न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम् । स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मविद्ब्रह्मणि स्थितः ॥
na prahṛṣyetpriyaṃ prāpya nodvijatprāpya cāpriyam | sthirabuddhirasammūḍho brahmavidbrahmaṇi sthitaḥ ||
Translation
One who does not rejoice upon receiving the pleasant and does not grieve upon receiving the unpleasant — steady in intellect, undeluded — such a knower of Brahman is established in Brahman.
Interpretation
The mark of genuine realization is neither suppression of emotion nor artificial cheerfulness — it is a profound inner stability that is not disturbed by the weather of circumstances. Pleasure comes and goes; the Brahma-vid (knower of Brahman) sees it, but the foundation beneath does not shift. Pain arrives; the Brahma-vid experiences it without the added layer of grief and resistance. This is sthira-buddhi — steady intelligence — and it is the natural state of one abiding in Brahman.