Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 6
Nārāyaṇa’s Impartiality, Absorption in Kṛṣṇa, and the Jaya–Vijaya Descent
Prelude to Prahlāda’s History
निर्गुणोऽपि ह्यजोऽव्यक्तो भगवान्प्रकृते: पर: । स्वमायागुणमाविश्य बाध्यबाधकतां गत: ॥ ६ ॥
nirguṇo ’pi hy ajo ’vyakto bhagavān prakṛteḥ paraḥ sva-māyā-guṇam āviśya bādhya-bādhakatāṁ gataḥ
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, is always transcendental to material qualities, and therefore He is called nirguṇa, or without qualities. Because He is unborn, He does not have a material body to be subjected to attachment and hatred. Although the Lord is always above material existence, through His spiritual potency He appeared and acted like an ordinary human being, accepting duties and obligations, apparently like a conditioned soul.
So-called attachment, detachment and obligations pertain to the material nature, which is an emanation from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but whenever the Lord descends and acts in this material world, He does so in His spiritual position. Although His activities materially appear different, spiritually they are absolute and nondifferent. Thus it is an imposition upon the Supreme Lord to say that He is envious of anyone or friendly to anyone.
FAQs
This verse explains that Bhagavān is inherently beyond material qualities (guṇas), yet He can interact with māyā without being controlled by it, remaining transcendental.
By entering His own māyā, the Lord appears within the world’s framework—seemingly subject to conditions—while actually remaining the supreme controller who binds conditioned souls through material nature.
It encourages devotion and surrender: māyā binds the soul, but the Lord is the master of māyā—so taking shelter of Bhagavān through bhakti is the direct path to freedom from illusion.