Indriyartheshu Vairagyam

The next mark of knowledge: not clinging to the things the senses enjoy. Whatever pleases the eyes, ears, tongue, nose, or skin — not getting trapped by it. And the absence of the feeling that says 'I am great, I know everything.'

Alongside these, Krishna mentions something clear-eyed: seeing the suffering and imperfection woven into birth, death, old age, and disease. This is not pessimism. It is honest observation — seeing the nature of worldly existence exactly as it is, without dressing it up.

This is the ninth shloka, part of the knowledge-qualities sequence. The observation of suffering in birth, death, old age, and disease echoes the Buddhist tradition as well — it is a shared human insight across Indian philosophy.

In the Gita Press edition, this is the ninth shloka. 'Anahankara' — the absence of ego — is perhaps the most central quality in this entire list.