Shloka 20

Devanagari script

१९ ।। न प्रह्ृष्येत्‌ प्रियं प्राप्प नोद्धिजेत्‌ प्राप्प चाप्रियम्‌ । स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्म॒विद्‌ ब्रह्म॒णि स्थित:,जो पुरुष प्रियको प्राप्त होकर हर्षित नहीं हो और अप्रियको प्राप्त होकर उद्विग्न न हो, वह स्थिरबुद्धि संशयरहित ब्रह्मवेत्ता पुरुष सच्चिदानन्द्धन परब्रह्म परमात्मामें एकीभावसे नित्य स्थित है

Transliteration

na prahṛṣyet priyaṁ prāpya nodvijet prāpya cāpriyam | sthirabuddhir asammūḍho brahmavid brahmaṇi sthitaḥ ||

Translation

Sesiapa yang tidak meluap gembira apabila memperoleh yang menyenangkan, dan tidak gelisah apabila menemui yang tidak menyenangkan—teguh buddhinya, tidak dikelirukan—dialah yang mengenal Brahman dan tetap tegak bersemayam dalam Brahman.

Word by Word

नnot

प्रहृष्येत्should rejoice / become elated

प्रियम्a pleasant (thing)

प्राप्यhaving obtained

नnor / not

उद्विजेत्should be distressed / agitated

प्राप्यhaving obtained

चand

अप्रियम्an unpleasant (thing)

स्थिरबुद्धिःone of steady intellect

असम्मूढःundeluded / unconfused

ब्रह्मविद्knower of Brahman

ब्रह्मणिin Brahman

स्थितःsituated / established

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Brahman

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches equanimity: a disciplined person does not become euphoric when pleasant outcomes arise nor distressed when unpleasant ones occur. Such steadiness indicates clarity (absence of delusion) and is a mark of one established in Brahman—acting rightly without being driven by emotional swings.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Bhīṣma Parva’s battlefield instruction setting, Arjuna is engaged in a dialogue about right conduct and inner stability amid war. This verse articulates the ideal mental state needed to uphold dharma in crisis: remaining composed regardless of favorable or unfavorable experiences.