Shloka 40
Bhakti Yoga: The Three Modes of Devotion, Non-Envy, and Time as the Lord
यद्भयाद्वाति वातोऽयं सूर्यस्तपति यद्भयात् । यद्भयाद्वर्षते देवो भगणो भाति यद्भयात् ॥ ४० ॥
yad-bhayād vāti vāto ’yaṁ sūryas tapati yad-bhayāt yad-bhayād varṣate devo bha-gaṇo bhāti yad-bhayāt
Out of reverent fear of Bhagavān the wind blows; out of fear of Him the sun blazes. Out of fear of Him the devas send down rain, and out of fear of Him the hosts of heavenly bodies shine with their splendor.
The Lord states in Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate: “Nature is working under My direction.” The foolish person thinks that nature is working automatically, but such an atheistic theory is not supported in the Vedic literature. Nature is working under the superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, and we also find here that the sun shines under the direction of the Lord, and the cloud pours forth showers of rain under the direction of the Lord. All natural phenomena are under superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu.
FAQs
This verse says the wind, sun, rain, and the celestial bodies function under the Supreme Lord’s authority—described as acting “out of fear,” meaning under His governing power.
Kapila emphasizes that even powerful cosmic forces and deities are not independent; they operate within the Lord’s order, supporting the teaching that devotion should be directed to the Supreme Controller.
Seeing nature as governed by a higher intelligence can cultivate humility, gratitude, and steadiness in bhakti—replacing anxiety with trust in divine order and responsibility in one’s actions.