Inner Peace

The eternal among the transient, the conscious among the conscious, the one who grants the desires of the many—the wise who perceive him as seated within themselves, to them belongs eternal peace, and to no others.

नित्योऽनित्यानां चेतनश्चेतनानाम् एको बहूनां यो विदधाति कामान् । तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीराः तेषां शान्तिः शाश्वती नेतरेषाम् ॥ १३॥

freed from egotism, force, arrogance, desire, anger, and possessiveness, unselfish and at peace — such a one is fit for union with Brahman.

अहंकारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् | विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ||१८-५३||

As the waters flow into the ocean, which, though ever filling, remains unmoved, so all desires enter the one who attains peace, not the one who craves those desires.

आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् | तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी ||२-७०||

One whose mind is untroubled in sorrows, who is free from longing amid pleasures, and from whom passion, fear, and anger have departed, is called a sage of steady wisdom.

दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः | वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ||२-५६||

One by whom the world is not disturbed, and who is not disturbed by the world, who is freed from joy, impatience, fear, and agitation — that person too is dear to me.

यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः | हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ||१२-१५||

Knowing me as the enjoyer of sacrifices and austerities, the great Lord of all the worlds, and the friend of all beings, one attains peace.

भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् | सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ||५-२९||

For the undisciplined there is no wisdom and no power of concentration; without concentration there is no peace, and for one without peace, how can there be happiness?

नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना | न चाभावयतः शान्तिरशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम् ||२-६६||

He who is the lord of the gods, in whom the worlds rest, who rules over the two-footed and the four-footed — to what God shall we offer our worship with oblation?

यो देवानामधिपो यस्मिन्ल्लोका अधिश्रिताः । य ईशे अस्य द्विपदश्चतुष्पदः कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥ १३॥

He who alone presides over every womb, in whom all this comes together and dissolves — beholding that Lord, the giver of boons, the adorable God, one attains this peace forever.

यो योनिं योनिमधितिष्ठत्येको यस्मिन्निदं सं च विचैति सर्वम् । तमीशानं वरदं देवमीड्यं निचाय्येमां शान्तिमत्यन्तमेति ॥ ११॥

Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-restraint, and purity of intention — this is called austerity of the mind.

मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः | भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ||१७-१६||

The same in pain and pleasure, self-abiding, regarding a clod, a stone, and gold alike; the same toward the pleasant and the unpleasant, steadfast, the same in blame and praise of himself;

समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः | तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ||१४-२४||

Supreme happiness comes to this yogi whose mind is at peace, whose passion is calmed, who is free of impurity and has become one with Brahman.

प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम् | उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम् ||६-२७||

One who neither rejoices on gaining what is pleasant nor recoils on meeting what is unpleasant, steady of understanding and undeluded, the knower of Brahman, is established in Brahman.

न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम् | स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मविद् ब्रह्मणि स्थितः ||५-२०||

The person of faith, intent on it and with the senses controlled, gains knowledge; and having gained knowledge, soon attains supreme peace.

श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः | ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ||४-३९||

In that serenity, all his sorrows come to an end; for the intellect of one whose mind is serene soon becomes firmly established.

प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते | प्रसन्नचेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्ठते ||२-६५||

But one who moves among the objects of sense with senses controlled, free from attraction and aversion and mastered by the Self, attains serenity.

रागद्वेषविमुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् | (or वियुक्तैस्तु) आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ||२-६४||

Just as a mirror covered with clay, when well cleaned, shines brightly full of light, so the embodied one, having seen the true nature of the Self, becomes one, fulfilled, and free from sorrow.

यथैव बिम्बं मृदयोपलिप्तं तेजोमयं भ्राजते तत् सुधान्तम् । तद्वाऽऽत्मतत्त्वं प्रसमीक्ष्य देही एकः कृतार्थो भवते वीतशोकः ॥ १४॥

He who, seated as if indifferent, is not disturbed by the gunas; who, realizing that the gunas alone are at work, stands firm and does not waver;

उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते | गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येवं योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते ||१४-२३||