Gita 18.54
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga
ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति | समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्भक्तिं लभते पराम् ||५४||
brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati | samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ||54||
In essence: Established in Brahman, serene-souled, free from grief and desire, seeing all beings equally—one attains supreme devotion to the Lord.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "How can realizing Brahman—the impersonal absolute—lead to devotion, which requires a personal relationship?"
Guru: "This is the Gita's great revelation. Brahman is not merely impersonal; the personal Lord is Brahman's fullest expression. When you truly know Brahman, you discover it has a face—the face of Krishna, of the Divine Beloved. Jnana doesn't dissolve into impersonal void but blossoms into intimate love."
Sadhak: "'Na shocati na kankshati'—no grief, no desire. But doesn't that make one inhuman? Don't we need to grieve losses and desire good things?"
Guru: "The grief and desire that disappear are the ego-based ones—'I lost MY thing,' 'I want MY gain.' Appropriate responses remain: compassion for suffering, aspiration for dharma. But these flow without the cramped self-reference. You can respond to tragedy without being crushed; work for good without being driven."
Sadhak: "What does 'equal toward all beings' really mean practically?"
Guru: "Seeing the same consciousness, the same divine presence, in every being—saint or sinner, human or animal, friend or stranger. This doesn't mean treating all identically (you don't teach calculus to a baby), but seeing all as equally divine, equally worthy of respect. From this vision, compassion and love flow naturally."
Sadhak: "This 'prasannatma'—serene soul—is it a constant state or does it fluctuate?"
Guru: "The background peace is constant; surface ripples may arise. A lake is peaceful in its depths even when wind stirs the surface. The Brahman-realized being has access to unchanging serenity even while responding to life's changes. They may appear emotional in action, but the core remains undisturbed."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Begin with the affirmation: 'Today I will look for the same consciousness in every being I encounter—family, colleagues, strangers, even difficult people. Behind all masks is one Presence.' This sets the intention for sama-darshana practice.
When you catch yourself grieving something lost or craving something not yet possessed, pause: 'What part of me is lacking? Is my true Self actually diminished by this loss or enhanced by this gain?' Touch the part of you that is already complete. From that place, appropriate action can flow without desperation.
Reflect: 'Did I experience even a moment of 'prasannatma'—serene joy independent of circumstances—today? When did equal vision come most naturally? What blocked it?' This reflection deepens access to the described state over time.