In Bhagavad Gita 2.15, Krishna says that the person who is not disturbed by pleasure and pain, who remains steady and even-minded, becomes fit for immortality.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते
पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ
समदुःखसुखं धीरं
सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥ २-१५ ॥
yaṃ hi na vyathayantyete
puruṣaṃ puruṣarṣabha
samaduḥkhasukhaṃ dhīraṃ
so’mṛtatvāya kalpate
English transliteration yam hi na vyathayantyete
purusham purusharshabha
samaduhkhasukham dheeram
so’mritatvaaya kalpate ॥ 2.15 ॥
Translation / Meaning
O best among men, the person whom these do not disturb, who remains the same in pain and pleasure and is steady, becomes fit for immortality.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| यम् yam | whom |
| हि hi | indeed |
| न na | not |
| व्यथयन्ति vyathayanti | disturb |
| एते ete | these |
| पुरुषम् puruṣam | person |
| पुरुषर्षभ puruṣarṣabha | O best among men puruṣa (men) + ṛṣabha (the best) |
| समदुःखसुखम् samaduḥkhasukham | the same in pain and pleasure sama (same) + duḥkha (pain) + sukham (pleasure) |
| धीरम् dhīram | steady |
| सः saḥ | he |
| अमृतत्वाय amṛtatvāya | for immortality |
| कल्पते kalpate | becomes fit |
Word-wise Chanting
- yaṃ hi na vya–tha–yan–tye–te 8 syllables yam hi na vya-tha-yan-tye-te
- pu–ru–ṣaṃ pu–ru–ṣar–ṣa–bha | 8 syllables pu-ru-sham pu-ru-shar-sha-bha
- sa–ma–duḥ–kha–su–khaṃ dhī–raṃ 8 syllables sa-ma-duh-kha-su-kham dhee-ram
- so–‘mṛ–tat–vā–ya kal–pa–te || 2-15 8 syllables so-‘mri-tat-vaa-ya kal-pa-te
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 2 Verse 15
Context
Krishna explains the fruit of the endurance he recommended in 2.14.
Meaning
The goal is not to stop feeling, but to remain undisturbed, avyathita, while feeling. The person who is “the same in pain and pleasure” lives from a centre deeper than the changing sensations. Such a person becomes fit for amṛtatva, immortality, the realisation of the deathless Self.
Evenness of mind is a key theme of the Gita and will be called yoga itself (2.48). It is not indifference to life but freedom within it. As we grow steadier, the fear of loss weakens and the sense of what is eternal becomes alive. Immortality, in this teaching, is less a future reward than a present realisation.
In Practice
Notice today the moment when good news lifts you or bad news drops you. Return gently to your breath and to a sense of steady presence.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.