Reflections for the Soul: Pearls of Vedic Wisdom Reflections for the Soul: Pearls of Vedic Wisdom | Page 45

Equanimity (Cont’d)
Happiness and distress are concomitant factors of material life.
One should learn to tolerate, as advised in Bhagavad-Gétä. One
can never restrict the coming and going of happiness and distress,
so one should be detached from the materialistic way of life and
be automatically equipoised in both cases. Generally, when we get
something desirable we are very happy, and when we get some-
thing undesirable we are distressed. But if we are actually in the
spiritual position these things will not agitate us. To reach that
stage, we have to practise unbreakable devotional service.
- BG 13:8-12, purport -
One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in
honour and dishonour, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame
and infamy, who is always free from contaminating association,
always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn’t care for any
residence, who is fixed in knowledge and who is engaged in devo-
tional service—such a person is very dear to Me. - BG 12:18-19 -
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