Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 20
Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Meets Lord Śiva: Devotee as Living Tīrtha and the Lord’s Māyā
ब्राह्मणा: साधव: शान्ता नि:सङ्गा भूतवत्सला: । एकान्तभक्ता अस्मासु निर्वैरा: समदर्शिन: ॥ २० ॥ सलोका लोकपालास्तान् वन्दन्त्यर्चन्त्युपासते । अहं च भगवान् ब्रह्मा स्वयं च हरिरीश्वर: ॥ २१ ॥
brāhmaṇāḥ sādhavaḥ śāntā niḥsaṅgā bhūta-vatsalāḥ ekānta-bhaktā asmāsu nirvairāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
Those brāhmaṇas who are saintly—ever peaceful, free from attachment, compassionate to all beings, exclusively devoted to us, without hatred, and endowed with equal vision—are honored, worshiped, and served by the inhabitants and ruling demigods of all worlds; and so too by me, by Lord Brahmā, and by Hari Himself, the Supreme Lord.
FAQs
This verse lists key qualities: peacefulness, detachment, compassion to all beings, one-pointed devotion to the Lord, freedom from enmity, and equal vision.
Krishna highlights that genuine brahmanas and sadhus embody pure bhakti and universal compassion, making them exemplary worshipers and guides for society.
Cultivate devotion, reduce attachment, practice kindness to all beings, and consciously avoid hatred—seeing every living entity as part of the Lord’s creation.