Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 26
Nārāyaṇa’s Impartiality, Absorption in Kṛṣṇa, and the Jaya–Vijaya Descent
Prelude to Prahlāda’s History
तस्माद्वैरानुबन्धेन निर्वैरेण भयेन वा । स्नेहात्कामेन वा युञ्ज्यात् कथञ्चिन्नेक्षते पृथक् ॥ २६ ॥
tasmād vairānubandhena nirvaireṇa bhayena vā snehāt kāmena vā yuñjyāt kathañcin nekṣate pṛthak
Therefore by enmity or by devotional service, by fear, by affection or by lusty desire — by all of these or any one of them — if a conditioned soul somehow or other concentrates his mind upon the Lord, the result is the same, for the Lord, because of His blissful position, is never affected by enmity or friendship.
From this verse one should not conclude that because Kṛṣṇa is unaffected by favorable prayers or unfavorable blasphemy one should therefore blaspheme the Supreme Lord. This is not the regulative principle. Bhakti-yoga means ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam: one should serve Kṛṣṇa very favorably. This is the real injunction. Here it is said that although an enemy thinks of Kṛṣṇa unfavorably, the Lord is unaffected by such antidevotional service. Thus He offers His benedictions even to Śiśupāla and similarly inimical conditioned souls. This does not mean, however, that one should be inimical toward the Lord. The stress is given to the favorable execution of devotional service, not purposeful blasphemy of the Lord. It is said:
FAQs
This verse teaches that the mind should be connected to the Lord by any strong absorption—enmity, fear, affection, or desire—so that nothing is seen as separate from Him.
In the Bhagavatam’s narrative logic, intense, uninterrupted remembrance of the Supreme Lord purifies consciousness; even hostile fixation can result in liberation because it keeps the mind constantly on Him.
Choose positive absorption—loving remembrance, prayer, chanting, and devotion—so the mind naturally returns to the Lord throughout the day, reducing the sense of separateness and anxiety.