Gita 12.15
Bhakti Yoga
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः | हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ||१५||
yasmān nodvijate loko lokān nodvijate ca yaḥ | harṣāmarṣa-bhayodvegair mukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ ||15||
In essence: One from whom the world is not disturbed, and who is not disturbed by the world - free from elation, anger, fear, and anxiety - is dear to Me.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "How can I be someone from whom the world is not disturbed? Sometimes conflict is unavoidable."
Guru: "The verse doesn't say the devotee never disagrees or stands firm. It says the world is not 'agitated' by them - they don't create unnecessary disturbance. Conflict may be needed, but it's handled without anger, without ego. Even in disagreement, they bring peace."
Sadhak: "What's wrong with harṣa - elation? Isn't joy spiritual?"
Guru: "Harṣa is overexcitement that disturbs balance. Joy (ānanda) is stable and deep; harṣa is unstable and reactive. When something good happens and you become giddy, you're setting up for the crash when it goes. The devotee experiences positive feelings without losing ground."
Sadhak: "Being free from fear seems impossible. Fear arises automatically."
Guru: "Fear may arise; the question is whether it takes over. A mother may feel fear when her child is in danger but acts skillfully anyway. Mukta (free) means not controlled by fear, not that fear never appears. The space of awareness remains larger than the fear it contains."
Sadhak: "The world is full of disturbing things. How can I not be disturbed?"
Guru: "By understanding deeply that disturbance is internal. Events happen; disturbance is the mind's reaction. Through practice, you develop space between stimulus and response. In that space lives freedom. The world remains as it is; your relationship to it transforms."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
Set intention for today: 'I will not be a source of unnecessary disturbance to others. I will bring peace to my interactions.' Also: 'I will not let external events determine my inner state.' Both intentions together.
Notice the four disturbances when they arise: elation (getting overly excited), anger (resentment at people or situations), fear (anticipating bad outcomes), anxiety (chronic worry). Don't suppress but observe. Create space. Ask: 'Can I experience this without being taken over?'
Review: Did you disturb anyone unnecessarily today? Were you disturbed unnecessarily? What triggered each? These observations build self-knowledge. Gradually, triggers lose power. Peace becomes more natural, both given and received.