Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 50
The Song of the Avantī Brāhmaṇa (Avanti-brāhmaṇa-gītā): Mind as the Root of Suffering and Equanimity Amid Insult
जनस्तु हेतु: सुखदु:खयोश्चेत् किमात्मनश्चात्र हि भौमयोस्तत् । जिह्वां क्वचित् सन्दशति स्वदद्भि- स्तद्वेदनायां कतमाय कुप्येत् ॥ ५० ॥
janas tu hetuḥ sukha-duḥkhayoś cet kim ātmanaś cātra hi bhaumayos tat jihvāṁ kvacit sandaśati sva-dadbhis tad-vedanāyāṁ katamāya kupyet
ప్రజలే నా సుఖదుఃఖాలకు కారణమని అనుకుంటే, అప్పుడు ఆత్మకు ఇందులో స్థానం ఎక్కడ? సుఖదుఃఖాలు ఆత్మకు కాక, భౌతిక దేహాల పరస్పర స్పర్శలకే చెందుతాయి. తన పళ్లతోనే నాలుక కొరికితే, ఆ బాధలో ఎవరి మీద కోపపడాలి?
Although bodily pleasure and pain are felt by the soul, one must tolerate such duality, understanding it to be a creation of one’s own material mind. If one accidentally bites his own tongue or lip, he cannot become angry and pull out his own teeth. Similarly, all living beings are individual parts and parcels of God, and thus nondifferent from each other. All of them are meant to serve the Supreme Lord in spiritual equality. If the living beings give up their master’s service and instead quarrel among themselves, they will be forced to suffer by the laws of nature. If the conditioned souls establish artificial relationships of affection based on the material body and having nothing to do with God, then time itself will destroy such relationships, and they will be subjected to further suffering. But if the individual living entities understand each other to be of the same family, all having connection with the Supreme Lord, their mutual friendship will develop. Thus one should not exhibit anger that will be harmful to oneself and others. Although the brāhmaṇa was receiving kind offerings of charity from some people and being harassed and beaten by others, he denied that these people were the ultimate cause of his happiness and distress, for he was fixed on the platform of self-realization beyond the material body and mind.
FAQs
This verse teaches that blaming others is misguided; happiness and distress arise through one’s own embodied condition and karma, and even within the body parts can ‘harm’ each other—so anger toward others is irrational.
It illustrates that pain can occur without an external enemy: even cooperating parts of one’s own body can inadvertently cause suffering, so the wise do not fixate on finding someone to blame.
When hurt or offended, pause before reacting: reflect on your own choices, expectations, and conditioning; respond with accountability and calm rather than anger and blame.