FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.39.2

किमलभ्यं भगवति प्रसन्ने श्रीनिकेतने । तथापि तत्परा राजन्न हि वाञ्छन्ति किञ्चन ॥ २ ॥
kim alabhyaṁ bhagavati
[kim alabhyam bhagavati]
prasanne śrī-niketane
[prasanne shree-niketane]
tathāpi tat-parā rājan
[tathaapi tat-paraa raajan]
na hi vāñchanti kiñcana
[na hi vaanchanti kinchana]
kim — what alabhyam — is unattainable bhagavati — the Supreme Lord prasanne — being satisfied śrī — of the goddess of fortune niketane — the resting place tathā api — nevertheless tat - parāḥ — those who are devoted to Him rājan — O King (Parīkṣit) na — do not hi — indeed vāñchanti — desire kiñcana — anything .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kim alabhyaṁ bhagavati
kim
what
alabhyam
is unattainable
bhagavati
the Supreme Lord
prasanne śrī-niketane
prasanne
being satisfied
śrī
of the goddess of fortune
niketane
the resting place
tathāpi tat-parā rājan
tathā api
nevertheless
tat - parāḥ
those who are devoted to Him
rājan
O King (Parīkṣit)
na hi vāñchanti kiñcana
na
do not
hi
indeed
vāñchanti
desire
kiñcana
anything .
  • śrī — the goddess of fortune
    Lakṣmī personally serves the Lord's chest (śrī-niketane). Gauḍīyas note that even She begs at Vraja's door for the rasa the gopīs enjoy freely — fortune itself is a junior devotee here.
  • niketane — the shelter / abode
    Bhagavān is the abode OF Śrī, not dependent on Her — reversing the usual seeker-of-fortune logic. To shelter in Him is to shelter in the source of all auspiciousness.
  • tat - parāḥ — those dedicated to Him
    The technical Gauḍīya phrase for ananya-bhakti — exclusively His. Such devotees are anyābhilāṣitā-śūnya (free of other desire); their non-asking is itself the highest opulence.
  • alabhyam — unattainable
    Rhetorical: nothing is unattainable when Bhagavān is pleased. Yet the verse pivots — devotees occupy a higher rung where 'attainment' itself loses meaning, because they already possess Him.
My dear King, what is unattainable for one who has satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the shelter of the goddess of fortune? Even so, those who are dedicated to His devotional service never want anything from Him.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
My dear King, what is unattainable for one who has satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the shelter of the goddess of fortune? Even so, those who are dedicated to His devotional service never want anything from Him.
Commentary

"Why did Akrura only desire to see and touch Krsna, and not desire to attain Brahman or sayujya mukti?" This verse answers. If Krsna, who is the shelter of Laksmi, the goddess of all wealth, in the form of a line on his chest is pleased, what more could one desire?

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

“Did he not have desires for dharma, artha and mokṣa? What is not attained by satisfying the Lord since as Bhagavān he shelters Lakṣmī on his chest as a golden line? The devotees do not desire anything except what is the mercy of the Lord for this is the goal of the living entities. (SB 10.38.27) O King! You know this certainly.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

By having his desire fulfilled to take Kṛṣṇa from Gokula, the people of Vraja developed hatred for him. What cannot be obtained by satisfying the Lord, the abode of Mahālakṣmī, endowed with all types of wealth and good qualities, who manifests unlimited powers (bhagavati)? Everything--material, siddhis, liberation and bhakti can be easily attained. What was astonishing if he attained what he desired by entering the Lord’s house and being welcomed? But those who are dedicated to the Lord do not desire anything besides the Lord. Desire for enjoyment or for independence with many desires would destroy the dedication. Na abhivāñchanti (instead of na hi vāñchanti) means “they do not desire at all.” Or they do not desire because they fear destruction of their dedication. O king! You understand this. Or “Why did Akrūra not desire the destruction of evil Kaṁsa who harmed the Yadu dynasty? That would be fulfilled at this time.” One who has satisfied the Lord attains everything. The Lord’s chest is the abode of Lakṣmī. He is controlled by his devotees. Since nothing is unobtainable, he will be immediately killed by the Lord’s power. Thus the devotees do not desire anything except the Lord. They do not even desire to see the Lord since they only desire to dedicate themselves to him. Or the Lord, since he knows their dedication, gives them spiritual happiness, rare, even though they do not desire it. Or “Why did the Lord embrace Akrūra, when it is rare even for Lakṣmī?” This verse answers. He is the abode of all beauty. Or he is served by Lakṣmī, who does great austerities. He is the supreme object of service. He was pleased. Therefore those who are completely dedicated receive in the same manner (tathā). They desire (na vāñchanti kiṁca na) to satisfy the Lord. This desire arises in them by dedicating themselves to him.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
Concepts
Dharma
What is unattainable for one who has satisfied the Supreme Lord, the shelter of Lakṣmī? Yet His devotees never want anything from Him. The paradox of bhakti: all is available, and the devotee no longer wants any of it.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do you still treat devotional service as a means to other ends?
  • What would your prayer life look like if you wanted nothing but Him?

When the king himself is pleased, the courtier need not petition the treasury; the king's smile is already wealth. So too with Bhagavān, the husband of Lakṣmī — His pleasure brings all opulences unasked, which is precisely why His pure devotees ask for nothing.

Dhruva's regret

Five-year-old Dhruva went to the forest asking for a kingdom greater than his grandfather's. After months of austerity Bhagavān Viṣṇu appeared, and Dhruva — beholding the Lord — wept that he had begged for shards of glass when the touchstone Himself was offering darśana (SB 4.9).

This is precisely what Śukadeva states here: tat-parāḥ na hi vāñchanti kiñcana — those fixed on Him do not want anything from Him. Dhruva's accidental kingdom became proof, not prize.

📝 My note

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