FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.13.42

नाहं निन्दे न च स्तौमि स्वभावविषमं जनम् । एतेषां श्रेय आशासे उतैकात्म्यं महात्मनि ॥ ४२ ॥
nāhaṁ ninde na ca staumi
[naaham ninde na cha staumi]
sva-bhāva-viṣamaṁ janam
[sva-bhaava-vishamam janam]
eteṣāṁ śreya āśāse
[eteshaam shreya aashaase]
utaikātmyaṁ mahātmani
[utaikaatmyam mahaatmani]
na — not aham — I ninde — blaspheme na — nor ca — also staumi — praise sva-bhāva — whose nature viṣamam — contradictory janam — a living entity or human being eteṣām — of all of them śreyaḥ — the ultimate benefit āśāse — I pray for uta — indeed aikātmyam — oneness mahā-ātmani — in the Supersoul, the Parabrahman (Kṛṣṇa).
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nāhaṁ ninde na ca staumi
na
not
aham
I
ninde
blaspheme
na
nor
ca
also
staumi
praise
sva-bhāva-viṣamaṁ janam
sva-bhāva
whose nature
viṣamam
contradictory
janam
a living entity or human being
eteṣāṁ śreya āśāse
eteṣām
of all of them
śreyaḥ
the ultimate benefit
āśāse
I pray for
utaikātmyaṁ mahātmani
uta
indeed
aikātmyam
oneness
mahā-ātmani
in the Supersoul, the Parabrahman (Kṛṣṇa).
Different people are of different mentalities. Therefore it is not my business either to praise them or to blaspheme them. I only desire their welfare, hoping that they will agree to become one with the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

As soon as one comes to the platform of bhakti-yoga, one understands fully that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, is the goal of life ( vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ ). This is the instruction of all the Vedic literature ( vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ, sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ). There is no use in praising someone for material qualifications or blaspheming him for material disqualifications. In the material world, good and bad have no meaning because if one is good he may be elevated to a higher planetary system and if one is bad he may be degraded to the lower planetary systems. People of different mentalities are sometimes elevated and sometimes degraded, but this is not the goal of life. Rather, the goal of life is to become free from elevation and degradation and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore a saintly person does not discriminate between that which is supposedly good and supposedly bad; rather, he desires for everyone to be happy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is the ultimate goal of life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
I do not praise or criticize people who have different mentalities. I pray that they practice bhakti or gain liberation in Paramātmā, though that is more difficult than bhakti. Śreyas means bhakti-yoga. Uta indicates that liberation (aikātmyam) is more difficult that attaining the Lord by bhakti. Mahātmani means “in Paramātmā.”
People have different mentalities; I neither praise nor blaspheme. I wish only that they become one with Kṛṣṇa, the Supersoul. Engagement with people happens through wishing their highest welfare, not through judgment.
Reflection Questions
  • Whom do you currently praise or blaspheme rather than wish welfare for?
  • What does wishing welfare without judgment look like in a specific relationship?
📝 My note

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