Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.88.7
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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prītaḥ
—
pleased
Past participle of √prī. The Lord's prīti is the bhakta's true reward — the only result really worth seeking. Gauḍīya devotion is calibrated to whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased, not whether the devotee is comfortable.
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śuśrūṣave
—
to one eager to hear
Desiderative of √śru — desiring to hear. Śuśrūṣā is a technical Vaiṣṇava virtue: eagerness to hear from a qualified speaker. Without it, the answer does not enter.
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niḥśreyasa-arthāya
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for the sake of the ultimate benefit
Contiguous-join (niḥśreyasa + arthāya). Niḥśreyasa = the highest good (= bhakti / prema). The chapter declares that the very purpose of avatāra is this answer about Hari's supremacy.
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avatīrṇaḥ
—
descended
Past participle of ava-tṝ. Avatāra is a descending, not a manifesting-from-below. The Gauḍīya distinction: Bhagavān crosses down; the jīva does not climb up to become Him.
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yadoḥ kule
—
in the family of Yadu
Contiguous (yadoḥ + kule). Specific dynasty — Vraja and Mathurā. The personal Lord takes a specific family, a specific town, a specific mother. Gauḍīyas refuse the abstraction that erases the location.
Kṛṣṇa spoke because he was pleased by his very nature and because Yudhiṣṭhira was eager to listen. Or he was pleased because he was a devotee. “Since he is an ocean of good qualities such as humility he should not speak about his own excellence.” He is independent (prabhuḥ) and has appeared in the Yadu family in order to give benefit to men who are not fortunate since they do not have bhakti. He did not appear on earth to glorify himself. One who does not accept his teachings is unfortunate.
The Lord was most merciful (bhagavān) and pleased (prītaḥ) with the question or by his nature had prema for Yudhiṣṭhira, and because he was eager to hear or was his devotee (śuśruṣave). Moreover he was his Lord (prabhuḥ). Thus he spoke. “Being endowed with good qualities like humility, the Lord should not speak about his own excellence, which would the final conclusion of his speaking.” But without revealing his own excellence, people cannot attain auspiciousness with bhakti. He appeared in the Yadu dynasty to give auspiciousness to all men. Or the cause of his being bhagavān is shown: he gives auspiciousness to all men: he shows his capability by showing his powers (prabhuḥ). Though he should not speak, he did so because he is most merciful.
- What question of mine might delight God to be asked?
- Where do I withhold questions thinking they bother Him, when they might please Him?
A great king is happiest not when a courtier praises Him, but when a child asks Him a real question. Kṛṣṇa is described here as prītaḥ — pleased — because Yudhiṣṭhira's inquiry is the kind of question He descended to answer. Avatāra is for the inquirer; the inquirer's question completes the avatāra's mission.
My note
Source: vedabase.io