arjuna uvaca
sthita-prajñasya ka bhas?a
samadhi-sthasya kesava
sthita-dhih? kim´ prabhas?eta
kim asita vrajeta kim
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 2.54
Arjuna said: O Krishna, what are the symptoms of one whose consciousness is thus merged in transcendence? How does he speak, and what is his language? How does he sit, and how does he walk?
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
As there are symptoms for each and every man, in terms of his particular situation, similarly one who is Krishna conscious has his particular nature—talking, walking, thinking, feeling, etc. As a rich man has his symptoms by which he is known as a rich man, as a diseased man has his symptoms by which he is known as diseased, or as a learned man has his symptoms, so a man in transcendental consciousness of Krishna has specific symptoms in various dealings. One can know his specific symptoms from the Bhagavad-gita. Most important is how the man in Krishna consciousness speaks; for speech is the most important quality of any man. It is said that a fool is undiscovered as long as he does not speak, and certainly a well-dressed fool cannot be identified unless he speaks, but as soon as he speaks, he reveals himself at once. The immediate symptom of a Krishna conscious man is that he speaks only of Krishna and of matters relating to Him. Other symptoms then automatically follow, as stated below.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
Hearing about intelligence fixed in samadhi (samadhav acala buddhih), Arjuna asks about the characteristics of that yogi. Sthiti prajna in this verse has the same meaning as acala buddhi in the previous verse: fixed intelligence. What qualities can describe the sthiti prajna (ka bhasa)? What are the qualities of the person situated in samadhi, samadhi stha? Actually the terms sthita prajna and samadhi stha both refer to the jivan mukta. What will that person say in the face of happiness and distress, respect and disrespect, praise and condemnation (kim prabhaseta)? What will he say, either loudly or to himself? In what way will his senses remain unresponsive to the external objects (kim asita)? In what way will his senses respond to the objects (vrajeta kim)?
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
2.54 Arjuna said — What is the speech of a man of firm wisdom who is abiding with the mind controlled? What words can describe his state? What is his nature? This is the meaning of ‘How does a man of firm wisdom speak etc.?’ His specific conduct is now described as his nature can be inferred therefrom.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
Desiring to know the characteristics of one who is self-realised in transcendental consciousness referred to in the previous verse Arjuna asks: What is the definition of a person whose spiritual intelligence by nature resides in transcendence and is steady in wisdom? That by which something is described is definable and has characteristics. Due to possessing what characteristics is one called a person of steady wisdom and how does such a person of steady wisdom conduct themselves? This is the meaning which is meant to be conveyed here.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Desiring to know the characteristics of one who is self-realised in transcendental consciousness referred to in the previous verse Arjuna asks: What is the definition of a person whose spiritual intelligence by nature resides in transcendence and is steady in wisdom? That by which something is described is definable and has characteristics. Due to possessing what characteristics is one called a person of steady wisdom and how does such a person of steady wisdom conduct themselves? This is the meaning which is meant to be conveyed here.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
When the mind becomes fixed remaining steadfast then equanimity will arise. One with spiritual knowledge in transcendent meditation realises the ultimate truth perceiving God within. Understanding this fully Arjuna desirous of knowing the characteristics of such a being such as the way they talk, walk, sit, etc. requests Lord Krishna to reveal to him what are the signs of one stable in transcendence. How was this state achieved? In the world how does such a one speak and act. How does such a one move about. Arjuna asks this question because these things must be different for one situated in nescience. To remove the doubt that qualities such as these by one of tranquil mind such as Brahma or extremely powerful such as Shiva, in addressing Lord Krishna the vocative Keahava is used by Arjuna. Why is this? The creator and controller of both Brahma and Shiva is Lord Krishna who imparts spiritual knowledge to them. Thus Lord Krishna must be accepted as the sole refuge of all of creation because He is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. This is substantiated in the Vedic scriptures. He who creates Brahma and sends the eternal Vedas to him, He the effulgent and illuminating light of the soul and the mind should be supplicated to in full surrender for those desiring liberation from the material existence. From the forehead of He who was mediating on His inner self, Shiva of the trident was produced. In the smrtis it is said that Ka is the name of Brahma and Shiva is Isa the controller of all the embodied souls in material bodies. Both Brahma and Shiva are manifested from Lord Krishna thus Arjuna has called Him by the name Keshava.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
2.54 O Kesava, ka, what; is the bhasa, description, the language (for the description) — how is he described by others –; sthita-prajnasya, of a man of steady wisdom, of one whose realization, ‘I am the supreme Brahman’, remains steady; samadhi-sthasya, of one who is Self-absorbed? Or kim, how; does the sthitadhih, dhih, man of steady wisdom; himself probhaseta, speak? How does he asita, sit? How does he vrajeta, move about? That is to say, of what kind is his sitting or moving? Through this verse Arjuna asks for a description of the man of steady wisdom.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
2.54 Sthita-prajnasya etc. By the statement ‘When the determing faculty shall stand [firm in concentration, at that time you shall attain Yoga – above II, 55]’ it has been [virtually] stated there that the appellation sthita-prajna (man-of-stabilized-intellect) is a nomenclature signifying man-of-Yoga who is fixed in concentration. Now, what is the connotation of it, i.e., what is the basis for the usage of this nomenclature ? For, [connotation is that] basing on which a particular meaning is connoted by words. Does the appellation sthita-prajna of the man-of-Yoga speak of him through its traditional (or conventional) force of the word or through its force of etymology ? This is the first question. Of course, regarding the traditional force of the word there is no doubt at all. [For, it has no such force in it]. Yet, the present question is to make the etymological meaning-though it is already available-clear by explaining the basis for definition of special nature. The expression sthira-dhih has for its imports both the expression [itself] and its meaning ‘the fixed-minded’. Of them, does the expression sthira-dhih denote that meaning alone which is indicated by the force of its components; or else does it denote the ascetic also ? This is the second question. Again, where would that firm-minded man-of-Yoga abide i.e., what would he practise; or what would his firmness depend on ? This is the third [question]. And what world he achieve by practising ? This is the fourth [question]. These four questions are decided one by one by the Bhagavat [in the sequel].
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
arjuna uvaca
sthita-prajnasya ka bhasa
samadhi-sthasya kesava
sthita-dhih kim prabhaseta
kim asita vrajeta kim
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
arjunah? uvaca — Arjuna said; sthita-prajñasya — of one who is situated in fixed Kr?s?n?a consciousness; ka — what; bhas?a — language; samadhi-sthasya — of one situated in trance; kesava — O Kr?s?n?a; sthita-dhih? — one fixed in Kr?s?n?a consciousness; kim — what; prabhas?eta — speaks; kim — how; asita — does remain still; vrajeta — walks; kim — how.
