Gita 06.08 – Realization brings satisfaction and equal vision

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jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā
kūṭa-stho vijitendriyaḥ
yukta ity ucyate yogī
sama-loṣṭrāśma-kāñcanaḥ (Bg 6.8)

Word-for-word:
jñāna — by acquired knowledge; vijñāna — and realized knowledge; tṛpta — satisfied; ātmā — a living entity; kūṭa-sthaḥ — spiritually situated; vijita-indriyaḥ — sensually controlled; yuktaḥ — competent for self-realization; iti — thus; ucyate — is said; yogī — a mystic; sama — equipoised; loṣṭra — pebbles; aśma — stone; kāñcanaḥ — gold.

Translation:
A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogī [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything – whether it be pebbles, stones or gold – as the same.

Explanation:
This verse describes how a person who has controlled the mind (jitātmanaḥ) becomes situated at a high level of perfection.

jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā: With knowledge and the realization of that knowledge, the soul becomes satisfied.

The knowledge that we are not the body but the soul—sat-cit-ānanda—is uplifting in itself, for it assures us that we are indestructible, beyond the body’s vulnerability and perishability. Yet, this remains theoretical until it is experienced. When one understands one’s identity as the soul, not merely in an intellectual sense but in an experiential way, that is realization. Realization means accepting reality as it truly is, and when we accept it in that way, it becomes realization.

We may claim to have accepted that we are not the body but the soul, yet for most of us this acceptance remains intellectual rather than experiential. We have not consistently perceived ourselves as the soul. At best, we may occasionally encounter glimpses that we describe as spiritual experiences, but true realization means to have that steady, personal awareness.

Realization is the acceptance of reality as it actually is. When we deeply accept that our true identity is sat-cit-ānanda, we recognize that lasting happiness requires nothing external. We need only to awaken to our sat-cit-ānanda nature and live in accordance with it.

The soul is a part of God, and thus living in harmony with the nature of the soul means living in loving service to Him. When we do this, satisfaction (tṛptātmā) naturally follows. By contrast, when there is only jñāna without vijñāna, confusion and delusion often arise. This is due to apparent contradictions—differences between various scriptural descriptions of reality and the diverse perceptions of seekers—which, without realization, may seem conflicting.

Hence, vijñāna is essential for true satisfaction. We must be realized in order to be content. At the same time, realization is not possible without some prior knowledge. Unless we possess at least a theoretical understanding, even if we receive the benefit, we will not recognize it.

It is like a person who is sick and unconscious. Medicine may be administered, and the person may recover. Yet because there is no jñāna—no awareness that the medicine is meant to cure—there is also no vijñāna, no realization of the medicine’s value.

We certainly need to internalize and realize the knowledge we have, but that does not mean we should minimize the importance of acquiring knowledge. Emphasizing realization does not imply neglecting knowledge; rather, acquiring knowledge is the foundation of realization, and often it becomes an impetus for realization. We may think, “There is so much to learn, and I can learn far better if I truly realize it.” This, in turn, inspires us to apply that knowledge.

For example, if a particular medicine has cured countless people, the more we learn of its proven effectiveness, the more inspired we become to take that medicine ourselves.

Similarly, the more knowledge we gain about our identity as the soul—philosophically, logically, and scripturally—the more inspired we become to realize it experientially, and in that realization we find true satisfaction.

kūṭa-stho vijitendriyaḥ: One who is firmly fixed in knowledge. The word “stha” means “situated,” and “kūṭa” conveys the idea of being positioned high above—like an eagle perched on the top of a tall tree or a lofty tower, almost in the sky yet barely touching the earth. Similarly, a person who has acquired and realized spiritual knowledge is situated above material existence. Though still present within the material realm, such a person remains elevated beyond it. Such a person has also conquered the senses (vijitendriyaḥ).

If the senses remain uncontrolled, they drag us down to the level of sense gratification. Succumbing to such gratification is itself an illusion, and it perpetuates further illusion. The very desire to indulge is illusory, and the indulgence only deepens the illusion. By contrast, one who has acquired knowledge and realization does not fall into this trap, knowing that such pleasure is both temporary and deceptive.

yukta ity ucyate yogī: Such a person is called yukta. The word “yukta” is related to yoga—yoga, yogī, and yukta all come from the same root and carry a similar sense. At first glance, the phrase yukta ity ucyate yogī—“one who is yukta is a yogī”—may seem like a tautology, as if saying “one who drives is a driver” or “one who sings is a singer.” But Kṛṣṇa’s point is deeper. Here, yukta does not merely mean “engaged in yoga”; it means connected, harmonized, and linked with a particular conception of reality—the vision of the world described in the earlier part of this verse and the previous verse. One who is thus situated is truly called a yogī.

sama-loṣṭrāśma-kāñcanaḥ: The final line of this verse conveys the vision of equanimity. Such a person regards gold (kāñcana), stone (aśma), and pebbles (loṣṭra) with equal vision. Stones and pebbles fall on one side of the scale, while gold lies on the other. A stone may carry some value—it can be shaped into tiles or used in construction—whereas pebbles are practically useless, often just kicked aside. Gold, by contrast, is held as supremely valuable. Yet the realized person sees all three—the utterly valueless, the moderately useful, and the immensely prized—with the same vision.

The equal vision described here points to the understanding that none of these—whether gold, stone, or pebbles—can give real happiness. The soul cannot derive fulfillment from anything material; only the spiritual can satisfy the soul. Therefore, one who is jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā—satisfied by knowledge and realization—remains situated on the spiritual platform and is not drawn to material allurements, knowing that no material object can provide true happiness.

Of course, the vision described here is not that of a devotee. A devotee may also see sama-loṣṭrāśma-kāñcanaḥ in the sense that he knows none of these—gold, stone, or pebbles—can give real happiness. Yet, he understands that the things of this world can be engaged in the Lord’s service. If something possesses great value for serving the Lord, the devotee recognizes that value and uses it accordingly in the service of the Lord.

In fact, it is described in the Līlāmṛta that when Śrīla Prabhupāda was constructing a temple in Vṛndāvana, he valued the cement bags as if they were gold. At that time, cement was extremely difficult to procure, and the devotees had obtained it only after great struggle. Śrīla Prabhupāda even had a devotee guard the cement at night. The point is that anything which can be used in the Lord’s service should be considered immensely valuable. This devotional vision is discussed later in the Gītā.

At this stage, however, the emphasis is that a person should remain equipoised toward all material things, without being drawn into the illusion that any object can provide true happiness and is therefore worth pursuing. In this verse, Kṛṣṇa speaks of equal vision in relation to things, and in the next verse, He will extend this principle to people—a point we will take up in our next discussion.

Thank you.