Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.28.4
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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hṛṣīkeśam
—
Lord of the senses
Hṛṣīka (sense) + īśa (lord). The name Arjuna uses at Gītā 1.21 when he asks Kṛṣṇa to place the chariot. Here applied as Kṛṣṇa enters another lord's court — declaring that even Varuṇa's senses, and his servants' senses, run only by Kṛṣṇa's sanction.
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loka-pālaḥ
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the presiding deity of a planetary region
Loka (world) + pāla (protector). Varuṇa is one of the eight lokapālas. Gauḍīyas read his worship of Kṛṣṇa here as proof that the devatā-system is internally Vaiṣṇava: the great administrators know who their Master is.
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saparyayā
—
with worshipful offerings
From sa-pari-√i. Saparyā is formal, elaborate upacāra — argha, pādya, naivedya. Varuṇa does not greet Kṛṣṇa as a peer but as the worshipable Lord, the very upacāras a king of waters can muster.
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pūjayitvā
—
having worshiped
Absolutive of √pūj. The action precedes speech — Varuṇa worships first, then speaks (v.5). Gauḍīya etiquette: pūjā is the proper opening before any prayer; the body's posture stabilizes the mouth's words.
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darśana
—
the sight
From √dṛś. Bhagavān's darśana itself is the prize — not what He grants, but what He is. Varuṇa's mahā-utsava arises from no boon but the simple fact of seeing Hari.
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mahā-utsavaḥ
—
great jubilant pleasure / festival
Mahā (great) + utsava (festival, surge of joy). Bhakti-rasa vocabulary: Bhagavān's appearance turns any locale into an utsava. The same word will repeat across Vraja for every līlā-event; here it ascends from Varuṇa's submerged kingdom.
Varuṇa understood that Kṛṣṇa, who, though, the inspiration to the senses, is generally invisible to the senses (hṛṣīkeśam), had come very near to him (prāptam). It is understood that then Varuṇa approached him. He worshipped Kṛṣṇa to his ability, and thus his role as protector of the planets was fulfilled. The reason for the worship was his great bliss on seeing Kṛṣṇa. The following should be said. Previously Kṛṣṇa had been angry at Varuṇa’s wicked servant. On meeting Varuṇa however Kṛṣṇa saw that he was not too bewildered though somewhat frightened, and that he had approached while offering respects. Kṛṣṇa then appeared to be forgiving, having made certain that he had attained his own desires (obtaining his father). Then Varuṇa became joyful on seeing him. Then, he began worshiping him with articles and praises.
Varuṇa understood that Kṛṣṇa, who, though, the inspiration to the senses, is generally invisible to the senses (hṛṣīkeśam), had come very near to him (prāptam). It is understood that then Varuṇa approached him. He worshipped Kṛṣṇa to his ability, and thus his role as protector of the planets was fulfilled. The reason for the worship was his great bliss on seeing Kṛṣṇa. Or his great bliss indicates his great devotion. This means he brought Nanda there in order to see Kṛṣṇa. It would have been improper to go to Kṛṣṇa in Vraja and worship him elaborately. He also derived special happiness from seeing Kṛṣṇa in his own house. It is hinted here that his words would be excellent.
When the emperor visits a vassal king's hall, the vassal does not test his guest — he washes the feet, lights the lamps, brings the best plate. Varuṇa, lord of waters, sees Hṛṣīkeśa arrive in his own court and, recognizing the Master of every sense and every world, simply pours out worship as if a long debt had finally been called in.
When Vāmanadeva, the dwarf-brāhmaṇa, walked into Bali's sacrificial arena, Bali — instructed by Śukrācārya that this was Viṣṇu come to take everything — washed His feet and poured the water on his head (SB 8.18–22). Worship arose before loss.
Varuṇa's response mirrors Bali's: the Lord arrives in a setting He could have overrun, and the deity-host does not protest but worships, finding in the arrival the very goal of his post.
My note
Source: vedabase.io