Verse 15
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः | हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः || १५ ||
Transliteration
yasmān nodvijate loko lokān nodvijate ca yaḥ harṣāmarṣa-bhayodvegair mukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ
Synonyms
yasmāt—from whom; na—never; udvijate—are agitated; lokaḥ—people; lokāt—from people; na—never; udvijate—is agitated; ca—also; yaḥ—who; harṣa—from elation; amarṣa—from grief; bhaya—from fear; udvegaiḥ—from anxiety; muktaḥ—liberated; yaḥ—who; saḥ—that person; ca—also; me—to Me; priyaḥ—dear.
Translation
“One by whom the world is not agitated and who is not agitated by the world, who is free from elation, envy, fear, and anxiety — that person is dear to Me.”
Multi-Tradition Commentary
This verse describes a quality of non-disturbance both as cause and effect. The realized soul neither disturbs the world — because they impose no fear, no threatening ego, no manipulative agenda — nor is disturbed by the world, because their peace is not contingent on the world behaving in any particular way. The four emotional disturbances listed — harsha (elation), amarsha (envy/resentment), bhaya (fear), and udvega (anxiety) — are the primary waves that disturb ordinary consciousness.
Practical Application (Modern Life)
Observe which of the four — elation, envy, fear, or anxiety — most frequently disturbs your inner state. That is your primary spiritual work. Not eliminating the emotion through suppression, but understanding its root: the belief that security, worth, or happiness depends on something external. The spiritual path provides that security from within.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 12.15 mean?
One by whom the world is not agitated and who is not agitated by the world, who is free from elation, envy, fear, and anxiety — that person is dear to Me.
What is the word-by-word meaning of Bhagavad Gita 12.15?
yasmāt—from whom; na—never; udvijate—are agitated; lokaḥ—people; lokāt—from people; na—never; udvijate—is agitated; ca—also; yaḥ—who; harṣa—from elation; amarṣa—from grief; bhaya—from fear; udvegaiḥ—from anxiety; muktaḥ—liberated; yaḥ—who; saḥ—that person; ca—also; me—to Me; priyaḥ—dear.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 12.15 in daily life?
Observe which of the four — elation, envy, fear, or anxiety — most frequently disturbs your inner state. That is your primary spiritual work. Not eliminating the emotion through suppression, but understanding its root: the belief that security, worth, or happiness depends on something external. The spiritual path provides that security from within.