Verse 12.18 : Bhakti Yoga "Path of Devotion"
Verse 18 of 20
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The Translation
“He who is equal to friend and enemy, and also in honor and dishonor, who is the same in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, and who is free from all attachment...”
Commentary & Insights
Krishna lists five dualities where the devotee maintains perfect, balanced equanimity, indicating complete independence from external coordinates.
Practical Application
1
If someone praises you or ignores you today, practice equanimity: do not let your ego inflate, nor let your self-worth deflate; remain steady.
Reflections & Notes
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Self-Reflection Prompts
- How can we practice being equal in 'honor and dishonor' (māna-apamānayoḥ) when someone criticizes us on the internet or at work?
- What does it mean to be 'free from attachment' (saṅga-vivarjitaḥ)? Does it mean we stop loving others, or does it mean we love them without possessive clinging?
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12.18
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः
Equanimity toward enemies and friends is possible only when one realizes the non-dual Self which has no divisions. Honor and dishonor are modifications of the intellect; heat and cold are qualities of the body. The devotee remains as the witness of these changes, completely unattached.