14-24 to 14-25

सम दुःख सुखः स्वस्थः सम लोष्टाश्म कान्चनः ।
तुल्य प्रियाप्रियो धीरः तुल्य निन्दात्म सम्स्तुतिः ॥ २४ ॥
मानापमानयोः तुल्यः तुल्य मित्रारि पक्षयोः ।
सर्वारम्भ परित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते ॥ २५ ॥

sama duHkha sukhaH svasthaH sama loSTAzma kAncanaH |
tulya priyApriyo dhIraH tulya nindAtma samstutiH || 24 ||
mAnApamAnayoH tulyaH tulya mitrAri pakSayoH |
sarvArambha parityAgI guNAtItaH sa ucyate || 25 ||

स्वस्थः [svasthaH] Being himself - सम दुःख सुखः [sama duHkha sukhaH] same in comfort and sorrow, सम लोष्ट अश्म कान्चनः [sama loSTa azma kAncanaH] having the same outlook towards a lump of clay, a stone and gold, तुल्य प्रिय अप्रियः [tulya priya apriyaH] weighing the favorable and the unfavorable equally, तुल्य निन्द आत्म सम्स्तुतिः [tulya ninda Atma samstutiH] same with insults and praises - धीरः [dhIraH] he knows the Self from the body. मान अपमानयोः तुल्यः [mAna apamAnayoH tulyaH] Weighing honor and shame equally, तुल्य मित्र अरि पक्षयोः [tulya mitra ari pakSayoH] considering friendly and unfriendly people equally, सः [saH] this person सर्व आरम्भ परित्यागी [sarva Arambha parityAgI] leaves attachment to material pursuits उच्यते [ucyate] and is said गुणातीतः [guNAtItaH] to have crossed over the qualities.

Arjuna asked three questions about the one who has crossed over the qualities - his characteristics, behavior and method of crossing over the qualities. The characteristics were covered in the previous Shlokas. This Shloka is about behavior and the next two are about the method.

This person considers comfort and sorrow equally by standing in his Self. Being content with his Self, he considers everything else - joys and sorrows, births and deaths - with equanimity. In the same way, he has the same outlook towards a lump of clay, a stone or gold, weighing the favorable and the unfavorable equally.

This person knows the Self from the body, hence he weighs praise and insults equally - praise and insults relate to some advantages and shortcomings, which are limitations of the body.

They aren’t related to the Self. If we care for them, it is due to the misconception that the human form is the Self. This misconception gives rise to fame, infamy, friendly and unfriendly perceptions. Actually, none of them relate to the Self.

In this way, the person relates equally to all of them, being able to leave attachment to any pursuit that comes from owning a body. This person is said to have crossed over the qualities .

Next, the Lord states the greatest enabler in crossing over these qualities .