On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, when Arjuna was drowned in deep vishad (sorrow), Shri Krishna began to speak about the Shreshtha Purush — the highest type of human being.
His words define the ideal man, the steady man, the man who stands above confusion.
Shri Krishna first revealed the nature of the Sthitaprajna in Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Shlok 55:
“प्रजहाति यदा कामान् सर्वान् पार्थ मनोगतान् ।
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते ॥”
(When a person leaves all kamana (desires) born in the mind, and becomes content in the atma (self), he is called the Sthitaprajna.)
Such a person lives beyond sukh (joy) and dukh (pain). Neither joy can shake him, nor sorrow can burn him. He remains calm and steady, like a silent mountain.
Shri Krishna then reminded Arjuna in Chapter 2, Shlok 11:
“अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ॥”
(The wise do not feel shok (grief) for those who have passed nor for those who have not passed.)
Thus, a Shreshtha Purush does not drown in sorrow. He understands that coming and going, life and death, loss and gain — are all waves that rise and fall. The wise remain like the ocean beneath the waves.
Shri Krishna describes the balance of this inner stability in Chapter 2, Shlok 57:
“यस्सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम् ।
नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥”
(The one who is free from moh (attachment), who neither celebrates shubha (pleasant things) nor hates ashubha (unpleasant things), remains steady in wisdom.)
A Shreshtha Purush has no moh for jaya (victory) and no fear of parajaya (defeat). He stays equal in labh (gain) and hāni (loss), in sukh and dukh.
Arjuna then asks: “Hey Keshava, how can anyone perform nishkam karma (action without desire)? If the result is not in mind, why will anyone act?”
Shri Krishna explains through Chapter 3, Shlok 9:
“यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः ।
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ॥”
(All action done without selfish desire is nishkam karma. Action done for other purposes creates bondage. Therefore, Arjuna, act without attachment.)
Krishna teaches that life itself is not possible without karma. Even not acting is a form of karma. Thus, the Shreshtha Purush acts naturally, because action is part of the universe, not because he is chasing a reward.
Krishna then gives a powerful symbol in Chapter 2, Shlok 58:
“यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥”
(When a person withdraws his indriya (senses) like a kacchua (tortoise) withdrawing its limbs, he becomes steady in wisdom.)
The Shreshtha Purush controls his senses; his senses do not control him. He decides what the eyes should see and what the ears should hear.
Shri Krishna also warns Arjuna how ordinary men fall, in the famous chain of Chapter 2, Shloks 62–63:
“ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते ।
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते ॥”
(Thinking of vishaya (sense-objects) creates sanga (attachment). From attachment comes kam (desire). From desire comes krodha (anger).)
“क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः ।
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद्बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥”
(From krodha comes moh (delusion). From delusion comes loss of memory. From loss of memory comes destruction of buddhi (intellect). And from destruction of intellect, the person perishes.)
A normal man is blown away like a river caught in a storm. But the Shreshtha Purush remains like the ocean — deep, calm, and unmoved.
Krishna declares in Chapter 2, Shlok 69:
“या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी ।
यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः ॥”
(When the world sleeps in ignorance, the wise remain awake. When the world wakes in desire, for the wise, that is night.)
Normal people think only of their hunger, thirst, comfort, and needs. Their thinking is aatma-nishtha (self-centered).
But the Shreshtha Purush thinks vastu-nishtha (truth-centered). He sees beyond personal gain and loss. He sees the balance of nature, the flow of life, and the welfare of all beings.
Then Krishna speaks the great ocean analogy in Chapter 2, Shlok 70:
“आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं
समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् ।
तद्वत्कामायनं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे
स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी ॥”
(Just as rivers enter the ever-full ocean, so do all kamana (desires) enter the wise man. But he remains steady and peaceful.)
This is the difference: The normal man is like the river — always chasing.
The Shreshtha Purush is like the ocean — always full.
Shri Krishna explains the karma of the wise in Chapter 3, Shlok 25:
“सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।
कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम् ॥”
(The ignorant act with attachment. The wise act without attachment, for loka-sangraha (the welfare and balance of the world).)
Thus, the Shreshtha Purush rises above dvesha (hate) and aakanksha (expectation). He remains steady in maan (honor) and apmaan (insult), in sukh and dukh, in winter and summer.
Finally, Krishna describes the heart of the wise in Chapter 6, Shlok 32:
A Shreshtha Purush feels the sukh (joy) and dukh (pain) of others as his own. This is his greatness. This is why Krishna calls him the highest human.
