"But the supreme lord should be equal to all at all times. How is it possible that he should show special friendship to some?" "Though Krsna is neither dear friend or enemy of anyone he responds to his devotees. This is shown in the statement "samo’ham sarva bhutesu etc." And also according to the type of worship, Krsna responds accordingly, as the verse says "ye yatha man prapadyante...". It is just as, according to the amount of surrender to the kalpa vrksa, one gets a corresponding bestowal of results. As there is no discrepancy if the kalpa vrksa does not give fruits to a person who does not take shelter of it, so there is no discrepancy if the Lord does not give friendship to those who do not take shelter of him. However, whereas the Lord is dependent upon his devotees, the kalpa vrksa is not dependent on those take shelter of it. Therefore according to the devotion, the Lord shows either friendship, enmity or neutrality The lord showed friendship to Ambarisa and to envious Durvasa he showed hatred and indifference.

“Embracing and speaking together as friends are human actions. How is it proper for the Lord to do this, since the Lord’s desires are already fulfilled and he is neutral to all beings?” A person becomes the object of affection (dayitaḥ or priyaḥ) because of his good qualities and becomes object of dislike (apriyaḥ) because of his faults. Another person cannot be classed as either since he is not attracted to seeing good qualities or faults in others. He does good acts for others. He becomes an object of gratitude (suhṛttamaḥ). The opposite is a person who tries to harm you. He becomes the object of hatred (dveṣyaḥ). Another person neither benefits nor causes harm. Seeing everything as one, he is the object of indifference (upekṣyaḥ). That is true. The Lord does see people in terms of good qualities, bad qualities, good acts or bad acts or indifference. The negative na should be understood for all five items. The word ca should be connected to suhṛttamaḥ, apriyaḥ and dveṣyaḥ. The word eva should be connected with bhaktān since it does not have meaning with the words next to it. The Lord responds to only the devotees. The word vā should be connected with the object of indifference. Thus the Lord does not treat anyone as favored or the best friend of anyone, nor does he treat them as an enemy. Nor he does he treat any one as indifferent. Though he does not treat anyone in these ways, he responds to the devotees. And though he does not treat people as friend, enemy or neutral, he does not respond to the non-devotee. He makes his appearance according to the mood in which they worship. He comes under their control. ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno hy asvatantra iva dvija sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ O brāhmaṇa! I am completely under the control of my devotees. I am not at all independent. My heart is controlled by the pure devotees. What to speak of my devotee, even those who are devotees of my devotee are very dear to me. SB 9.4.63 He becomes merciful because of the relationship of bhakti. And by his mercy he falls under their control, and recognizing them as the greatest friends, embraces them. The Lord does not consider one an enemy (verse 18), but he becomes inimical to those who hate his devotees. That is the conclusion. samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ | ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpy aham ||29|| I am equal to all living beings. I do not hate anyone nor do I favor anyone. To whatever extent a person worships me with devotion, I am attached to him in a similar way. BG 9.29 sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham mad-anyat te na jānanti nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api The pure devotee is my very heart: what pains him pains me. I am the heart of the pure devotee: what pleases him pleases me. My devotees do not know anything else but me, and I do not know more than they do. SB 9.4.68 It has previously been shown that for the Lord not to show mercy to his devotees would be a fault. Thus unkindness and cruelty are rejected in the Lord since his heart is untouched by material qualities or faults and is touched by bhakti. Particulars can be found in Bhakti-sandarbha and Paramātmā-sandarbha. In Mokṣa-dharma it is said tasmāt paśyanti pādapās tasmāj jighranti pādapā: higher than these are the trees which see; higher than these are the trees which smell. Being an expansion of the devatās, in full consciousness, the desire tree consciously responds to the person who consciously prays for something. However without consciously desiring, through the Lord’s embraces etc. all mercy is manifested to fulfill all desires. The desire tree’s mercy responds with one blessing to the one who requests.

The Lord does not consider a person. He is indifferent. The word vā indicates a side glance. No one is dear since he is equal to all as lord of the universe. Even so, he favors the devotees. He fulfills their desires, but not the desires of others, just as the desire tree, served nicely, gives results. By giving to those who take shelter and not giving to those who do not take shelter there is no discrepancy. There is no fault in the Lord for fulfilling the devotees’ desires. He gives results for bhakti. Or the Lord responds properly (yathā) to the devotees, like the desire tree. Or the Lord responds to the devotee in the appropriate manner (yathā tathā). Or in this world, by friendly service, someone does not become dear to one or by lending assistance or by birth, a person does not become the best friend. The dearest or best friendship which is permanent arises naturally. The Lord also do not become friend or enemy just by a person’s friendly or inimical acts. He becomes to the friend or enemy to please the devotee and benefit everyone. Without showing favorites, he must be indifferent. No, he is not indifferent. Being most merciful he acts for the benefit of all jīvas. The word na is repeated to emphasis his lack of favoritism. He responds to persons who serve him in a friendly manner (bhaktān). He shows affection even to those who may not be dear, who have not shown acts of dearness previously. The desire tree responds when one takes shelter of it and makes a request. Thus the Lord will fulfill my desires though I have taken shelter of Kaṁsa, who should be considered an enemy and though I perform ordinary service only. Or the double negative can indicate a positive. He has beloved and friends, sometimes being treated unaffectionately, sometimes being hated, sometimes being ignored. Is he like the desire tree which gives to the person who simply approaches? No. He responds beyond the simple relationship. Ye yathā mām prapadyante: according to their surrender I respond. (BG 4.11) Is that the meaning? No. How do you respond? As much as all men follow the path of bhakti, I respond. The more worship, the more results. Or you do not have dear ones or friends. This expresses Akrūra’s misery. Without gaining the Lord’s affection his life is unsuccessful. But you do not reject anyone. Everyone is dear to you (na apriyaḥ). You do not hate anyone. You are not indifferent to anyone. “Then how can Kaṁsa be killed? Will my desires not be fulfilled?” You respond to the devotees. By killing Kaṁsa you fulfill the desires of the devotees and not others. Or do you not have great devotees (dayitaḥ) or close friends? Yes, you do. Great devotees in Vaikuṇṭha are Garuḍa and others and in Gokula, Śrīdāmā, Rādhā and others. Great friends are Kaśyapa or Nanda and others. He will not consider my worship, which is slight and filled with material desire. I am not dear to him (apriyaḥ), because of my association with Kaṁsa. Still he responds to the devotees, even if they have bad association. He is attracted to the devotion. An example is given of attaining results by worship: the desire tree. Thus though I have bad association, by my impure worship, he will be merciful to me.