Bhagavad Gita BG 6.9
Chapter 6, Verse 9 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु । साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥
suhrmn-mitrary-udasina madhyastha-dveshya-bandhushu sadhushv api ca papeshu sama-buddhir vishishyate
Meaning
One who is equal-minded toward well-wisher, friend, enemy, the neutral, the mediator, the hateful, and the relative — and equally toward the righteous and the sinful — such a one excels.
Understanding
An extraordinary list of seven categories of people: suhrd (well-wisher, who helps without asking), mitra (friend, formal ally), ari (enemy), udasina (indifferent neutral), madhyastha (mediator between parties), dveshya (the one who is hostile to you), and bandhu (one's own relative). Then even more: sadhu (the righteous) and papa (the sinful). The sama-buddhi (equal-intellect) toward ALL of these vishishyate — stands out, excels. This is the supreme social yoga.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| उदासीन | udasina | indifferent, neutral, unconcerned |
| मध्यस्थ | madhyastha | mediator, one standing in the middle |
| द्वेष्य | dveshya | the detestable, the one who is hostile to you |
| साधु | sadhu | righteous, good, virtuous person |
| विशिष्यते | vishishyate | excels, stands out, is distinguished |
| सुहृत् | suhṛt | a well-wisher / a friend (uninvited benefactor) |
| मित्र | mitra | a friend / an ally |
| बान्धवेषु | bāndhaveṣu | among kinsmen / among relatives |
| अपि | api | even / also |
| च | ca | and (conjunction) |
| पापेषु | pāpeṣu | among the sinful / regarding sinners |
| समबुद्धिः | sama-buddhiḥ | one with equal intelligence / even-minded |