Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 12
Lord Viṣṇu Instructs Pṛthu: Forgiveness, Ātmā-Deha Viveka, and the Bhakti Ideal of Kingship
भिन्नस्य लिङ्गस्य गुणप्रवाहो द्रव्यक्रियाकारकचेतनात्मन: । दृष्टासु सम्पत्सु विपत्सु सूरयो न विक्रियन्ते मयि बद्धसौहृदा: ॥ १२ ॥
bhinnasya liṅgasya guṇa-pravāho dravya-kriyā-kāraka-cetanātmanaḥ dṛṣṭāsu sampatsu vipatsu sūrayo na vikriyante mayi baddha-sauhṛdāḥ
Herr Viṣṇu sprach zu König Pṛthu: Mein lieber König, der ständige Wandel dieser materiellen Welt entsteht durch das Zusammenwirken der drei guṇas. Die fünf Elemente, die Sinne, die Halbgötter, welche die Sinne lenken, sowie der vom Geistwesen aufgewühlte Geist—all dies zusammen bildet den Körper. Doch die Seele ist völlig verschieden von dieser Verbindung grober und feiner Elemente; darum wird Mein Geweihter, der Mir in inniger Freundschaft und Liebe verbunden und im Wissen gefestigt ist, niemals von materiellem Glück oder Leid erschüttert.
The question may be raised that if the living entity has to act as the superintendent of the activities of the bodily combination, then how can he be indifferent to the activities of the body? The answer is given here: these activities are completely different from the activities of the spirit soul of the living entity. A crude example can be given in this connection: A businessman riding in a motorcar sits in the car, supervises its running and advises the driver. He knows how much gasoline is used up, and he knows everything about the car, but still he is apart from the car and is more concerned with his business. Even while riding in the car, he thinks of his business and his office. He has no connection with the car, although he is sitting there. As the businessman is always absorbed in thoughts of his business, so the living entity can be absorbed in thoughts of rendering loving service to the Lord. Then it will be possible to remain separate from the activities of the material body. This position of neutrality can be possible only for a devotee.
FAQs
This verse says that wise devotees fixed in friendship with the Lord are not disturbed by prosperity or adversity, even while living within a body influenced by the guṇas.
In Canto 4 Chapter 20, the Lord instructs and blesses Pṛthu by describing the steadiness of devotees, encouraging him toward unwavering bhakti beyond the shifting material modes.
Anchor your identity in devotion to God rather than circumstances; then success and setbacks are met with steadiness, because affection and trust are fixed in the Lord.