सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु ।
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ।। ६.९ ।।

suhṛn-mitrāry-udāsīna-madhyastha-dveṣya-bandhuṣu |
sādhuṣv-api ca pāpeṣu sama-buddhir-viśiṣyate || 6.9 ||

Krishna goes on to explain how this outward equal vision empowers the Knower to excel in his inter-personal behaviour:

One who accepts with equal vision benefactors, friends, enemies, neutrals, mediators, haters, relatives – even the noble as well as the ignoble, the holy as well as the unholy – verily excels as a spiritually integrated person.

This one statement of Krishna describes how broad, assimilative, lofty and unassailable is the mind and behaviour of the Knower – the yogi in whom reigns the true samatva-buddhi. For all kinds of inter-personal behaviour, Krishna’s words are really a touchstone.

Can spiritual pursuit mean and bring such behavioural excellence, many may wonder. But spiritual sadhana becomes hollow, if such mental and intelligential enrichments are left behind.

The society as a whole, as also the group associated with each individual, will ever be an intriguing assortment. There is none free from such surrounding complexity. However good and noble the seeker or Knower may be, he will still have to deal with all kinds of people. Krishna enlists the different categories of relationships a seeker or a Knower may have to deal with:

Suhrt means the good and noble benefactors. They will always think, speak and act only in a manner beneficial and strengthening to others. They will appreciate the Knower and whatever he does in the form of loka-sangraha. Their intention will be to imbibe and spread his noble message and values. They will always strive to be helpful and complementary to the Knower’s life, in whatever manner they can.

Mitra means a friend. Friends are those with whom one can have close and meaningful interactions. Friends will always be helpful and sharing. In the hands of true friends does one verily get evaluated and corrected. Such friendship may be rare. To add to the first phase of growth derived from the family in which one is born, proper friendship is helpful, nay necessary. The joy one does not get from the near and dear ones at home, he looks for from his friends. Good friends can mean a great deal in shaping an individual’s dimensions.

Ari means enemy. As are friends, so will also be enemies, may be in far less number. Even the most innocuous individual will have some who dislike him. Take Krishna himself for instance. Did Duryodhana like him? He tried to imprison Krishna, when Krishna went to Hastinapura as an ambassador of peace, asking Kauravas to make pact with Pandavas and avoid bloodshed. What about Shishupala, who hated Krishna and posed as his stark rival? Everyone must make a provision for a few who would dislike him and his ways. Intolerance of goodness and good people is a characteristic of the vicious minds. The earth that produces virtuous people will also bring forth the vicious.

There are also those who will be indifferent (udasina) about the Knower and whatever he does. Mostly such indifference is due to self-centredness and the desire not to be bothered and ruffled by the others. Such people also have a place in the world.

Then come the mediators (madhyastha). They will take neither this position nor that, but prefer to advocate the middle path for all. By so doing they tend to be amiable to all. They too are part of the rich variety called society.

There are those who warrant disapproval and condemnation (dveshya). They are given naturally to lowly tendencies and harmfulness. Their number may be small or big. But they will occupy a definite place in the complex society.

There are then the usual relatives and well-wishers (bandhu), forming an inevitable part of the assortment.

All together constitute the noble and ignoble sections of the society. As are the many other sets of dvandvas, so too are these – noble and ignoble, virtuous and sinful (sadhu and papi). Spiritual Knowledge is not meant to eradicate from the world what constitute its prevalence and promotion. On the other hand, it is to reveal to us the real nature and worth of existence in all its complexity and equip us to be at home with it. The expansion called for is also correspondingly multidimensional and subtle. Krishna emphasizes this supreme note of expansion and harmonization everywhere. His own life constantly displays such exemplary harmonization.

Amidst this amazing variety encircling the life of every human, the Knower must not the least fail in preserving his Self-seatedness – his poise, calm and integration. No event or situation can destabilize him. Nor should any person or circumstances cause intolerance. It needs everything and everyone to make the world. As is one, so are the others, in belonging to the inexorable variety of the world. Allow each to be what he is. No conflict, no undue agitation or botheration should be allowed to take over the mind of the Knower.

Such a one of stable mind and equal vision, comprehending and containing all, verily excels spiritually. He is indeed the great man, whom greatness will honour and goodness grace, declares Krishna. Everywhere Krishna advocates a vibrant, all-embracing personality, displaying ever-increasing expansion and assimilation. His emphasis is always on interactional excellence – on making one’s behaviour effective, beneficial to all concerned and fulfilling to oneself and the world alike.

All this is, in a way, the theory part – the description and explanation of what constitutes enlightenment. Wisdom in vision, knowledge in interaction, is what all these descriptions present. But the whole spiritual development depends upon one’s core personality. How to touch it, involve it, instill into it the wisdom, vision and expansion? What is the way for it?

Is it all mere talk, reading and listening, or is there something deeper and more practical to it? In answer, Krishna lays down the process and principles of meditational sadhana. This chapter is thus known as dhyana-yoga. According to Krishna, meditation is an exclusive and wholesome pursuit. It has its structure, content and purpose. Krishna defines them, as if to a young student, so that there will be no mistaking or confusion about what he says and what the seeker should follow.

Any extent of talk and listening about spirituality and spiritual life will not have any effect, unless the listener sets himself out to enter into his own mind and orient it spiritually. Mind is unlike the body, which consists of matter and energy. Mind thrives on thoughts, feelings and emotions. Thoughts produce ideas, which in turn engender feelings and emotions. The link between thoughts and emotions is very subtle. The effective method will thus be to watch attentively and understand the subtle movements of thoughts and emotions, and to treat them with the knowledge of sama-darsana – equal vision.

It is possible to touch them up the way one wishes and wills, and bring about necessary transformation, purity and expansion. Never think differently. Krishna has already said in verses 5 and 6 that the freedom and scope for self-improvement and self-evolution reigns fully in everyone. The question is merely to recognize and employ them devoutly, tenaciously.

The seeker must take to solitude. This can be in his own residence, in a room or similar enclosure. He should go there alone and make his meditative effort, unaccompanied by anything or anyone. To be alone is itself to be induced to think and get into the mind.

In such exclusive loneliness, the seeker will get a chance to bring about whatever restraint, regulation and refinement he desires. As long as he is interactive, the mind will have to be mingling with the objects. In the midst of such sweeping objective involvement, he will not be able to dissociate and observe his mind and its functions. Therefore, exclusive, non-active, loneliness is a must, at least in the beginning. While in solitude, he must not indulge in thoughts on desires. On the other hand, he must divest himself of the very desiring process. And yet, fullness is what true meditation should aim at. Such independent sovereignty or aloofness is a must.