Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 10
Guṇa-vibhāga: The Three Modes and the Path Beyond Them
यदा भजति मां भक्त्या निरपेक्ष: स्वकर्मभि: । तं सत्त्वप्रकृतिं विद्यात् पुरुषं स्त्रियमेव वा ॥ १० ॥
yadā bhajati māṁ bhaktyā nirapekṣaḥ sva-karmabhiḥ taṁ sattva-prakṛtiṁ vidyāt puruṣaṁ striyam eva vā
Homme ou femme, quiconque M’adore avec une bhakti aimante, en M’offrant ses devoirs prescrits sans attachement matériel, doit être compris comme établi en sattva (bonté).
FAQs
This verse says that when one serves Kṛṣṇa with bhakti while remaining non-dependent on the fruits of one’s duties, that person is recognized as sāttvika—situated in the mode of goodness.
In the Uddhava Gītā (Canto 11), Kṛṣṇa explains how the modes of nature affect devotion and conduct; here He identifies selfless devotional worship—free from fruitive expectation—as a mark of goodness.
Perform your responsibilities conscientiously, but offer the effort and outcome to Kṛṣṇa—reducing anxiety over results and keeping devotion (prayer, remembrance, service) at the center.