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The Bhagavad Gita · 2 of 2 · tr. Kashinath Trimbak Telang

Chapter XIV, Section 1b

who is not averse to light and activity and delusion (when they) prevail, and who does not desire (them when they) cease ; who sitting like one unconcerned is never perturbed by the qualities ; who remains steady and moves not, (thinking) merely that the qualities exist; who is self-contained ; to whom pain and pleasure are alike; to whom a sod and a stone and gold are alike; to whom what is agreeable and what is disagreeable are alike; who has discernment; to whom censure and praise of himself are alike; who is alike in honour and dishonour; who is alike towards the sides of friends and foes; and who abandons all action . And he who worships me with an unswerving devotion, transcends these qualities, and becomes fit for (entrance into) the essence of the Brahman. For I am the embodiment of the Brahman , of indefeasible immortality, of eternal piety, and of unbroken happiness.
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Themes
◆Detachment Gelassenheitpraxis

Eckhart's Abgeschiedenheit/Gelassenheit — radical letting-go of will, image, and grasping that opens the soul to God; distinct from inner_silence (quietness) and from material renunciation, and adjacent to Sufi tark and Buddhist non-grasping as a practice rather than a metaphysical claim.

The passage extensively details a state of radical non-attachment where the subject remains 'unconcerned' and 'steady' amidst all dualities of experience.

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◆Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

The speaker identifies as 'I am the embodiment of the Brahman' and accepts worship, presenting the divine as a personal, active reality.

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◆Mystical Unionsoteriology

The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.

The text explicitly states that the devotee transcends qualities to enter the 'essence of the Brahman,' signifying a complete merging with the divine.

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◆Opposites Transcendedanthropology

The dissolution of binary oppositions (male/female, inner/outer, above/below) as a mark of spiritual completion.

The text repeatedly lists pairs of opposites (pain/pleasure, honour/dishonour, friend/foe) and declares them 'alike' to the realized being.

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◆Renunciation Of Wealthethics

The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.

The text explicitly states that to the realized being, 'a sod and a stone and gold are alike,' indicating a complete lack of attachment to material value.

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◆Return To Sourcesoteriology

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

The passage describes the process of transcending material qualities to become fit for entrance into the essence of Brahman, implying a return to the divine origin.

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◆Unity Of Beingtheology

The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.

The passage centrally describes the realization that all distinctions (gold/stone, friend/foe, pain/pleasure) are illusory and that the self is one with the Brahman.

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Related passages · 4 parallels
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 4, Section 1t
“For in the case of other qualities, such as heat or cold, the things which have been warmed have their being even when they lose their warmth, and many of the creatures there are which have no life or mind; and in like manner God transcende…”
Both passages discuss the transcendence of qualities or attributes, emphasizing a state beyond dualities such as pleasure and pain, praise and censure. They also highlight the ultimate reality (Brahman/Good) as the source of all being and the path to union with it through devotion or participation in the Good.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 7 (part 5)
“13.) Man can attain real similarity to God and perfect beatitude only by decisively willing to put his will into the Son, as the Heart or Light of the Father. "God has the eternal and unchangeable will to generate His Heart and his Son, an…”
Both passages emphasize the attainment of a state of spiritual transcendence through the alignment of one's will or desires with the divine. The Bhagavad Gita describes a state of equanimity and detachment from the qualities of nature, leading to union with Brahman, while the second passage discusses the soul's alignment with the will of God to achieve divine similarity and beatitude.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fifth Dialoguek
“That is a maxim of the Epicureans which, being well understood, would not be considered so unworthy as the ignorant hold it to be, seeing that it does not detract from what I have called virtue, nor does it impair the perfection of firmness…”
Both passages discuss the ideal state of being unattached to worldly pleasures and pains, and achieving a state of equanimity. The Bhagavad Gita describes a person who is unperturbed by the qualities of nature and transcends them through devotion, while the Epicurean passage describes a state of firmness and happiness where one does not feel pain or pleasure, achieving a form of divine love and blessedness.
◆taoism|Tao Te Ching|Chapter 33
“He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty. He who is satisfied with his lot is rich; he who goes on acting with energy has a (firm) will.…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of self-mastery, equanimity, and detachment from worldly concerns. The Bhagavad Gita focuses on transcendence of the qualities (gunas) and devotion to the divine, while the Taoist passage highlights self-knowledge, inner strength, and contentment. Both share the conceptual insight of inner peace and mastery over one's own nature.