Namaste,
Arjun in Bhagavad Gita humbly akses Bhagavan Krishna 4 (four) questions about Sthitaprajna (Men established in Wisdom. Bhagavan replies the qualities of Sthita Prajna. I will try to summarize the meaning of each sloka and will repeat questions and brief answers in the End.
अर्जुन उवाच
स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव।
स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम्।।2.54।।
arjuna uvāca
sthitaprajñasya kā bhāṣā samādhisthasya kēśava.
sthitadhīḥ kiṅ prabhāṣēta kimāsīta vrajēta kim..2.54..
2.54 Arjuna said -- O kesava,
1. what is the description of a man of steady wisdom who is Self-absorbed?
2. How does the man of steady wisdom speak?
3. How does he sit?
4. How does he move about?
The translation needs to be further explored to find the actual question put forth by Arjuna
Sanskrit commentary by Sri Sankaracharya
-- स्थिता प्रतिष्ठिता 'अहमस्मि परं ब्रह्म' इति प्रज्ञा यस्य सः स्थितप्रज्ञः तस्य स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा किं भाषणं वचनं कथमसौ परैर्भाष्यते समाधिस्थस्य समाधौ स्थितस्य हे केशव। स्थितधीः स्थितप्रज्ञः स्वयं वा किं प्रभाषेत। किम् आसीत व्रजेत किम् आसनं व्रजनं वा तस्य कथमित्यर्थः। स्थितप्रज्ञस्य लक्षणमनेन श्लोकेन पृच्छ्यते।।यो ह्यादित एव संन्यस्य कर्माणि ज्ञानयोगनिष्ठायां प्रवृत्तः, यश्च कर्मयोगेन, तयोः 'प्रजहाति' इत्यारभ्य आ अध्यायपरिसमाप्तेः स्थितप्रज्ञलक्षणं साधनं चोपदिश्यते। सर्वत्रैव हि अध्यात्मशास्त्रे कृतार्थलक्षणानि यानि तान्येव साधनानि उपदिश्यन्ते, यत्नसाध्यत्वात्। यानि यत्नसाध्यानि साधनानि लक्षणानि च भवन्ति तानि श्रीभगवानुवाच -- श्रीभगवानुवाच -- ।।2.54।।
Hindi translation by Sri Harikrishandas Goenka (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary)
प्रश्नके कारणको पाकर, समाधिप्रज्ञाको प्राप्त हुए पुरुषके लक्षण जाननेकी इच्छासे अर्जुन बोला -- जिसकी बुद्धि इस प्रकार प्रतिष्ठित हो गयी है कि 'मैं परब्रह्म परमात्मा ही हूँ', वह स्थितप्रज्ञ है। हे केशव ! ऐसे समाधिमें स्थित हुए स्थितप्रज्ञ पुरुषकी क्या भाषा होती है? यानी वह अन्य पुरुषोंद्वारा किस प्रकार -- किन लक्षणोंसे बतलाया जाता है? तथा वह स्थितप्रज्ञ पुरुष स्वयं किस तरह बोलता है? कैसे बैठता है? और कैसे चलता है? अर्थात् उसका बैठना, चलना किस तरहका होता है? इस प्रकार इस श्लोकसे अर्जुन स्थितप्रज्ञ पुरुषके लक्षण पूछता है। जो पहलेसे ही कर्मोंको त्यागकर ज्ञाननिष्ठामें स्थित है और जो कर्मयोगसे ( ज्ञाननिष्ठाको प्राप्त हुआ है ) उन दोनों प्रकारके स्थितप्रज्ञोंके लक्षण और साधन 'प्रजहाति' इत्यादि श्लोकसे लेकर अध्यायकी समाप्तिपर्यन्त कहे जाते हैं। अध्यात्मशास्त्रमें सभी जगह कृतार्थ पुरुषके जो लक्षण होते हैं, वे ही यत्नद्वारा साध्य होनेके कारण ( दूसरोंके लिये ) साधनरूपसे उपदेश किये जाते हैं। जो यत्नसाध्य साधन होते हैं वे ही ( सिद्ध पुरुषके स्वाभाविक ) लक्षण होते हैं ।।2.54।।
Simplified English translation by Swami Gambhirananda (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary)
2.54 O Kesava, what is the description, the language -- how is he described by others, sthita-prajnasya, of a man of steady wisdom, of one whose realization, 'I am the supreme Brahman', remains steady and one who is Self-absorbed? Or how does the man of steady wisdom; himself speak? How does he sit (in samadhi*)? How does he move about? That is to say, of what kind is his sitting or moving? Through this verse Arjuna asks for a description of the man of steady wisdom.
Note: The questions like how does he sits and walks (move about) do not sound proper, as they look too basic. Sitting would mean sitting in Samadhi and walking would mean behaving in samsara or handle vyavahaara (relationships)
Added by Indiaspirituality. Not in original translation, but is taken from a discourse in Gita.
श्री भगवानुवाच
प्रजहाति यदा कामान् सर्वान् पार्थ मनोगतान्।
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते।।2.55।।
śrī bhagavānuvāca
prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha manōgatān.
ātmanyēvātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadōcyatē..2.55..
Answer 1) 2.55 The Blessed said -- O Partha, when one fully renounces all the desires that have entered the mind, and remains satisfied in the Self alone by the Self, then he is called a man of steady wisdom.
Last part which is conclusion of Simplified English translation by Swami Gambhirananda (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary)
The idea is that the man of steady wisdom is a monk, who has renounced the desire for progeny, wealth and the worlds, and who delights in the Self and disports in the Self.
i.e. The one who has renounced all desires, which are in mind, and abides in Self (Atman / Brahman) is a Sthitaprajna.
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः।
वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते।।2.56।।
duḥkhēṣvanudvignamanāḥ sukhēṣu vigataspṛhaḥ.
vītarāgabhayakrōdhaḥ sthitadhīrmunirucyatē..2.56..
Answer 1) 2.56 He whose mind is not shaken by adversity, who does not hanker after pleasures, and is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady wisdom.
यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम्।
नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता।।2.57।।
yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnēhastattatprāpya śubhāśubham.
nābhinandati na dvēṣṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā..2.57..
Answer 2) 2.57 The wisdom of that person remains established who has not attachment for anything anywhere, who neither welcomes nor rejects anything whatever good or bad when he comes across it.
i.e, Sthita Prajna does not speak speak a language of stuti (praise) or ninda (contempt, defamation), one who is free from attachment.
यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता।।2.58।।
yadā saṅharatē cāyaṅ kūrmō.ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ.
indriyāṇīndriyārthēbhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā..2.58..
Answer 3) 2.58 And when this one fully withdraws the senses from the objects of the senses, as a tortoise wholly (withdraws) the limbs, then his wisdom remains established.
i.e. Sthita Prajna sits in Samadhi by withdrawing all his senses
विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः।
रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते।।2.59।।
viṣayā vinivartantē nirāhārasya dēhinaḥ.
rasavarjaṅ rasō.pyasya paraṅ dṛṣṭvā nivartatē..2.59..
Translation 1
Answer 4) 2.59 The objects of the senses turn away from the abstinent man leaving the longing (behind); but his longing also turns away on seeing the Supreme.
Translation 2
Answer 4) 2.59 The objects of senses, excepting relish for the objects, turn away from the abstinent dweller in the body. Even the relish turns away from him when what is supreme over the senses i.e., the self, is seen.
To make this more clear, lets see hindi translation of Adi Shankara Bhasya
Hindi translation by Sri Harikrishandas Goenka (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary)
विषयोंका ग्रहण न करनेवाले रोगी मनुष्यकी भी इन्द्रियाँ तो विषयोंसे हट जाती हैं, यानी कछुएके अङ्गोंकी भाँति संकुचित हो जाती हैं, परन्तु विषयसम्बन्धी राग ( आसक्ति ) नष्ट नहीं होता। उसका नाश कैसे होता है? सो कहते हैं -- यद्यपि विषयोंको ग्रहण न करनेवाले, कष्टकर तपमें स्थित, देहाभिमानी अज्ञानी पुरुषकी भी विषयशब्दवाच्य इन्द्रियाँ अथवा केवल शब्दादि विषय तो निवृत्त हो जाते हैं; परंतु उन विषयोंमें रहनेवाला जो रस अर्थात् आसक्ति है उसको छोड़कर निवृत्त होते हैं अर्थात् उनमें रहनेवाली आसक्ति निवृत्त नहीं होती। रस शब्द राग ( आसक्ति ) का वाचक प्रसिद्ध है, क्योंकि 'स्वरसेन प्रवृत्तो रसिको रसज्ञः' इत्यादि वाक्य देखे जाते हैं। वह रागात्मक सूक्ष्म आसक्ति भी इस यतिकी परमार्थतत्त्वरूप ब्रह्मका प्रत्यक्ष दर्शन होनेपर निवृत्त हो जाती है, अर्थात् 'मैं ही वह ब्रह्म हूँ' इस प्रकारका भाव दृढ़ हो जानेपर उसका विषयविज्ञान निर्बीज हो जाता है। अभिप्राय यह कि यथार्थ ज्ञान हुए बिना रागका मूलोच्छेद नहीं होता, अतः यथार्थ ज्ञानरूप बुद्धिकी स्थिरता कर लेनी चाहिये ।।2.59।।
A4: without direct experience of Self Realization, the attachment is not destroyed. So a Sthita prajna is the one who moves detached by established in Self i.e. behaves and maintains relationship with the spirit of detachment.
Lets recollect all four questions and it's answers
Q1: what is the description of a man of steady wisdom who is Self-absorbed?
A1: The one who has renounced all desires, which are in mind, and abides in Self (Atman / Brahman) is a Sthitaprajna.
Q2: How does the man of steady wisdom speak?
A2: Sthita Prajna does not speak speak a language of stuti (praise) or ninda (contempt, defamation), one who is free from attachment.
Q3: How does he sit (in samadhi)?
A3: Sthita Prajna sits in Samadhi by withdrawing all his senses
Q4: How does he move about or walk (behaves in society or handles relationships)?
A4: without direct experience of Self Realization, the attachment is not destroyed. So a Sthita prajna is the one who moves detached by established in Self i.e. behaves and maintains relationship with the spirit of detachment.
Aum
Indiaspirituality
