Verse 10
असक्तिरनभिष्वङ्गः पुत्रदारगृहादिषु | नित्यं च समचित्तत्वमिष्टानिष्टोपपत्तिषु || १० ||
Transliteration
asaktir anabhiṣvaṅgaḥ putra-dāra-gṛhādiṣu nityaṁ ca sama-cittatvam iṣṭāniṣṭopapattiṣu
Synonyms
asaktiḥ—non-attachment; anabhiṣvaṅgaḥ—without deep entanglement; putra—children; dāra—wife; gṛha—home; ādiṣu—and so on; nityam—always; ca—also; sama-cittatvam—equanimity of mind; iṣṭa—desirable; aniṣṭa—undesirable; upapattiṣu—having happened.
Translation
“Non-attachment, non-identification with children, spouse, home, and so forth; constant equanimity of mind in both desirable and undesirable events —”
Multi-Tradition Commentary
The word 'anabhishvangah' — freedom from deep clinging — is stronger than mere non-attachment. It points to the painful grip of possessive love that causes so much suffering in family life. This does not mean renouncing family relationships but radically shifting their quality — from clinging to loving freely. The Vedantin loves deeply but without the desperate need for the loved one to be or remain a certain way.
Practical Application (Modern Life)
The equanimity (sama-cittatvam) in both desirable and undesirable events is the daily practice. When good news comes and you are elated, and when bad news comes and you are devastated — both are swings from center. The practice is not to suppress either response but to notice the center beneath both, and return to it more quickly each time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 13.10 mean?
Non-attachment, non-identification with children, spouse, home, and so forth; constant equanimity of mind in both desirable and undesirable events —
What is the word-by-word meaning of Bhagavad Gita 13.10?
asaktiḥ—non-attachment; anabhiṣvaṅgaḥ—without deep entanglement; putra—children; dāra—wife; gṛha—home; ādiṣu—and so on; nityam—always; ca—also; sama-cittatvam—equanimity of mind; iṣṭa—desirable; aniṣṭa—undesirable; upapattiṣu—having happened.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 13.10 in daily life?
The equanimity (sama-cittatvam) in both desirable and undesirable events is the daily practice. When good news comes and you are elated, and when bad news comes and you are devastated — both are swings from center. The practice is not to suppress either response but to notice the center beneath both, and return to it more quickly each time.