Bhakti Yoga · Verse 19

Bhagavad Gita 12.19

Praise and blame lose power over the one who stands steady.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येनकेनचित् ।
अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्ितमान्मे प्रियो नरः ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
जो शत्रु और मित्रमें तथा मानअपमानमें सम है और शीतउष्ण अनुकूलताप्रतिकूलता तथा सुखदुःखमें सम है एवं आसक्तिसे रहित है, और जो निन्दास्तुतिको समान समझनेवाला, मननशील, जिसकिसी प्रकारसे भी शरीरका निर्वाह होनेमें संतुष्ट, रहनेके स्थान तथा शरीरमें ममताआसक्तिसे रहित और स्थिर बुद्धिवाला है, वह भक्तिमान् मनुष्य मुझे प्रिय है ॥
English
Equal in praise and blame, silent, content with whatever comes, homeless, steady-minded—the devoted person is dear to me.

What this verse means

A devoted person stays steady through praise and blame, remains quiet, accepts whatever comes, feels no possessiveness about home, and keeps a firm mind.

Context & commentary

On the battlefield at Kurukshetra, Arjuna is still trapped in fear and grief. Krishna describes the devotee who has become inwardly steady: unmoved by praise or blame, free from clinging, and content with whatever life provides.

Why this verse still matters

You post something vulnerable, then watch the comments. Praise inflates, criticism stings, and your day tilts. This verse asks for a steadier center than public reaction.

The takeaway

Real devotion looks calm, unshaken, and unneedy.

Word-by-word translation

तुल्य (equal) / निन्दा (blame) / स्तुति (praise) / मौनी (silent) / सन्तुष्टः (content) / येनकेनचित् (by whatever means) / अनिकेतः (without a home) / स्थिरमतिः (steady-minded) / भक्तिमान् (devoted) / मे (to me) / प्रियः (dear) / नरः (person)

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