2.57 He who is everywhere without attachment, on meeting with anything good or bad, who neither rejoices not hastes, his wisdom is fixed.

2.57 Yah sarvatra etc. There is no joy or sorrow in him while meeting the good or the bad.

2.57: He whose intellect remains steady, who, devoid of attachment everywhere, neither rejoices nor hates upon obtaining this or that, whether pleasant or unpleasant. Commentary: In the previous verse, the Lord described remaining equipoised while performing one's duty. Now, in this verse, He explains remaining equal and undisturbed amidst favorable and unfavorable circumstances that arise according to one's karma. 'Yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehaḥ' – He who is without affection (sneha) everywhere, meaning one who has no attachment or clinging to anything considered as one's own—be it the body, senses, mind, intellect, or wife, children, home, wealth, etc. The feeling of oneness with objects, etc., such as "I exist because these objects exist, and I am ruined if they are ruined; I became great when wealth came and was destroyed when wealth left"—this kind of affection (sneha) that identifies the self with objects is called 'abhisneha' (intense attachment). For the steadfast sage (sthita-prajña) and the karma yogi, this abhisneha towards any object, etc., is completely absent. Though externally associated with objects, people, and things, he remains entirely detached within. 'Tattatprāpya śubhāśubhaṁ nābhinandati na dveṣṭi' – When, due to destiny (prārabdha), pleasant-unpleasant, agreeable-disagreeable, good-bad, favorable-unfavorable circumstances come before such a person, he does not rejoice over the favorable circumstance nor hate the unfavorable one. The joy that arises in the mind upon obtaining a favorable circumstance, expressing happiness through speech, and celebrating externally—this is rejoicing (abhinandana) over that circumstance. Similarly, the sorrow, dejection, and thoughts in the mind upon an unfavorable circumstance—"How and why did this happen? It would have been better if it hadn't. May it end soon"—this is hatred (dveṣa) towards that circumstance. A person devoid of affection everywhere, who is detached, does not rejoice over favorability nor hate adversity. The meaning is that favorable-unfavorable, good-bad opportunities keep coming to him, but within, detachment always remains. The repetition of 'tat, tat' (this or that) signifies that towards all those favorable and unfavorable objects, persons, events, circumstances, etc., where there is a possibility of agitation and where ordinary people do get agitated—upon obtaining any of those favorable-unfavorable objects, etc., anywhere, anytime, and in any manner—he experiences neither rejoicing nor hatred. 'Tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā' – His intellect is steady, established, of one taste and one form. The discerning intellect (vyavasāyātmikā buddhi) he possessed during the stage of practice has now become immovable and unshakable in the Supreme Self. In his intellect, this discrimination has awakened fully: "In truth, I have no connection whatsoever with the good and bad in the world. Because these good and bad circumstances are subject to change, but my essential nature is unchanging; therefore, how can the unchanging be related to the changing?" In reality, if seen, change occurs neither in the essential nature nor in the body, senses, mind, or intellect. Because one's essential nature never undergoes even the slightest change; and nature (prakṛti) and its effects like the body, etc., naturally keep changing. So where does the change occur? Due to identification with the body, change occurs in the intellect. When this identification ceases, the change that occurred in the intellect ceases, and the intellect becomes steady (pratiṣṭhitā). Another meaning is this: However sharp someone's intellect may be, and however much he may contemplate God with his intellect, he cannot bring God within the confines of his intellect. Because the intellect is limited, and God is limitless-infinite. But when that intellect merges into that infinite God, then nothing but God remains in that limited intellect—this is the intellect becoming established in God. The karma yogi is active. Therefore, in the fifty-sixth verse, the Lord spoke of being free from desire and agitation regarding success or failure in action. And in this verse, He speaks of being free from rejoicing and hatred when favorable-unfavorable circumstances are obtained automatically according to one's destiny. Connection: Now, from the next verse, the Lord begins to answer the third question: "How does the steadfast sage sit?"