FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.12.22

तं कृष्णपादाभिनिविष्टचेतसं बद्धाञ्जलिं प्रश्रयनम्रकन्धरम् । सुनन्दनन्दावुपसृत्य सस्मितं प्रत्यूचतु: पुष्करनाभसम्मतौ ॥ २२ ॥
taṁ kṛṣṇa-pādābhiniviṣṭa-cetasaṁ
[tam krishna-paadaabhinivishta-chetasam]
baddhāñjaliṁ praśraya-namra-kandharam
[baddhaanjalim prashraya-namra-kandharam]
sunanda-nandāv upasṛtya sasmitaṁ
[sunanda-nandaav upasritya sasmitam]
pratyūcatuḥ puṣkaranābha-sammatau
[pratyoochatuh pushkaranaabha-sammatau]
tam — him kṛṣṇa — of Lord Kṛṣṇa pāda — of the lotus feet abhiniviṣṭa — absorbed in thought cetasam — whose heart baddha-añjalim — with folded hands praśraya — very humbly namra — bowed kandharam — whose neck sunanda — Sunanda nandau — and Nanda upasṛtya — approaching sa-smitam — smilingly pratyūcatuḥ — addressed puṣkara-nābha — of Lord Viṣṇu, who has a lotus navel sammatau — confidential servants.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
taṁ kṛṣṇa-pādābhiniviṣṭa-cetasaṁ
tam
him
kṛṣṇa
of Lord Kṛṣṇa
pāda
of the lotus feet
abhiniviṣṭa
absorbed in thought
cetasam
whose heart
baddhāñjaliṁ praśraya-namra-kandharam
baddha-añjalim
with folded hands
praśraya
very humbly
namra
bowed
kandharam
whose neck
sunanda-nandāv upasṛtya sasmitaṁ
sunanda
Sunanda
nandau
and Nanda
upasṛtya
approaching
sa-smitam
smilingly
pratyūcatuḥ puṣkaranābha-sammatau
pratyūcatuḥ
addressed
puṣkara-nābha
of Lord Viṣṇu, who has a lotus navel
sammatau
confidential servants.
Dhruva Mahārāja was always absorbed in thinking of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa. His heart was full with Kṛṣṇa. When the two confidential servants of the Supreme Lord, who were named Nanda and Sunanda, approached him, smiling happily, Dhruva stood with folded hands, bowing humbly. They then addressed him as follows.

In this verse the word puṣkaranābha-sammatau is significant. Kṛṣṇa, or Lord Viṣṇu, is known for His lotus eyes, lotus navel, lotus feet and lotus palms. Here He is called puṣkara-nābha, which means “the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has a lotus navel,” and sammatau means “two confidential or very obedient servants.” The materialistic way of life differs from the spiritual way of life in that one is disobedience and the other is obedience to the will of the Supreme Lord. All living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and they are supposed to be always agreeable to the order of the Supreme Person; that is perfect oneness.

In the Vaikuṇṭha world all the living entities are in oneness with the Supreme Godhead because they never defy His orders. Here in the material world, however, they are not sammata, agreeable, but always asammata, disagreeable. This human form of life is a chance to be trained to be agreeable to the orders of the Supreme Lord. To bring about this training in society is the mission of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the laws of material nature are very strict; no one can overcome the stringent laws of material nature. But one who becomes a surrendered soul and agrees to the order of the Supreme Lord can easily overcome those stringent laws. The example of Dhruva Mahārāja is very fitting. Simply by becoming agreeable to the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by developing love of Godhead, Dhruva got the chance to personally meet the confidential servants of Lord Viṣṇu face to face. What was possible for Dhruva Mahārāja is possible for everyone. Anyone who very seriously engages in devotional service can obtain, in due course of time, the same perfection of the human form of life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The esteemed servants of the Lord, Sunanda and Nanda, smiling, approached and spoke to Dhruva, who stood with folded hands and bowed head, absorbed in the feet of Kṛṣṇa.
Always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, Dhruva stood with folded hands as Nanda and Sunanda smiled at him. Constant immersion in the Lord's feet equips you to meet His messengers without panic.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose unexpected arrival would I be poised for if my baseline immersion were stronger?
  • Where in my day could I more often return to the lotus feet as default mental location?
📝 My note

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