Verse 4.22
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः। समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते।।
Transliteration (IAST)
yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ samaḥ siddhāv asiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate
Word-by-Word Meanings
yadṛcchā-lābha-gain that comes of its own accord
santuṣṭaḥ-satisfied
dvandvātītaḥ-beyond dualities
vimatsaraḥ-free from envy
samaḥ-equipoised
nibadhyate-is bound
Translation
He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.
Commentary
Contentment with whatever comes unsought (yadṛcchā-lābha) is the hallmark of the wise. Being beyond dvandva (pairs of opposites like pleasure-pain, success-failure) and free from matsara (envy) ensures that action does not create bondage. Equanimity is the practical expression of knowledge.
Themes
karmayogajnana