Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.60.36
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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pāda-padma-makaranda
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the honey of the lotus feet
Compound chain: pāda (foot) + padma (lotus) + makaranda (nectar, honey-juice). The signature Gauḍīya phrase. Bhagavān's feet are the lotus; the bee is the bhakta; the makaranda is rasa. Cf. SB 10.31.9 in the gopīs' songs of separation.
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munīnām
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for sages
Genitive plural of muni. Even sages — those silently pondering — find His path 'not apparent.' She is laying the ground: if even munis cannot read Him, my fainting (v. 24) is no defect of insight, only the natural inscrutability of His līlā.
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alaukikam
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supramundane
A (not) + laukika (worldly). His īhita (activities) are a-laukika. The very word He used in v. 13 (aloka-patham, 'path not acceptable to worldly') she now turns to praise: a-laukika is precisely what makes Him Bhagavān.
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anu
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following
Prefix indicating sequential conformity. 'Those who follow You' — anu-yāyin, the devotees. Their activities too are alaukika; the bhakta inherits the unworldliness of the Beloved. Gauḍīya doctrine in a single particle.
Here Queen Rukmiṇī replies to Lord Kṛṣṇa’s statement in text 13: aspaṣṭa-vartmanāṁ puṁsām aloka-patham īyuṣām āsthitāḥ padavīṁ su-bhru prāyaḥ sīdanti yoṣitaḥ “O fine-browed lady, women are usually destined to suffer when they stay with men whose behavior is uncertain and who pursue a path not approved by society.” In the present verse Rukmiṇī is taking the term aloka-patham to mean “unworldly path.” Those who are entangled in worldly behavior are trying to enjoy this world more or less like animals. Even if such people are “culturally advanced,” they should simply be considered sophisticated or polished animals. Śrīmatī Rukmiṇī-devī points out that because the Lord’s activities are always transcendental, they are aspaṣṭa, or “unclear,” to ordinary people, and even the sages trying to know the Lord cannot perfectly understand these activities.
In this verse she replies to Krsna ’s statement that his path is unclear. "Yes it is true, your path is unclear even to the munis. Certainly it is incomprehensible to the animalistic men. It is true that you do not follow the customary path. As your activities are uncommon, so also those who follow you have uncommon activities.
Nanu is an exclamation in prema or it means certainly. Your favorite activities cannot be understood by jñānis who relish the sweetness of your feet by the influence of association with your devotees. Since your activities are covered by other actions to conciliate the public, they cannot be understood at all by unintelligent men. However those with proper intelligence can understand. This is the answer to Kṛṣṇa’s remark that his path is unclear. You also do not perform the actions of ordinary people. Your activities are beyond the material realm, though they appear ordinary (iva), because your glories are constant (bhūman).
Jñānīs (munīnām) also by association with devotees relish the honey or bhakti-rasa from your lotus feet. The devotees of course relish this and more so your close associates. Nanu is an exclamation in prema or means certainly. Your conduct is independent (asphutam) of them, just as persons intoxicated with liquor fail to act according to normal rules, not thinking clearly. Your conduct cannot be understood by persons who are like animals. It can be understood by persons having proper intelligence, since they are not qualified for regular duties. tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta na nirvidyeta yāvatā mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā śraddhā yāvan na jāyate As long as one does not become detached from daily and periodic duties or has not awakened his faith in hearing topics about me, one must perform one’s prescribed duties of varṇāśrama. SB 11.20.9 One may speculate about their intentions. Though it is said that one should know karma and vikarma (BG 4.17), some devotee may even engage in vikarma. This verse answers the statement in verse 13 aloka-patham īyuṣām: women suffer from men whose behavior is uncertain and who pursue a path not approved by society. Alaukikam īhitam mean conduct which is beyond the material world. But this is only apparent (iva) since you generally act properly, so that people can follow such conduct. Or alaukikam can means “not in excess of what is commonly said or done.” This is cause you are have unlimited greatness (bhūman). Bound the rules of the world you would be limited. You are qualified for activities beyond this world. Or your conduct is independent because your actions are certainly (iva) beyond this world. Iva here means eva. Even the devotees’ actions are beyond the world. Thus the answer has been given to aloka-patham īyūṣam in verse 13. Or aspaṣṭha-vartmanām is answered with alaukikam īhitam. This is certain (nanu).
- Where do you mistake your inability to comprehend Him for His unworthiness?
- How does incomprehensibility actually qualify Him as Supreme?
Bees that have tasted the honey of a particular flower can describe its taste only by humming, not by speaking. So sages who have tasted His pada-padma-makaranda speak inscrutably even to other humans — and humans who behave like animals cannot read them. The verse marks two tiers above the worldly.
My note
Source: vedabase.io