Devanagari
सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु ।
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥ ९ ॥
Verse text
suhṛn-mitrāry-udāsīna-
madhyastha-dveṣya-bandhuṣu
sādhuṣv api ca pāpeṣu
sama-buddhir viśiṣyate
Synonyms
su-hṛt
—
to well-wishers by nature
;
mitra
—
benefactors with affection
;
ari
—
enemies
;
udāsīna
—
neutrals between belligerents
;
madhya-stha
—
mediators between belligerents
;
dveṣya
—
the envious
;
bandhuṣu
—
and the relatives or well-wishers
;
sādhuṣu
—
unto the pious
;
api
—
as well as
;
ca
—
and
;
pāpeṣu
—
unto the sinners
;
sama-buddhiḥ
—
having equal intelligence
;
viśiṣyate
—
is far advanced.
Translation
A person is considered still further advanced when he regards honest well-wishers, affectionate benefactors, the neutral, mediators, the envious, friends and enemies, the pious and the sinners all with an equal mind.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
9. He sees the natural well-wisher, the friend, the neutral person, the mediator, the enemy, and the relative, the sinner and pious person as the same.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
9. He is better who sees the natural well wisher, the friend, the neutral person, the mediator, the enemy, and the relative, the sinner and pious person as the same.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The yogī sees equally the person who wishes one well (suhṛt) by his nature, one who actually does good out of affection (mitra), the killer (ari), one who is neutral in times of conflict or honor (udāsīna), the mediator who tries to resolve conflict between the two sides (madhyastha), the person who deserves hatred because he harms one (dveṣya), the relative (bandhu), the follower of dharma and the follower of adharma. This position is superior to that of seeing dirt and gold as the same.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
He who sees friends and enemies as equal is superior (viśiṣyate) to the yogī who sees stone and gold as one. A suhrt is one who by his very nature desires another person’s benefit. Mitra is one who actually does beneficial acts for another person out of affection. Ari is one who desires another’s misfortune, due to not having affection. Udāsin is one who is neutral to two arguing parties. Madhya stha is one who attempts to stop the dispute. Dveṣya is one who deserves to be hated because of his desire to injure another person. Bandhu is a person who desires ones benefit because of a family relationship. The sadhu is one who follows dharma. The pāpa is one who does not follow dharma.
Surrender Unto Me
The envious, friends, and enemies, in one hand ‑ the people who hate one.
Then the well‑wishers, affectionate benefactors,
Then the neutral, mediators...
... all these three groups of people, he looks at them equally. And this is so difficult to not become involved in friends and enemies and other such politics. This is even more difficult than 'looking at pebbles, stones and gold as the same". This is the most difficult because the tendency is when someone likes you, you think that he has a very good discrimination, he is very intelligent. And when someone doesn't like you, you see his faults, 'what a envious person he is'... this is very difficult. It is a very advanced stage.
This is the stage one has to be on in order to be actually advanced enough to give up work in the astanga‑yoga system. The mental stages on has to be in, to give up work.
Then there are further stages in the practice of yoga ‑ next Section.
There is more detailed information about what practice of yoga practically is. We have summarized it by saying: 'it just describes the practices of astanga‑yoga as well as the re and the 'yogarudha' perfectional stage and ultimately the vision of the service to the Supersoul, which is the goal of yoga.
When one is on this stage of 'yogarudha', he is going to begin his practice. That is what will be described. First, general descrition of the yoga practice that one is on the yogarudha stage should begin.
[ C . STAGES IN THE PRACTICE OF YOGA (6. 10‑32)
1 . Basic practices of yoga: Carefully controlling his mind, the successful yogi engages his mind, his body, and his self in Krsna's service. (10) ]