Krishna's detailed portrait of the ideal human being — unshakeable in wisdom, free from desire and anger, established in the self
The Sanskrit word Sthitaprajna (स्थितप्रज्ञ) is a compound of two words: sthita, meaning "steady, firm, established, immovable" and prajna, meaning "wisdom, intelligence, deep understanding." Together, they describe a person whose wisdom has become so deeply rooted that no external circumstance can disturb it.
This is not mere intellectual knowledge. Many people know that anger is harmful, yet they become angry. The Sthitaprajna's understanding has penetrated beyond the intellect into the very core of their being. Their equanimity is not an act — it is their natural state. Adi Shankaracharya describes this as the difference between knowing fire is hot (intellectual knowledge) and having been burned (experiential knowledge that changes behavior permanently).
The description of the Sthitaprajna appears in Chapter 2, verses 54-72, and is one of the most celebrated passages in all of Indian philosophy. It has influenced thinkers from Mahatma Gandhi to contemporary psychologists studying emotional regulation and resilience.
Arjuna's question is profoundly practical. He does not ask for abstract philosophical definitions. He asks: How would I recognize such a person? How do they talk? How do they behave? How do they live? This grounds the teaching in observable reality rather than theory. Krishna's answer, spanning 19 verses, provides one of the most detailed psychological portraits in spiritual literature.
Krishna is realistic about the challenge. Even wise people can be overwhelmed by sensory impulses. The senses are described as "pramathini" — violently agitating. This honest acknowledgment makes the teaching more credible and compassionate. Perfection is not expected immediately; what matters is persistent practice and the right direction.
This is one of the most profound verses in the Gita. The Sthitaprajna lives in a completely different reality from the ordinary person. What most people find interesting (sensory pleasures, material accumulation, social status) holds no attraction for the sage. And what the sage finds valuable (self-knowledge, inner peace, connection with the Divine) is invisible to most people.
Shankaracharya interprets this as describing two fundamentally different orientations of consciousness. The ordinary person is "awake" to the material world and "asleep" to spiritual reality. The Sthitaprajna is "awake" to spiritual reality and "asleep" to the material allurements that captivate everyone else. Neither is literally asleep — the metaphor describes where their attention naturally rests.
The ocean receives all rivers without overflowing or being disturbed. Similarly, the Sthitaprajna experiences desires and sensory inputs (they are still human, after all) but is not moved by them. The desires "enter" but do not agitate the vast inner stillness. This is a beautiful correction to the misconception that spiritual maturity means having no desires. The Sthitaprajna still experiences the world — they are simply not controlled by it.
Ramanujacharya emphasizes that this is the direct result of devotion to God. When the heart is filled with love for the Divine, worldly desires lose their power — not because they are suppressed, but because something infinitely more fulfilling has taken their place.
Shankaracharya considers the Sthitaprajna passages as describing the jnana-nishtha — one who is established in self-knowledge. For Shankara, the Sthitaprajna has realized the identity of the individual self (atman) with Brahman (the ultimate reality). This realization is not a temporary experience but a permanent shift in identity. The Sthitaprajna sees themselves as the unchanging witness of all experiences, not as the experiencer who is tossed about by pleasure and pain.
For Ramanuja, the Sthitaprajna is the ideal devotee whose steady wisdom comes from unwavering devotion to God. The qualities described — detachment, equanimity, freedom from anger — are the natural fruits of bhakti. When the mind is filled with love for God, worldly attractions fade. The Sthitaprajna is not cold or detached but deeply loving — their love is simply directed toward the Divine rather than toward fluctuating worldly objects.
Madhva interprets the Sthitaprajna as one who has attained aparoksha-jnana — direct realization of God, not merely theoretical knowledge. This person sees God in everything and everything in God. Their equanimity comes from the unshakeable perception that God controls all outcomes. Since nothing happens outside divine will, there is no reason for attachment, fear, or anger. This gives the Sthitaprajna an absolute trust in the divine order.
While the Sthitaprajna represents an ideal, Krishna never suggests it is unattainable. In BG 6.35, he tells Arjuna that the restless mind can be controlled through "abhyasa" (consistent practice) and "vairagya" (detachment). Here are practical steps drawn from the Gita's teachings:
A regular meditation practice is the single most effective tool for developing steady wisdom. Start with just 10 minutes each morning. As Krishna teaches in Chapter 6, sit comfortably, focus the mind on a single point, and gently return attention whenever it wanders. Over weeks and months, this builds the inner stability that characterizes the Sthitaprajna.
Throughout the day, notice when you react strongly to events — praise, criticism, gain, loss. Use each reaction as a training opportunity. Ask: "Can I receive this with a bit more equanimity?" You are not suppressing emotions but gradually widening your capacity to hold experience without being overwhelmed. This is the practical meaning of BG 2.48: "Be equal in success and failure."
Regular reading of the Gita — especially the Sthitaprajna passages (BG 2.54-72) — keeps the ideal alive in your awareness. Read one verse each morning, contemplate its meaning during the day, and journal about your experience in the evening. Over time, the teachings become part of your mental framework rather than abstract ideas.
The Sthitaprajna is "satisfied in the self by the self" (BG 2.55). Gradually reduce your dependency on praise, social media approval, material possessions, and other external sources of happiness. This does not mean rejecting the world — it means finding your primary source of contentment within, so that external conditions enhance rather than determine your well-being.
When you notice your senses being pulled toward something harmful (mindless scrolling, unhealthy food, angry reactions), practice "withdrawing" like the tortoise. Pause, take a breath, and consciously choose whether to engage. This builds the muscle of sense mastery that Krishna describes in BG 2.58.
Performing selfless action without attachment to results (BG 2.47) is one of the most direct paths to steady wisdom. Each time you act from duty rather than desire, you strengthen the Sthitaprajna quality within you. Start with small acts of selfless service and gradually extend the practice to your work, relationships, and creative endeavors.
The Srimad Gita App gives you every verse with Sanskrit, transliteration, and translations — study the portrait of steady wisdom on your phone.
Sthitaprajna means "one of steady wisdom" — from "sthita" (steady) and "prajna" (wisdom). In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes the Sthitaprajna in BG 2.54-72 as a person whose mind is undisturbed by sorrow, free from craving, and beyond attachment, fear, and anger. It is Krishna's portrait of psychological and spiritual maturity.
According to BG 2.54-72, a Sthitaprajna is satisfied in the self alone, unmoved by distress, does not crave pleasures, is free from attachment, fear, and anger, withdraws senses like a tortoise, maintains equanimity, and is awake to higher reality while the world sleeps in ignorance.
Krishna describes the Sthitaprajna in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, verses 54-72. This passage begins with Arjuna's question about the signs of steady wisdom (BG 2.54) and continues with Krishna's detailed description covering how such a person thinks, acts, and maintains inner stability.
Practice daily meditation, cultivate equanimity in daily life, study the Gita regularly, reduce dependency on external validation, practice the "tortoise technique" of conscious sense withdrawal, and perform selfless action (Nishkama Karma). Consistent practice over time gradually builds steady wisdom.
The Sthitaprajna (BG 2.54-72) focuses on steady wisdom and control of mind and senses. The Gunatita (BG 14.22-25) describes one who has transcended the three gunas entirely. The Gunatita is often considered a more advanced stage — transcending the very qualities that agitate the mind.
In BG 2.58, the Sthitaprajna's control over senses is compared to a tortoise withdrawing its limbs. The wise person can engage or retract senses at will. This is mastery, not suppression — using the senses deliberately rather than being dragged by them.