SP

 The term Sthitaprajña (स्थितप्रज्ञ, often written sthitapragya or sthitaprajna) appears prominently in the Bhagavad Gita, especially 2.54–72.

It literally means:

• sthita = steady, established
• prajña = wisdom, insight, higher understanding

So Sthitaprajña means “one of steady wisdom” or “a person established in stable understanding.”

In the Gita, Arjuna asks Krishna:

“What is the description of one whose wisdom is steady and who is absorbed in contemplation?” (2.54, paraphrased)

Krishna’s answer describes the qualities of a sthitaprajña:

• Freedom from compulsive desires (2.55)
• Equanimity in sorrow and joy (2.56)
• Freedom from attachment, fear, and anger (2.56)
• Detachment from outcomes and sensory pull (2.57–61)
• Mental steadiness amid life’s ups and downs (2.64–68)
• Inner peace born from self-mastery (2.70–71)

There’s a strong connection to the verses you cited earlier (12.18–19). The devotee “dear to Me” in Chapter 12 resembles the sthitaprajña of Chapter 2: both are marked by equanimity, non-attachment, steadiness, and inner contentment.

A frequently cited summary verse is from 2.56:

“One whose mind is undisturbed in sorrow, free from craving in pleasure, and beyond attachment, fear, and anger is called a sage of steady wisdom.”

Many traditions interpret sthitaprajña not as emotional numbness, but as inner balance that is not dominated by changing circumstances.