Shloka 26
भीमसेननादः तथा प्रथमसंमर्दः
Bhīmasena’s Roar and the First Clash
जो मान और अपमानमें सम है
yo māna-apamānayoḥ samaḥ mitra-ari-pakṣayoḥ api samaḥ; evaṁ sarveṣu ārambheṣu kartṛtva-abhimāna-rahitaḥ sa puruṣaḥ guṇātītaḥ kathyate. sambandhaḥ— itthaṁ arjunasya dvau praśnau uttaritvā idānīṁ guṇātīta-bhavanopāya-viṣayakaṁ tṛtīyaṁ praśnam ucyate. yadyapi asya adhyāyasya ekonaviṁśatitame śloke bhagavatā guṇātīta-bhavanopāyaḥ ‘ātmānam akartāraṁ matvā nirguṇa-nirākāra-saccidānanda-ghana-brahmaṇi nitya-nirantaraṁ sthātavyam’ iti darśitaḥ; tathā upariṣṭāt caturṣu ślokeṣu varṇitāni guṇātītasya lakṣaṇāni ācaraṇāni ca ādarśīkṛtya dhāraṇābhyāsaḥ api upāyaḥ manyate; kintu arjunaḥ etebhyaḥ bhinnaṁ kiñcit sulabham upāyam jñātum icchan praśnaṁ kṛtavān; ataḥ praśnānurūpaṁ bhagavān anyaṁ sulabham upāyam āha— māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītya etān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate.
ಮಾನ-ಅಪಮಾನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸಮನಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಮಿತ್ರ ಮತ್ತು ವೈರಿ—ಎರಡೂ ಪಕ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಸಮದೃಷ್ಟಿಯುಳ್ಳವನಾಗಿ, ಎಲ್ಲ ಕಾರ್ಯಾರಂಭಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ‘ನಾನೇ ಕರ್ತ’ ಎಂಬ ಅಹಂಕಾರವಿಲ್ಲದವನೇ ಗುಣಾತೀತನೆಂದು ಹೇಳಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾನೆ.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Transcending the guṇas is marked by steady equanimity (toward honor/dishonor and friend/foe) and freedom from the ego of doership; a direct and accessible means is unwavering devotion to the Lord, by which one crosses beyond the guṇas and becomes fit for Brahman-realization.
After Arjuna asks how to recognize and attain the state beyond the guṇas, the discourse first outlines the traits of a guṇātīta person and then, responding to Arjuna’s desire for a simpler method, presents steadfast bhakti as an effective path to transcend the guṇas and reach Brahman.