Sthita means steady and pragya means wisdom. Sthitapragya refers to a person of steady wisdom, the one who has experienced the truth from within.
Bhagavad Gita in some of the shlokas from 2.54 to 2.72 has described the characteristics of a person of steady wisdom. It has been explained as to what are the attributes of such an evolved soul, who is firmly situated in the divine consciousness. How does he conduct himself.
It has been stated that he who withdraws his senses from their objects in every respect, he who having brought all his senses under full control fixes his consciousness on the Supreme Lord, he who is without any kind of affection ; and who is neither delighted nor dejected by good or evil - intelligence of such a devoted person is firmly set in wisdom.
He whose mind remains unperturbed in the midst of sorrows, who does not get excited amid pleasures ; and who is free from attachment, fear and anger - such a person is called a sage of settled intelligence.
Even while abstaining from sense enjoyments, the taste for them may still remain. Even this taste vanishes, when the Supreme is seen. In other words, a realised soul obtains not merely an outer abstention but also inner renunciation. He remains in full control, not only of the body but also of the mind.
When one gives up all the desires of his mind and when his soul is content in itself, he is then called a man of steady wisdom, sthitapragya.
To summarise, in these shlokas Krishna has stressed upon control of the senses, equanimity of the mind, conquest of fear and anger, freedom from attachment, tempering of the passion ; and fixing the consciousness on the Supreme Lord. When such a person remains content in himself, then he is called a sage of steady wisdom.
Such a sthitapragya sage is not a slave of the senses. He is indifferent to the taste of the senses. He neither loves nor hates them. He controls them, through the power of his mind. He is, thus, his own master.
The above description does not mean that there is no charm in the life of such a person of steady wisdom. On the other hand, such a developed soul enjoys the life more because he finds joy from within. His happiness is long lasting because it does not depend upon outside objects or external circumstances.
He is cheerful internally because he is liberated from the strangulating grip of the ever expanding desires. He is never disappointed because he never covets anything. He is not jealous of anyone. He is freed from the troubles of earthly existence because he lives the life of disinterested service. He is never plagued by anxiety and depression because he has learnt the art of maintaining psychological equilibrium in all situations.
He does not hanker after pleasures. He gratefully accepts whatever comes his way, without excitement and without any complaint. But the grateful acceptance is not the same thing as passive acceptance. It does not mean that one should not make efforts to get what is one’s due. Krishna did not ask Arjuna to accept whatever was offered to him. Rather he exhorted him to fight for his right. But at the same time, Arjuna was advised to always remain aware of his true nature. He was asked to fight without attachment ; and with a calm and equanimous mind. He was taught as to how one can be free from grief.
A question is often asked as to whether the ideals described in the above shlokas can be of any real relevance in day to day life of a common man. Is it humanly possible to achieve such a state of mind, even while remaining physically and mentally active, in this world of fierce competition ? The answer to this question is to be found in Gita itself wherein it is stated that only very few people are able to achieve perfection. Still the standards set in the Gita are worth emulating. No effort on this path ever goes waste. Degree of success corresponds to the amount of effort made.
The teachings of Gita are applicable equally to everyone ; whatever be his profession, vocation or situation in life.
When one has an equanimous mind, is free from fear and anger, is endowed with patience, remains content in himself ; and whose mind is focussed, whose senses are under control and who is led not by impulses but by considered opinion - such a person of illumined intelligence is most likely to succeed in whatever he does. When such an attitude becomes spontaneous in one’s life, he moves from hopelessness to hope. He moves from distress to delight.
When one gains steady wisdom, he understands that the cycle of life and death goes on infinitely. What is important is as to what is one’s attitude towards life. What is his contribution towards its betterment.
To conclude, sthitapragya is a sage who has risen above the never ending desires and is firmly set in the divine consciousness. That state of being may be difficult to achieve. But the principles laid down in Bhagavad Gita, in this regard, are universally applicable. Anyone who follows them even partially can benefit immensely. He can lead a much more satisfying and meaningful life.
