Chapter II · Śloka 54
Arjuna uvāca
अर्जुन उवाच |
स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव |
स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम् ||
स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव |
स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम् ||
arjuna uvāca |
sthita-prajñasya kā bhāṣā samādhi-sthasya keśava |
sthita-dhīḥ kiṃ prabhāṣeta kim āsīta vrajeta kim ||
sthita-prajñasya kā bhāṣā samādhi-sthasya keśava |
sthita-dhīḥ kiṃ prabhāṣeta kim āsīta vrajeta kim ||
Arjuna said: O Keshava, what is the description of one of steady wisdom who abides in deep contemplation? How does such a stable-minded one speak, sit, and walk?
Arjuna's question is perfectly practical: not 'what is liberation in theory?' but 'how do I recognise it? how does it look from the outside and feel from the inside?' This opens the famous sthitaprajña section, the Gita's first detailed portrait of the liberated human being.