Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.46.29
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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anurāgam
—
the loving attraction
Accusative of anurāga. The Gauḍīya technical term for the post-prema stage where love continually finds new sweetness in the same beloved. Uddhava sees anurāga here, in Vraja's vātsalya — and recognizes it as higher than his own Dvārakā-aiśvarya devotion.
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paramam
—
supreme
Adjective qualifying anurāgam. The Bhāgavatam, in its own narration, calls Nanda-Yaśodā's anurāga 'supreme.' Gauḍīya tradition cites this verse as scriptural pramāṇa for the supremacy of vraja-bhāva over all other devotional moods.
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vīkṣya
—
clearly seeing
Gerund of vi-√īkṣ (to see distinctly). Not casual seeing but witnessing-and-recognizing. Uddhava's whole Vraja-mission turns on what he is given to see here; his speech in 30 onward is the report of vīkṣya.
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nanda - yaśodayoḥ
—
of Nanda and Yaśodā
Genitive dual compound. The Bhāgavatam pairs them as a single rasa-unit; Gauḍīya tradition reads this as the model of yugala-vātsalya, parental devotion held jointly. Neither parent loves Kṛṣṇa alone.
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mudā
—
with joy
Instrumental of mud (gladness). Curious word for a man about to console grieving parents — Uddhava's mood is joy because he has just witnessed the highest devotion he has ever seen. Gauḍīyas: the witness of prema is itself a mahā-mahotsava.
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bhagavati-kṛṣṇe
—
for the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa
Locative compound: bhagavati + Kṛṣṇe. The narrator (Śuka) deliberately reminds us that the object of Nanda-Yaśodā's love is bhagavān — even though they themselves think of Him as merely 'son.' The tattva preserved by the narrator while withheld from the lovers: that is the chapter's structural genius.
If Uddhava had seen Nanda and Yaśodā actually suffering, he would not have reacted with joy. But in fact all emotions on the spiritual platform are transcendental bliss. The so-called anguish of the pure devotees is another form of loving ecstasy. This was clearly seen by Uddhava, and thus he spoke as follows.
Observing very closely (viksya) the attraction of Nanda and Yasoda for Krsna, though he was already familiar with high levels of prema, seeing that both in quantity and quality it was superior to that of Vasudeva and Devaki, Uddhava became filled with bliss. He thought, "Now my life has become successful, having seen such love." That is why, though seeing Nanda and Yasoda suffering, he appeared blissful.
By the way they had acted, Uddhava directly saw (vi—iksya) the prema filled with great thirst (anurāgam) of Nanda and Yaśodā, who were thinking with amazement of the two boys’ condition. He directly saw that they had the highest (paramam) prema for the Supreme Lord (bhagavati), for the form with full manifestation of qualities. Uddhava spoke to Nanda, because he was the chief of the two and Nanda was doing all the talking, whereas Yaśodā could not speak because of great agitation. He spoke to him to console him, in joy. “Ah! This is my good fortune that I have seen such prema.” He spoke in joy, showing only this joyful element, and not showing his distress at seeing their suffering. Since he had a predominance of awareness of Kṛṣṇa’s greatness, he first appreciated the greatness of their anurāga and not that portion which felt intense pain. But the Lord would not have sent Uddhava if he thought he was not capable of pacifying them in their portion manifesting distress.
Seeing such deep prema (anurāgam) of the rulers of Vraja for Kṛṣna, full of all sweetness, his own Lord, whose toe nails are worshipped by Brahmā and Śiva (bhagavati), prema which he had not seen before, he spoke to Nanda in astonishment since Nanda was the main person, or Yaśodā was incapable of hearing, because of her disturbance from affection. Or tayoḥ means they had indescribabl greatness or had the highest prema through a boon from Brahmā when they were Droṇa and Dharā. Nanda was he who gave joy to the universe by his great bhakti or to Kṛṣṇa by his great affection. Yaśodā spread fame by controlling Kṛṣṇa by her affection, tying him with a rope. He was astonished by their high qualication. Ittham anurāgam can also mean “such prema.” He saw the excellent, highest affection increasing again and again, with choked voice and flowing tears described in the previous verses. Experiencing this directly Uddhava spoke with affection (mudā) since he was the best of devotees. He naturally become joyful on seeing the intense prema of the greatest devotees. Or though he should have cried, he showed joy because he was endowed with qulaities of the greatest advisor (uddhavaḥ). He could not otherwise pacify them.
- Where do you envy other devotees' depth rather than rejoicing in it?
- Whose love for Kṛṣṇa would you celebrate today if you stopped comparing?
Uddhava sees something Bṛhaspati never taught him: parents whose love for Kṛṣṇa exceeds his own — and they do not even know He is Bhagavān. The minister-disciple of the deva-guru goes silent. Then he speaks, but joyfully (mudā): the joy is the discovery, not the eloquence.
My note
Source: vedabase.io