PM Modi Shares Wisdom on Freedom and Fear from the Bhagavad Gita

New Delhi, October 23 (Daily Kiran) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media on Friday to share a powerful Sanskrit verse emphasizing the importance of overcoming sorrow and fear.

The verse, “यावदस्यास्वतन्त्रत्वं तावदीश्वरतो भयम्,” conveys a significant message: as long as a person does not perceive themselves as free, they remain in fear of a superior power. Those who accept this notion often find themselves surrounded by anxiety and confusion. True freedom lies in liberating oneself from fear and subjugation, allowing individuals to live confidently.

This verse is the 33rd shloka from the 10th chapter of the 11th Skandha of the Srimad Bhagavatam, part of the Uddhava Gita. In this context, Lord Krishna explains to Uddhava the concept of a living being’s subjugation and the fear and delusion that arise from it.

Krishna states that as long as a person identifies with their body, mind, and ego, they remain under the influence of the three gunas (qualities) of nature: sattva, rajas, and tamas. This spiritual bondage makes individuals slaves to external circumstances and their actions. Those who see themselves as the doers and get entangled in the dualities of life—pleasure and pain, gain and loss—constantly fear ‘kala’ (death or an unseen divine force) and worry about losing everything.

He further explains that those who consider this transient world and their physical identity (ego) as their entirety can never escape this cycle. They remain trapped in a web of worries, sorrows, and illusions. In essence, Lord Krishna teaches that as long as individuals forget their true nature (the soul) and remain subject to illusion, they will continue to suffer. Genuine freedom and fearlessness can only be achieved through self-realization or complete surrender to God.