Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 17
Bondage and Liberation Under Māyā; Two Birds Analogy; Marks of the Saintly Devotee
न कुर्यान्न वदेत् किञ्चिन्न ध्यायेत् साध्वसाधु वा । आत्मारामोऽनया वृत्त्या विचरेज्जडवन्मुनि: ॥ १७ ॥
na kuryān na vadet kiñcin na dhyāyet sādhv asādhu vā ātmārāmo ’nayā vṛttyā vicarej jaḍa-van muniḥ
Selbst um den Körper zu erhalten, soll der befreite Weise nicht nach materiellen Maßstäben von „gut“ und „schlecht“ handeln, sprechen oder denken. Unangehaftet in allen Umständen, Freude an der Selbstverwirklichung findend, soll er in dieser befreiten Lebensweise umherwandern und Außenstehenden wie ein Tölpel erscheinen.
According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, this verse describes a type of discipline recommended for the jñāna-yogīs, who by intelligence try to understand that they are not their material bodies. One who is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, however, accepts and rejects material things in terms of their usefulness in the loving service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. One who is trying to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be seen as very intelligent and not jaḍa-vat, or stunted, as described here. Although a devotee of the Lord does not act, speak or contemplate for his personal sense gratification, he remains very busy working, speaking and meditating in the devotional service of the Lord. The devotee makes elaborate plans to engage all the fallen souls in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s service so they can be purified and go back home, back to Godhead. Merely rejecting material things is not perfect consciousness. One must see everything as the property of the Lord and meant for the Lord’s pleasure. One busily engaged in spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has no time to make material distinctions and thus automatically comes to the liberated platform.
FAQs
In this verse, Kṛṣṇa describes a sage who does not even mentally dwell on “good” or “bad,” remaining self-satisfied (ātmārāma) and inwardly fixed in spiritual realization.
Kṛṣṇa instructs Uddhava on the symptoms and conduct of a liberated saint, teaching how a realized person lives in the world without being bound by social praise, blame, or dualistic judgments.
Reduce impulsive speech and reactive judgment, cultivate steadiness through remembrance of the Supreme and self-examination, and act without craving validation—remaining calm even amid praise or criticism.