In the sacred dialogue of the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most heartfelt and deeply human questions is asked by Arjun to Shree Krishna during the second chapter: “O Shree Krishna, how does a self-realized person behave? How does he talk, walk, sit, and act in the world?” It is a question that reflects our collective desire to understand what it means to be spiritually evolved—not only as an abstract concept, but as a living presence, one that we can model our own lives after.
We all look for role models. In earlier times, India’s walls were adorned with calendars of great leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi. These were people whose lives inspired millions. Today, celebrity culture has replaced such ideals with glamorous idols, but the deeper yearning remains: what does it look like to live a truly divine life? What are the symptoms of one who has attained enlightenment?
In this blog, inspired by Swami Mukundananda’s lucid exposition in his Bhagavad Gita Gyan Yagna, and focusing on the timeless wisdom of the Gita (Chapter 2, Verses 54–59), we explore in depth how an enlightened person speaks, behaves, and lives, as revealed by Shree Krishna to Arjun.
Arjun’s Profound Question: The Symptoms of Enlightenment
In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 54, Arjun raises a profound question:
Sanskrit Verse:
Arjuna uvācha:
sthita-prajñasya kā bhāṣhā samādhi-sthasya keśhava
sthita-dhīḥ kiṁ prabhāṣheta kim āsīta vrajeta kim
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Translation:
Arjun said: O Keshav, what is the disposition of one who is situated in divine consciousness? How does an enlightened person talk? How does he sit? How does he walk?
Swamiji emphasizes that this is not a question out of idle curiosity. Rather, Arjun, like all of us, seeks a model to follow. When we encounter a saint or a realized soul, how do we recognize them? What qualities do they embody?
Shree Krishna’s Answer: The Disposition of the Enlightened
Shree Krishna begins to answer Arjun’s question in the very next verse.
1. The First Symptom – Inner Renunciation and Self-Satisfaction
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 55
Sanskrit Verse:
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha:
prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān
ātmany-evātmanā tuṣhṭaḥ sthita-prajñas tadochyate
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Translation:
The Supreme Lord said: O Parth, when one discards all selfish desires and cravings of the senses that torment the mind, and becomes satisfied in the realization of the self, such a person is said to be transcendentally situated.
Swamiji clarifies that a self-realized person is not one who forcibly represses desires but one who has risen above them. Like a river that finds its way to the ocean, the enlightened soul discovers a source of joy within—the bliss of the Self. Such a person is fulfilled not through external gratification but inner realization.
2. Equanimity in Joy and Sorrow
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 56
Sanskrit Verse:
duḥkheṣhv-anudvigna-manāḥ sukheṣhu vigata-spṛihaḥ
vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ sthita-dhīr munir uchyate
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Translation:
One whose mind remains undisturbed amidst misery, who does not crave for pleasure, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady wisdom.
Here, equanimity is the hallmark of the enlightened. Pain and pleasure, loss and gain—they come and go. The sage does not chase after highs or resist lows. His peace is unshakable. As Swamiji beautifully explains, it is not that such a sage cannot taste a sweet (like a rasgulla) or feel discomfort, but he is not a slave to his senses. He uses them when needed and withdraws them like a tortoise pulls its limbs back into its shell.
3. Freedom from Duality – Acceptance of the World as it is
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 57
Sanskrit Verse:
yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehas tat tat prāpya śhubhāśhubham
nābhinandati na dveṣhṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā
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Translation:
One who remains unattached under all conditions, and is neither delighted by good fortune nor dejected by tribulation, he is a sage with perfect knowledge.
Swamiji explains this verse by pointing out that the world will always be a mix of the auspicious and the inauspicious. But the sage is free from the seesaw of liking and disliking. He neither clings to the pleasant nor resists the unpleasant. This detachment is not cold indifference; it is spiritual maturity.
4. Mastery Over the Senses – Like a Tortoise
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 58
Sanskrit Verse:
yadā sanharate chāyaṁ kūrmo ’ṅgānīva sarvaśhaḥ
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā
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Translation:
One who is able to withdraw the senses from their objects, just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its shell, is established in divine wisdom.
The analogy of the tortoise is striking. The enlightened person does not suppress his senses with harsh willpower but has them under complete conscious control. As Swamiji points out, this saint sees clearly—he knows the difference between mud and sweet, but chooses divine joy over fleeting sense pleasures.
5. Experiencing a Higher Taste – The Path to Natural Detachment
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 59
Sanskrit Verse:
viṣhayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso ’pyasya paraṁ dṛiṣhṭvā nivartate
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Translation:
Aspirants may restrain the senses from their objects of enjoyment, but the taste for the sense objects remains. However, even this taste ceases for those who realize the Supreme.
Swamiji’s insight here is a game-changer. Renunciation is not about forcefully denying pleasure. If you just give up cigarettes, for instance, the craving remains. But when you taste a higher joy, the lower tastes fall off naturally. Once you’ve eaten a rasgulla, who would want gobar (dung)?
This is what Shree Krishna calls the path of superior attachment. Rather than dry renunciation, the solution is bhakti—devotion. The more you attach your mind to God, the more the world loses its grip.
Emotional vs. Intellectual: Different Paths, Same Goal
Swamiji gives a compassionate take on this process. Not everyone is intellectually inclined. Some are emotionally driven. For such seekers, detachment may seem daunting. Instead of forcing disconnection from family or desires, channel your attachment to God.
Kabira manua eka hai, bhave jaha lagaya
bhave Hari ki bhakti kara, bhave vishaya kamaye
This couplet from Kabir encapsulates it beautifully: the mind is one. Attach it to God, and detachment from the world will follow naturally. The enlightened person did not give up the world, he rose above it by attaching himself to something infinitely higher—the bliss of union with the Divine.
Conclusion: How Does an Enlightened Person Live?
So how does a self-realized person talk, walk, and live?
- He talks with love, clarity, and detachment. His words are purposeful and filled with grace.
- He walks with humility, never hurried by desire, never slowed by ego.
- He sits in peace, not disturbed by external chaos.
- He lives in the world, but not of the world. He is like the lotus in the muddy pond—rooted, blooming, untouched.
Such is the sthita-prajna—the person of steady wisdom. Shree Krishna’s answers are not merely theoretical. They are roadmaps to our own liberation.
A Call to Action
If this ancient wisdom resonates with you, it’s time to deepen your connection with the Bhagavad Gita. Let it be more than just inspiration—let it become a guidebook for your life.
🙏 Subscribe to Swami Mukundananda’s YouTube channel for more enlightening discourses.
📖 Read the Bhagavad Gita online and study it verse by verse.
Transformation begins with understanding. Liberation begins with practice. And the first step is to seek the company of the enlightened, even if only through their words.