Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.86.17
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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prasannaḥ
—
pleased
From pra + √sad (to settle, to be clear, to be gracious). The same word Bhagavad-gītā 2.65 uses (prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajāyate). Bhagavān's prasāda toward His devotees is the immediate cause of His journey.
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dārukeṇa
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by Dāruka
Instrumental of Dāruka, Kṛṣṇa's chariot-driver in Dvārakā (paralleling Arjuna's role for Kṛṣṇa-as-warrior in Kurukṣetra). Even Kṛṣṇa, the cosmic mover, accepts a sārathi — Gauḍīyas read this as Bhagavān's love for relationships of service.
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munibhiḥ
—
with the sages
Instrumental plural of muni (sage, one who meditates). Kṛṣṇa travels with sādhu-saṅga — He brings the brāhmaṇas (named in v. 18) to multiply the mercy. The chapter will reveal in v. 51 that this is the very purpose.
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prabhuḥ
—
the Lord
From pra + √bhū (to come forth, to be powerful). 'Lord, master.' Kṛṣṇa is prabhu not because of position but because He is the source. The verse pairs prabhuḥ (master) with prasannaḥ (graciously pleased) — the Master who is glad to serve His servants.
In his commentary on this verse, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī states that Śrutadeva and Bahulāśva were unable to travel to Dvārakā to see Lord Kṛṣṇa because both of them had vowed to regularly worship their personal Deity at home. Śrī Kṛṣṇa was very glad to go out of His way to give them both His audience, and while leaving Dvārakā He insisted that the sages who wanted to come with Him should join Him on His chariot, because otherwise they would exhaust themselves following on foot. Renowned sages would ordinarily never even consider traveling in such an opulent conveyance, but on the Lord’s order they put aside their natural aversion and joined Him on His chariot.
Being pleased with them, seeing that they were unable to come to him because of obligation to serve his deity, he went to see those two eager devotees himself. Seeing the sages tired through going on foot, he forcibly put them on his own chariot and rode with them to Mithila.
Kṛṣṇa went on his chariot with sages on the same chariot, because the two devotees had such attraction for him.
Thus the Lord was pleased with them, because as the Lord, he knew their love for him, or because he was affectionate to his devotees (bhagavān). He mounted his chariot along with sages who lived in Dvārakā or who just by his thought gathered together with him, to please the two devotees. Thus he went with joy (pra-yayau). The chariot was brought Dāruka, who knew the mind of the Lord. This indicates his dedication as a servant, or that the journey would be quick. Or worried that the Lord was going with many sages who had come from the sky, he brought the chariot, filled with a wealth of goods useful for service and for beautifying the Lord.
- Where in my life has God 'come to me' rather than waiting for me to come to Him?
- How do I receive God's initiative when I have been expecting to take the first step?
Kṛṣṇa mounts His chariot — the same chariot that bore Arjuna at Kurukṣetra — and turns it toward Mithilā. Bhagavān travels not for politics but for the heart of two devotees. The cosmic Lord makes house-calls.
My note
Source: vedabase.io