B.G 6.09

सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु। साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥९॥

One who treats with equanimous-intellect the well-wishers, the friends, the enemies, the indifferent, the neutrals, the hated, the relatives, the virtuous, and also the sinful, excels.

Gīta Bhāshya 6.09

Having equanimous-intellect ('samabuddhiḥ') does not mean appreciating equally the virtuous and the sinful. Treating people as per the prescribed norms without selfish motive is treating people with equal mind. The five attributes, wealth, relatives, age, deeds, and knowledge, are successively greater than the previous for determining the qualification for respect.

स एव च सर्वस्मात् विशिष्यते साधुपापादिषु समबुद्धिः। जीवचितः, परमात्मनः, सर्वस्य तन्निमित्तत्वस्य च सर्वत्र ऐकरूप्येण। चिद्रूपा एव हि जीवाः। विशेषस्तु अन्तःकरणकृतः। सर्वेषां साधुत्वादिकं सर्वम् ईश्वरकृतमेव। स्वतो न किञ्चिदपि।

He indeed excels among all who behave with equanimous-intellect towards the virtuous and the sinful. Among all the living beings, everywhere, the Supreme being is equal and uniform as a cause. The living beings are of the form of spirit only. They are made up of special inner organ. In everyone, all the qualities like virtue etc. are set in motion by the Lord alone. On their own, they cannot do anything at all.

उक्तं च एतत् सर्वम् -

All this has been stated:

"स्वतः सर्वेऽपि चिद्रूपाः सर्वदोषविवर्जिताः। जीवास्तेषां तु ये दोषाः त उपाधिकृता मताः॥

"He himself in all living beings is of the form of awareness and devoid of all defects. The defects attributed to the living beings are due to their own respective limitations, is the considered view.

सर्वं चेश्वरतस्तेषां न किञ्चित् स्वत एव तु। समा एव ह्यतः सर्वे वैषम्यं भ्रान्तिसम्भवम्॥

Everything happens by the will of the Lord, and nothing happens on its own. Indeed, He is equally present in everything, while inequality arises from delusion.

एवं समा नृजीवास्तु विशेषो देवतादिषु। स्वाभाविकस्तु नियमादत एव सनातनः॥ असुरादेस्तथा दोषा नित्याः स्वाभाविका अपि। गुणदोषौ मानुषाणां नित्यौ स्वाभाविकौ मतौ। गुणैकमात्ररूपास्तु देवा एव सदा मताः॥"

Thus, all living beings are equally treated, but the speciality among the gods is inherent and eternal, and are regulated as per the rules. Similarly, defects are inherent and eternal among demons, while the good qualities and defects are inherent and eternal among the humans. Indeed, the gods are always considered as having a form made up of good qualities only."

इति ब्राह्मे।

- stated thus in the Brahma Purana.

न तु साधुपापादीनां पूजादिसाम्यम्। तत्र दोषस्मृतेः -

But, this does not mean appreciating equally the virtuous and the sinful. Doing so is defective, as stated by testimonials:

"समानां विषमा पूजा विषमाणां समा तथा। क्रियते येन देवोऽपि स पदात् भ्रश्यते पुमान्॥"

"By treating unequally the equals, and equally the unequals, even the gods fall down from their position."

इति ब्राह्मे।

- stated thus in the Brahma Purāna.

"वित्तं बन्धुर्वयः कर्म विद्या चैव तु पञ्चमी। एतानि मान्यस्थानानि गरीयो ह्युत्तरोत्तरम्॥"

"Indeed, wealth, relatives, age, deeds, and knowledge - each of these five attributes are successively greater than the previous for determining the qualification for respect."

इति मानवे।

- stated thus in Manu testimonial.

"गुणानुसारिणीं पूजां समां दृष्टिं च यो नरः। सर्वभूतेषु कुरुते तस्य विष्णुः प्रसीदति। वैषम्यमुत्तमत्वं तु ददाति नरसञ्चयात्। पूजाया विषमा दृष्टिः समा साम्यं विदुःखजम्॥"

"Lord Vishnu is pleased with the person who worships beings according to their respective qualities, and views all living beings equally. Among the collection of people, inequality leads to superiority. Having the vision of equanimity, worshiping the unequals with differentiation results in equality devoid of sorrow."

इति ब्रह्मवैवर्ते।

- states Brahmavaivarta Purāna.

सुहृदादिषु शास्त्रोक्तपूजादिकृतिः अन्यूनाधिका या साऽपि समता। तदप्याह -

Even among the friends and relatives, treating them differentially as prescribed by the scriptures is said to be equanimity. Therefore, it is said:

"यथा सुहृत्सु कर्तव्यं पितृशत्रुसुतेषु च। तथा करोति पूजादि समबुद्धिः स उच्यते॥"

"He is said to be possessed with equanimous-intellect, one who conducts and performs his duties towards the father, the enemy, and the son as prescribed."

इति गारुडे।

- stated thus in Garuda Purāna.

प्रत्युपकारनिरपेक्षया उपकारकृत् सुहृत्। क्लेशस्थानं निरूप्य यो रक्षां करोति स मित्रम्। अरिः वधादिकर्ता। कर्तव्ये उपकारे अपकारे च य उदास्ते स उदासीनः। कर्तव्यम् उभयमपि यः करोति स मध्यमः। अवासितकृत् द्वेष्यः। आह चैतत् -

A wellwisher is one who does favours without expecting any returns. A friend is one who provides protection after having ascertained the context of distress. Enemy is the perpetrator of harm. He who remains indifferent towards doing favors or causing harm, is indifferent. He who does both favor and harm is moderate. One who instigates hostile activities is the hater. Following is stated regarding the same:

"द्वेष्योऽवासितकृत् कार्यमात्रकारी तु मध्यगः। प्रियकृत् प्रियो निरूप्याऽपि क्लेशं यः परिरक्षति। स मित्रमुपकारं तु अनपेक्ष्योपकारकृत्। यस्ततः स सुहृत् प्रोक्तः शत्रुश्चापि वधादिकृत्॥"

"Hater is the one who instigates hostile activities and the moderate only does what is to be done. He is the beloved who does what makes one happy. He is a friend who protects after ascertaining danger. He is the wellwisher who does favors without expecting anything in return. He is said to be the enemy, one who is a perpetrator of harm."

इति ॥९॥

- states thus in the testimonials.