FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.8.39

मैत्रेय उवाच इत्युदाहृतमाकर्ण्य भगवान्नारदस्तदा । प्रीत: प्रत्याह तं बालं सद्वाक्यमनुकम्पया ॥ ३९ ॥
maitreya uvāca
[maitreya uvaacha]
ity udāhṛtam ākarṇya
[ity udaahritam aakarnya]
bhagavān nāradas tadā
[bhagavaan naaradas tadaa]
prītaḥ pratyāha taṁ bālaṁ
[preetah pratyaaha tam baalam]
sad-vākyam anukampayā
[sad-vaakyam anukampayaa]
Word-for-word
maitreyaḥ uvāca — the sage Maitreya continued iti — thus udāhṛtam — being spoken ākarṇya — hearing bhagavān nāradaḥ — the great personality Nārada tadā — thereupon prītaḥ — being pleased pratyāha — replied tam — him bālam — the boy sat-vākyam — good advice anukampayā — being compassionate.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
maitreya uvāca
maitreyaḥ uvāca
the sage Maitreya continued
ity udāhṛtam ākarṇya
iti
thus
udāhṛtam
being spoken
ākarṇya
hearing
bhagavān nāradas tadā
bhagavān nāradaḥ
the great personality Nārada
tadā
thereupon
prītaḥ pratyāha taṁ bālaṁ
prītaḥ
being pleased
pratyāha
replied
tam
him
bālam
the boy
sad-vākyam anukampayā
sat-vākyam
good advice
anukampayā
being compassionate.
The sage Maitreya continued: The great personality Nārada Muni, upon hearing the words of Dhruva Mahārāja, became very compassionate toward him, and in order to show him his causeless mercy, he gave him the following expert advice.
Purport

Since the great sage Nārada is the foremost spiritual master, naturally his only activity is to bestow the greatest benefit upon whomever he meets. Dhruva Mahārāja, however, was a child, and so his demand was also that of a playful child. Still, the great sage became compassionate toward him, and for his welfare he spoke the following verses.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Maitreya said: The great Nārada, upon hearing the words of Dhruva and being pleased with the boy, out of mercy gave him good instructions.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Hearing Dhruva's heartfelt demand, Nārada becomes deeply compassionate and prepares to give him expert advice. Real teachers don't dismiss childish demands — they meet them with the highest possible response.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose 'childish' request have I dismissed when I could have offered them the highest help?
  • Where do I need someone to take my unrefined request and lift it to its real potential?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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