Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 4
Nondual Vision Beyond Praise and Blame
Dvandva-nivṛtti and Ātma-viveka
किं भद्रं किमभद्रं वा द्वैतस्यावस्तुन: कियत् । वाचोदितं तदनृतं मनसा ध्यातमेव च ॥ ४ ॥
kiṁ bhadraṁ kim abhadraṁ vā dvaitasyāvastunaḥ kiyat vācoditaṁ tad anṛtaṁ manasā dhyātam eva ca
Dans ce monde de dualité sans substance, qu’est-ce réellement que le bien ou le mal, et quelle en serait la mesure? Ce que profèrent des mots matériels ou ce que médite l’esprit matériel n’est pas la vérité ultime : c’est mensonge.
The actual truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whom everything emanates, by whom everything is maintained, and in whom everything merges to rest. Material nature is the reflection of the Absolute Truth, and by the interaction of the material modes of nature the innumerable varieties of matter appear to be separate, independent truths. Māyā, illusion, distracts the conditioned soul from the Absolute Truth and absorbs his mind in the glaring manifestation of matter, which ultimately is nondifferent from the Absolute Truth, being an emanation from Him. The sense of good and bad as separate from the Supreme Lord is like the good and bad dreams experienced by a sleeping person. Good and bad dreams are equally unreal. Similarly, material good and evil have no permanent existence separate from the Personality of Godhead.
FAQs
This verse teaches that ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are categories arising from perceived duality; since duality lacks ultimate substance, such labels are not ultimately real.
Kṛṣṇa is guiding Uddhava toward transcendental vision—loosening attachment to mental judgments and verbal designations so Uddhava can fix his devotion on the Absolute Truth.
When praise/blame or success/failure arise, remember they are often mental labels; respond with steadiness, act dharmically, and anchor the heart in bhakti rather than anxiety over outcomes.