Shloka 26
Nārāyaṇa’s Impartiality, Absorption in Kṛṣṇa, and the Jaya–Vijaya Descent
Prelude to Prahlāda’s History
तस्माद्वैरानुबन्धेन निर्वैरेण भयेन वा । स्नेहात्कामेन वा युञ्ज्यात् कथञ्चिन्नेक्षते पृथक् ॥ २६ ॥
tasmād vairānubandhena nirvaireṇa bhayena vā snehāt kāmena vā yuñjyāt kathañcin nekṣate pṛthak
ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ವೈರದಿಂದಾಗಲಿ, ವೈರರಹಿತ ಭಾವದಿಂದಾಗಲಿ, ಭಯದಿಂದಾಗಲಿ, ಸ್ನೇಹದಿಂದಾಗಲಿ, ಕಾಮದಿಂದಾಗಲಿ—ಯಾವುದೇ ರೀತಿಯಿಂದ—ಯಾರಾದರೂ ಹೇಗಾದರೂ ಪ್ರಭುವಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮನಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಏಕಾಗ್ರಗೊಳಿಸಿದರೆ ಫಲ ಒಂದೇ; ಆನಂದಸ್ವರೂಪನಾದ ಪ್ರಭು ವೈರದಿಂದಲೂ ಮಿತ್ರತೆಯಿಂದಲೂ ಸ್ಪರ್ಶಿತನಾಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ।
From this verse one should not conclude that because Kṛṣṇa is unaffected by favorable prayers or unfavorable blasphemy one should therefore blaspheme the Supreme Lord. This is not the regulative principle. Bhakti-yoga means ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam: one should serve Kṛṣṇa very favorably. This is the real injunction. Here it is said that although an enemy thinks of Kṛṣṇa unfavorably, the Lord is unaffected by such antidevotional service. Thus He offers His benedictions even to Śiśupāla and similarly inimical conditioned souls. This does not mean, however, that one should be inimical toward the Lord. The stress is given to the favorable execution of devotional service, not purposeful blasphemy of the Lord. It is said:
FAQs
This verse teaches that the mind should be connected to the Lord by any strong absorption—enmity, fear, affection, or desire—so that nothing is seen as separate from Him.
In the Bhagavatam’s narrative logic, intense, uninterrupted remembrance of the Supreme Lord purifies consciousness; even hostile fixation can result in liberation because it keeps the mind constantly on Him.
Choose positive absorption—loving remembrance, prayer, chanting, and devotion—so the mind naturally returns to the Lord throughout the day, reducing the sense of separateness and anxiety.