तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् | अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः || १९ ||
tulya-nindā-stutir maunī santuṣṭo yena kenacit aniketaḥ sthira-matir bhaktimān me priyo naraḥ
tulya—equal; nindā—in defamation; stutiḥ—and praise; maunī—silent; santuṣṭaḥ—satisfied; yena kenacit—with anything; aniketaḥ—having no fixed abode; sthira-matiḥ—with steady mind; bhaktimān—engaged in devotion; me—to Me; priyaḥ—dear; naraḥ—a person.
“Equal in blame and praise, silent, content with whatever comes, without a fixed home, of steady mind, full of devotion — such a person is dear to Me.”
The word 'aniketah' — without a fixed abode — is interpreted both literally (the wandering monk who carries home inside) and symbolically (the one who has no attachment to any particular form of experience or identity). The 'steady mind' (sthiramatih) is the crown of all these qualities: it is the fruit of all the practices and qualities described, and the condition that makes genuine devotion possible.
Equal response to praise and blame is a hallmark of inner freedom. Observe how much your mood and self-image swing with others' opinions. The practice of sitting with both praise and blame without reacting, simply witnessing the sensations they produce, is a powerful exercise in cultivating the equanimity described in this verse.