Yoga of equanimity

Meditation Yoga 

Chapter 6, Verse 33

 

 arjuna uvāca  

yo’yaṁ yogas-tvayā proktaḥ 

sāmyena madhusūdana 

etasyāhaṁ na paśyāmi 

cañcalatvāt sthitiṁ sthirām

 

Arjuna says: This yoga of equanimity, which has been taught by You, O Krishna, I cannot imagine its steady continuance, because of the restlessness of the mind.

 

Arjuna’s mind was still very active. He says, “I hear what you are saying, but in my mind it doesn’t make any sense! I can’t grasp what you are saying due to this restlessness of the mind, this lack of concentration.” So what causes this lack of concentration? It’s due to attraction and repulsion. When there is constant judgement in the mind, one doesn’t perceive this equanimity. In the mind of such a person, there is always movement, restlessness. 

 

Arjuna is really interested in understanding this. It’s like when you are reading a wonderful novel and wondering what will come next, what will happen in the next chapter, what will be the next big drama. Arjuna wants to understand something that everybody would like to understand. He says, “My mind is so restless, so clouded, that even though I hear you speak, I can’t image this equanimity!”

Bhagavad Gita