Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.23.17
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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cārayan
—
tending
Present participle of √car. The Lord of all is described as 'one who tends cows' — the operative verb of His Vraja-līlā. Caraṇam: He has come to this work willingly.
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sa-rāmaḥ
—
together with Lord Balarāma
Compound: sa (with) + rāmaḥ (Balarāma). Even in a one-line request, the elder brother is named alongside. Vraja never separates the two.
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bubhukṣitasya
—
of Him who is hungry
Desiderative genitive of √bhuj. Bhagavān's hunger named in the highest grammatical formality. The form is reverent, the content is mundane — exactly the chapter's tension.
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sa-anugasya
—
together with His companions
Compound: sa (with) + anugasya (genitive of anuga, follower). Kṛṣṇa never eats without His sakhās. Gauḍīyas: this is the prototype of prasāda-vitaraṇa — Bhagavān's meal is communal by definition.
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pradīyatām
—
should be given
Passive imperative of pra + √dā. Polite request-form. The boys do not demand; they leave the agency to the wives — and the wives accept it instantly.
Hearing Krsna’s name they began to faint in bliss. To bring them back to consciousness, the boys began to explain why they had come to their houses, beginning in a gentle way, and ending boldly. "Krsna and Balarama are not far off (aduram)." Seeing they had become alert on hearing this, the boys then thought of exciting them by mentioning that Krsna and Balarama wanted some food. "Krsna and his friends are suffering from hunger."
They call Balarāma by the name Rāma to indicate that he always gives joy to Kṛṣṇa. They do not show formality at this time. Previously Kṛṣṇa used the name Saṅkarṣaṇa to indicate Balarāma’s powers. But the boys called him Rāma to indicate his absorption in Kṛṣṇa. Previously it was suitable to show reverence, but now because of the attraction for Kṛṣṇa in the wives, such reverence was not necessary. Another version has aduramitaḥ. This is repetition, to indicate that they can go and meet Kṛṣṇa. Food should be given to Kṛṣṇa along with Balarāma and the other boys (sānugasya). It should be given excellently, with sweet rice and cups for drinking. Previously on instructions they only asked for rice for the two boys. Now they asked for excellent food for everyone, without having received instructions. They joke with them because of hearing about the wives’ great attraction to Kṛṣṇa. It was possible that they would go quickly to Kṛṣṇa without bringing any food.
They call Balarāma by the name Rāma to indicate that he always gives joy to Kṛṣṇa. They do not show formality at this time. He has travelled far from his house. Therefore they could not bring food with him. Or the word can be aduram (not far). He has come and is not far away. This is repetition from the previous verse. The wives could thus go to him. Give food to Kṛṣṇa with Balarāma and other followers (sānugasya) along with tasty sweet rice, water and cups (pra). Previously they asked the brāhmaṇas for rice only for the two boys but now they ask for others as well, and with other items also because they had heard of the wives great devotion to the Lord. The instruction of the Lord to get rice was only to get relief from hunger. Now they request rice or food for all the followers. If they only said that Kṛṣṇa had arrived, the wives may have quickly gone to meet him without bringing any food.
- Where am I treating my requests as favors when they are actually proper to give?
- What context could I add to my asking that frames giving as natural rather than exceptional?
A child telling neighbours that father walked far this morning and is hungry — the boys describe Kṛṣṇa's hunger in the same idiom one would use about an ordinary boy, and that very ordinariness is what melts the wives.
My note
Source: vedabase.io