suhṛn-mitrāry-udāsīna-
madhyastha-dveṣya-bandhuṣu
sādhuṣv api ca pāpeṣu
sama-buddhir viśiṣyate
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 6.9
A person is considered still further advanced when he regards honest well-wishers, affectionate benefactors, the neutral, mediators, the envious, friends and enemies, the pious and the sinners all with an equal mind.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
No commentary by Srila Prabhupada.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
The yogi sees equally the person who wishes one well (suhrt) his nature, one who actually does good out of affection (mitra), the killer (ari), one who is neutral in times of conflict or honor (udasina), the mediator who tries to resolve conflict between the two sides (madhyastha), the person who deserves hatred because he harms one (dvesya), the relative (bandhuh), the follower of dharma and the follower of adharma. This position is superior to that of seeing dirt and gold as the same.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
6.9 The first line of the verse beginning with ‘benefactor,’ etc. is a single compound word. Visisyate, he excels, i.e. he is the best among all those who are established in Yoga-(a different reading is vimucyate, he becomes free); sama-buddhih, who has sameness of view, i.e. whose mind is not engaged with the question of who one is and what he does; with regard to a suhrd, benefactor-one who does some good without consideration of return; mitram, a friend, one who is affectionate; arih, a foe; udasinah, a neutral, who sides with nobody; madhyasthah, an arbiter, who is a well-wisher of two conflicting parties; dvesyah, the hateful, who is repulsive to oneself; bandhuh, a relative;- to all these as also sadhusu, with regard to good people, who follow the scriptures; api ca, and even; papesu, sinners, who perform prohibited actions-with regard to all of them. Therefore, to acquire this excellent result-
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
One who looks equally upon all these persons mentioned well-wisher, enemy etc. is superior to even one who is performing yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciouness. A well-wisher is benevolent towards one, a friend is affectionate, an enemy causes harm and the envious are persons of aversion. The good are those of righteous behaviour and the sinful are those of unrighteous behavior. The person who through strength and clarity of mind is able to look in equanimity upon all without a doubt excels even the yogi.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
That person verily is distinguished among mortals who feels equanimity towards both those who are righteous and those who are unrighteous. They alone understand that the consciousness residing in every living entity is the Ultimate Consciousness which is the all pervasive medium equally present in all beings. The embodied being is literally the manifestation of this consciousness and the distinctiveness is due to the propensity of one’s internal potency. Attributes such as compassion, magnanimity and righteousness are bestowed by the grace of the Supreme Lord as otherwise it is not possible to possess them. This has been confirmed by all the saints and sages.
Essentially all embodied beings are of the form of this consciousness devoid of any defect. The defects that manifest among embodied beings is due to their internal propensity as all are emanations from the Supreme Lord and are dependent solely upon Him. All embodied beings are non- different in their essence and the seeming differences which appear are due to distinctive attributes and any seeming perception of inequality is due to delusion. Thus all human beings are fundamentally and essentially the same. The Brahma Purana states: That the demi-gods in the heavenly dimensions belong to a special category and have special powers and attributes that are natural and eternal in order to regulate universal management throughout creation. The demons possess substantial defects which appear natural to them and are eternal as well. Human being possess both attributes and defects which are also natural and eternal. Only the Supreme Lord Krishna and His authorised incarnations possess eternal attributes always for all time.
It should not be surmised that the righteous ones and the unrighteous one’s should be respected alike and regarded the same for that would be a grave error. The Brahma Purana states: If beings of equal qualification are worshipped unequally and people of unequal gradation are worshipped equally they will be relegated from their position even if they happen to be demi- gods. Manu Samhita states: The wealthy, family members, the elders, the learned and the bonafide spiritual preceptor. All these are considered to be venerable in their places but in gradation the subsequent one is superior to the one preceding it. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana states: Whoever respects all living entities with equal vision knowing that the inner essence is the same for all, pleases the Supreme Lord. The distinctions between people due to the differences in their methods of worship will not be disturbing to one who views all with equanimity. Among the venerable ones who perform worship according to the Vedic scriptures, if there is at any time mistakes or defects in the worship it will be viewed with equanimity. The Garuda Purana states: In whatever manner actions are required to be performed in relation to the venerable ones or an enemy then those activities are considered as situated in equanimity.
The Vishnu Purana states that: One who performs activities without expecting anything in return is known as magnanimous. Even while engaged in turmoil the one who extends protection is the friend and the one who refuses protection is the enemy. One who neither helps or harms is known as passive. One who does not act when things are required to be done is known as irresponsible. One who does hateful things is known as evil. One who performs beneficial activities is known as righteous. Whatever activity one is required to perform according to time and circumstances and the Vedic scriptures that activity is considered to be in equanimity. The Narada Purana specifies that: One who is affectionate without any expectation is the magnanimous one. Seeing suffering the one who extends help is the friend. One who causes pain is evil. One who does not reciprocate friendship even when given friendship is ungrateful. One who does good to others only if good was done for them is known as mediocre. The magnanimous one referred to here is the Supreme Lord.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna is stating that one who regards equally the well-wishers such as relatives who help due to relations and friends who help due to affection without desiring anything from them and is also nonplussed by those who wish to do harm such as an enemy or the envious, as well as those of righteous conduct and those of unrighteous conduct, such a person excels even the yogi or one perfecting the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
6.9 The first line of the verse beginning with ‘benefactor,’ etc. is a single compound word. Visisyate, he excels, i.e. he is the best among all those who are established in Yoga-(a different reading is vimucyate, he becomes free); sama-buddhih, who has sameness of view, i.e. whose mind is not engaged with the question of who one is and what he does; with regard to a suhrd, benefactor-one who does some good without consideration of return; mitram, a friend, one who is affectionate; arih, a foe; udasinah, a neutral, who sides with nobody; madhyasthah, an arbiter, who is a well-wisher of two conflicting parties; dvesyah, the hateful, who is repulsive to oneself; bandhuh, a relative;- to all these as also sadhusu, with regard to good people, who follow the scriptures; api ca, and even; papesu, sinners, who perform prohibited actions-with regard to all of them. Therefore, to acquire this excellent result-
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
6.9 Suhrt etc. Friend is one whose heart remains good and auspicious without cause (on its own accord). Companionship is [that which is felt] mutually. Enmity is [also that which is felt] between one another. The indifferent one : the one, who is free from both these. One who remains in the middle : he who is partly a friend and partly an enemy. Foe : he who deserves to be hated, [but] cannot be hated. Relative : the one [connected] by marital bondage. Whosoever is with his mind equal to all these as well as to the righteous and the sinful; he excells [all] i.e., stage after stage he goes out of the cycle of birth-and-death. By the worshipful-footed persons of this sort –
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
suhrn-mitrary-udasina-
madhyastha-dvesya-bandhusu
sadhusv api ca papesu
sama-buddhir visisyate
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
su-hṛt — to well-wishers by nature; mitra — benefactors with affection; ari — enemies; udāsīna — neutrals between belligerents; madhya-stha — mediators between belligerents; dveṣya — the envious; bandhuṣu — and the relatives or well-wishers; sādhuṣu — unto the pious; api — as well as; ca — and; pāpeṣu — unto the sinners; sama-buddhiḥ — having equal intelligence; viśiṣyate — is far advanced.
