na prahṛṣyet priyaṁ prāpya nodvijet prāpya cāpriyam sthira-buddhir asammūḍho brahma-vid brahmaṇi sthitaḥ
"One should not rejoice upon gaining what is pleasant, nor be troubled upon receiving what is unpleasant. With steady intellect, undeluded, knowing Brahman, one is established in Brahman."
What This Means:
Don't get overly excited when good things happen, and don't get disturbed when bad things happen. The person with steady intellect, free from delusion, who knows Brahman, remains established in Brahman through both.
Going Deeper:
'Na prahrishyet' (should not rejoice) and 'na udvijet' (should not be disturbed)—equanimity in both directions. This isn't emotional suppression but natural stability arising from 'sthira-buddhi' (steady intellect) and 'asammudha' (undeluded). The 'Brahma-vit' (knower of Brahman) sees pleasant and unpleasant as waves on the same ocean—both will pass, the ocean remains.
How To Apply This:
Next time something good happens, notice the urge to get excited. Next time something bad happens, notice the urge to get disturbed. In both cases, return to the witnessing awareness. The steady person isn't cold—they simply don't lose themselves in temporary waves.
Key Sanskrit Terms: