Verse 6.9

Verse 6.9: “Whoso maintains an even attitude towards benefactors, friends (or) foes; (towards) those that are indifferent (or) neutral, the hated ones (or) help-mates, towards the good no less than towards the sinful: such an one towers above the rest. (94)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

How could there arise in the mind of such a person any strange idea of distinction such as friend or foe, one’s own or a stranger? One who is in possession of the true vision—“I am myself the entire universe—” whence there could remain any distinction such as “This is base or this is best”. How could one find different degrees of fineness in gold, were he to test it with the Paris itself? Whatever comes to be rubbed against that touch-stone (Paris) will all be pure gold. In that way in the light of his clear vision it becomes apparent that, the entire universe of being whether moving or moveless, is realised to be rooted in his self. Even though the ornaments in the form of the universe might be felt as of different forms and settings, still to such a one, they all appear to be made out of the same gold in the form of the Supreme Brahman. One who secures completely the Supreme Knowledge, can hardly be deceived by the outwardly perceptible forms and shapes. When one deeply considers the matter, one finds that a piece of cloth is nothing but a wide expanse of threads woven into each other in the same way he definitely sees nothing but the Supreme Brahman, pervading the universe. He alone is one having equipoised vision, who gets such total experience. Even-balanced intellect is not anything different from this. He who becomes the very essence of sacred waters, whose visible form spells reverence, and whose contact bestows the highest realisation of the Self, even on the benighted soul lost in ignorance, whose very word is the fountain of the religious spirit, and in whose vision get born the eight marvellous powers and to whom heavenly bliss and others are mere toys—the very remembrance in mind of such a perfect one transforms the being of the devotee into the figure and spirit of the Perfect; not only this, singing his praise is good for the singer and secures for him the Spirit.