Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 22
Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Meets Lord Śiva: Devotee as Living Tīrtha and the Lord’s Māyā
न ते मय्यच्युतेऽजे च भिदामण्वपि चक्षते । नात्मनश्च जनस्यापि तद् युष्मान् वयमीमहि ॥ २२ ॥
na te mayy acyute ’je ca bhidām aṇv api cakṣate nātmanaś ca janasyāpi tad yuṣmān vayam īmahi
Solche Geweihten sehen nicht die geringste Verschiedenheit zwischen mir, Acyuta Viṣṇu und Brahmā, dem Aja; ebenso unterscheiden sie nicht zwischen sich selbst und anderen Lebewesen. Darum, weil du ein solcher heiliger Bhakta bist, verehren wir dich.
Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva are, respectively, manifestations of the creating and annihilating potencies of the Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. Thus unity exists among these three ruling deities of the material world. One should not, on the basis of the modes of nature, find material duality within the ruling potency of the Supreme Lord, although that potency is manifested in three divisions as Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva.
FAQs
This verse says pure devotees perceive no trace of difference between the Lord (Acyuta, the unborn) and His presence, and they also do not see separation between themselves and other living beings—thus they embody equal vision and universal goodwill.
Because such devotees are so spiritually elevated that they see the Lord everywhere and extend the same regard to all beings; recognizing this exalted consciousness, Śiva honors them as worthy of reverence.
Practice seeing every person as a soul connected to the same Supreme—reducing envy and contempt, increasing humility, compassion, and respectful speech—while keeping steady devotion to Acyuta.