FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.1.23

श्रीनारद उवाच निन्दनस्तवसत्कारन्यक्कारार्थं कलेवरम् । प्रधानपरयो राजन्नविवेकेन कल्पितम् ॥ २३ ॥
śrī-nārada uvāca
[shree-naarada uvaacha]
nindana-stava-satkāra-
[nindana-stava-satkaara-]
nyakkārārthaṁ kalevaram
[nyakkaaraartham kalevaram]
pradhāna-parayo rājann
[pradhaana-parayo raajann]
avivekena kalpitam
[avivekena kalpitam]
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada Muni said nindana — blasphemy stava — praise satkāra — honor nyakkāra — dishonor artham — for the purpose of kalevaram — body pradhāna-parayoḥ — of nature and the Supreme Personality of Godhead rājan — O King avivekena — without discrimination kalpitam — created.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-nārada uvāca
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca
Śrī Nārada Muni said
nindana-stava-satkāra-
nindana
blasphemy
stava
praise
satkāra
honor
nyakkārārthaṁ kalevaram
nyakkāra
dishonor
artham
for the purpose of
kalevaram
body
pradhāna-parayo rājann
pradhāna-parayoḥ
of nature and the Supreme Personality of Godhead
rājan
O King
avivekena kalpitam
avivekena
without discrimination
kalpitam
created.
The great sage Śrī Nāradajī said: O King, blasphemy and praise, chastisement and respect, are experienced because of ignorance. The body of the conditioned soul is planned by the Lord for suffering in the material world through the agency of the external energy.

In Bhagavad-gītā (18.61) it is said:

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of material energy.” A material body is manufactured by the external energy according to the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The conditioned soul, being seated on this machine, wanders throughout the universe, and because of his bodily conception of life he only suffers. Actually the suffering of being blasphemed and the enjoyment of being praised, the acceptance of a good welcome or of chastisement by harsh words, are felt in the material conception of life; but since the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not material but sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, He is unaffected by insults or greetings, blasphemy or prayers. Being always unaffected and complete, He does not feel extra pleasure when offered nice prayers by the devotee, although the devotee benefits by offering prayers to the Lord. Indeed, the Lord is very kind to His so-called enemy because one who always thinks of the Personality of Godhead as an enemy also benefits, although he thinks of the Lord adversely. If a conditioned soul, thinking of the Lord as an enemy or a friend, somehow or other becomes attached to the Lord, he receives great benefit.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
A body subject to criticism and praise, honor and dishonor is created by lack of discrimination between the self and non-self. In order to explain that the Lord was not pained by the criticism of Śiśupāla, first he explains that the jñānīs do not feel happiness or distress by praise or criticism. Only persons attached to the body react with happiness and distress. The body which is a cause of verbal criticism and praise, bodily and mental respect and disrespect, is produced by lack of distinction of ātmā and non-ātmā.
Praise and blame, honor and insult — all arise from ignorance of our true spiritual identity. The Lord designs the body itself as the setting for this conditioned suffering. Wisdom means seeing through dualities to the unaffected self within.
Reflection Questions
  • Which praise or blame from this week is still vibrating in you — and why?
  • What practice helps you watch dualities pass without identifying with them?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 1