Chapter 2 Verse 15

 

Verse 15:

यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ |
समदु:खसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते || 15||

Transliteration:

Yam hi na vyathayantyete puruShaM puruSharShabha.

samadhuHkhasukhaM dhIraM so.amrutatvAya kalpate..15..

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Word by word meaning:

यं – who; हि – indeed; न – do not; व्यथयन्ति – disturbed एते – (by) these; पुरुषं – person; पुरुषर्षभ -  best among men; सम- equal; दु:ख-सुखं – sorrow and happiness; धीरं – wise person; स: -  he; अमृतत्वाय -  (for)liberation; कल्पते – fit;

Meaning:

O Best among men, that wise person who is indeed not disturbed, who remains the same in happiness and sorrow, he is eligible for liberation.

Significance:

The word ‘Purusha’ is used here to address the inner self. That inner self, which even when is inside a body with sense organs, with those sense organs getting driven by sense objects, with the body experiencing pain / pleasure, remains equipoise in all situations. This state is not the liberated state, but this is the process to attain mukti. Those who are not overpowered by senses are eligible for travelling in the path to attain mukti. We must learn to tolerate the feelings risen by the contact of the sense organs with the objects and win over them by determination.