Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 40
Kṛṣṇa’s Impending Departure; Uddhava’s Surrender; King Yadu and the Avadhūta’s Twenty-Four Gurus
Beginnings
विषयेष्वाविशन् योगी नानाधर्मेषु सर्वत: । गुणदोषव्यपेतात्मा न विषज्जेत वायुवत् ॥ ४० ॥
viṣayeṣv āviśan yogī nānā-dharmeṣu sarvataḥ guṇa-doṣa-vyapetātmā na viṣajjeta vāyu-vat
แม้โยคีจะอยู่ท่ามกลางวัตถุโลกมากมายที่มีทั้งคุณและโทษ แต่ผู้ที่ก้าวพ้นดีและชั่วแล้ว ย่อมไม่ติดพันแม้เมื่อสัมผัสสิ่งเหล่านั้น หากประพฤติดุจลม
The wind is the external manifestation of air, whereas prāṇa is the internal manifestation. When the wind passes over waterfalls it carries sprinkles of clear water and thus becomes most refreshing. Sometimes the wind blows through a beautiful forest, carrying the fragrances of fruits and flowers; at other times the wind may fuel a fire that burns the same forest to ashes. The wind, however, being fixed in its own nature, remains neutral in both its auspicious and inauspicious activities. Similarly, within this material world we will inevitably face both pleasing and disgusting situations. If, however, we remain fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we will not be disturbed by the inauspicious, nor will we become attached to the materially auspicious. In the course of his spiritual duties, a devotee sometimes finds himself chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa in a beautiful country atmosphere, and sometimes he finds himself doing the same thing in a hellish city. In both cases the devotee fixes his mind upon Lord Kṛṣṇa and experiences transcendental bliss. Although the wind passes through the most dark and forbidding places, the wind is not frightened or disturbed. Similarly, a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa should never be fearful or anxious, even when in the most difficult situation. One who is attached to materially pleasing forms, tastes, smells, sounds and touches will also be repelled by the opposite in each category. Thus finding himself surrounded by innumerable good and bad things, the materialist is constantly disturbed. When the wind blows in many directions at once, the atmosphere becomes agitated. Similarly, if the mind is constantly attracted and repelled by material objects there will be such mental disturbance that it will be impossible to think of the Absolute Truth. Therefore, one should learn from the blowing wind the art of moving throughout the material world without attachment.
FAQs
This verse teaches that a yogī may move among sense objects and perform many duties, yet remain unentangled by staying beyond dualistic fixation on “good” and “bad,” like the wind that touches everything but clings to nothing.
In the Uddhava-gītā section, Kṛṣṇa instructs Uddhava on the life of a realized renunciant—how to remain inwardly free while outwardly moving through varied situations and responsibilities.
Engage responsibly in work, relationships, and duties, but avoid obsessive identification and judgment; serve with steadiness, enjoy without dependency, and let experiences pass without clinging.