in perfect control-vidheatma and with all his desires restrained lives amidst the objects with neither attachment nor aversion-raga-dvesa-vimuktais.  As a result this man of wisdom is able to sublimate his desires (neither expression nor suppression). He is least troubled by the fascination of the sense objects and hence attains-adhigacchati tranquility of the mind as-prasad.

Verse 65

The Lord says having attained serenity of mind all desires and sorrows are destroyed-hanir.   Such an individual enjoys a joyous mind-prasanns-cetaso, free from agitations.  In such a tranquil mind the intellect becomes sharp, single pointed and steady-paryavatisthate.

Verse 66

In this verse Bhagawan makes clear the importance of a quiet mind and explains why this is repeatedly emphasized with respect to the technique of Self perfection. 

The Lord says for an individual who is wavering and many minded-ayuktasya knowledge of the Self is unattainable.   Due to lack of this knowledge he is unable to meditate upon the Self.  Such a restless individual is incapable of experiencing any peace-santir.  To this chaotic agitated-asantasya individual happiness-sukham is impossible.

Verse 67

Elucidating on why the knowledge of the Self is not possible to the unsteady mind the Lord compares the unsteady mind to a boat being carried away by a gust of wind. 

Bhagawan in this verse re-emphasizes the need to control the senses-dama.  The Lord says the boat-navam, which is completely at mercy of the wind-vayur and the waves-ivambhasi does not reach its destination if caught up in the storms.  In the same manner the mind-mano kidnapped-harati by wandering-caratam senses-indriyanam, loses its intellect, the power of discrimination-prajnam and is therefore unable to meditate. 

Verse 68

Bhagawan in this verse concludes the topic of the imposing nature of the senses first talked of in verse 60.  Addressing Arjuna as the mighty armed, the Lord says when all the senses-indriyani are restrained from its roaming in the sense objects the individual’s knowledge-prajna gets steadied-pratisthita in the Self.

Verse 69

In this verse two points of view are contrasted.  First, of an ignorant man who perceives the world of plurality as bliss and second, of the wise man-muni who is in bliss and maintains equipoise at all times.

All ignorant individuals-sarva-bhutanam living in darkness-nisa as though asleep perceive the world through the body-mind-intellect understand the world as real.  Due to this ignorance these individuals misinterpret imperfections in the mind to be a part of the objects themselves.  In contrast a self controlled-samyami disciplined man knows the highest truth and clearly sees the falsehood of the world of plurality. The veil of ignorance having gone he is always awake-jagrati to the Truth.  Moreover, when the unwise are awake to the fields of pleasure the wise having known the Truth appear to be asleep to those worlds of pleasures of the ignorant. 

Verse 70

Bhagawan in this verse shows the similarity between the ocean and the wise man.  Just as the boundary of the ocean neither advances nor regresses it being filled from all sides-apuryamanam, in the same way the wise man remains unperturbed and peaceful-santim amidst sense objects. 

Even though the waters-apah of the rivers empty into the oceans, the rain fall adds to the volume of the water and evaporation of the waters in the hot summers appear to reduce the amounts of the water, the ocean is always still and steady-acala-pratistham within its boundaries.  Drawing a parallel to the ocean the Lord says, even though through the five sense organs the desires-kama for infinite number of sense objects pour in the stimuli reaching the mind, yet these desires do not create commotion in the wise man. 

The Lord completely dismisses the prospect of true peace or joy to the one who has many desires-kama-kami.

Verse 71

In the last two verses of this chapter Bhagawan talks about the path of renunciation.  In a man of steady wisdom the ignorance is replaced with the knowledge of the Self. 

A man of renunciation having given up all desires-kama and attachments, lives his life with total contentment.  He is free from all kinds of longings-nihsprhah.  With the I-ness (doership) and my-ness-nirmamo relinquished and ego surrendered, he attains all peace-sant.   This verse may be considered as the answer to Arjuna’s question as, how does a man of wisdom move-carati around.

Verse 72

Bhagawan concludes this chapter by praising the state of oneness in the Self-realized or the Brahmic state.   The Lord affirms that having attained this Brahmic state an individual cannot get deluded.  This state is only possible when one has renounced all his desires and is content within.  Bhagawan assures that even at the end of life-anta kale if the individual is able to establish himself in this Selfhood he shall attain oneness with Brahma-Brahma nirvanam.