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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.64.31

కృష్ణ: పరిజనం ప్రాహ భగవాన్ దేవకీసుత: । బ్రహ్మణ్యదేవో ధర్మాత్మా రాజన్యాననుశిక్షయన్ ॥ ౩౧ ॥
kṛṣṇaḥ parijanaṁ prāha
[krishnah parijanam praaha]
bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ
[bhagavaan devakee-sutah]
brahmaṇya-devo dharmātmā
[brahmanya-devo dharmaatmaa]
rājanyān anuśikṣayan
[raajanyaan anushikshayan]
kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa parijanam — His personal associates prāha — addressed bhagavān — the Supreme Personality devakī - sutaḥ — son of Devakī brahmaṇya — devoted to the brāhmaṇas devaḥ — God dharma — of religion ātmā — the soul rājanyān — the royal class anuśikṣayan — in effect instructing .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kṛṣṇaḥ parijanaṁ prāha
kṛṣṇaḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa
parijanam
His personal associates
prāha
addressed
bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ
bhagavān
the Supreme Personality
devakī - sutaḥ
son of Devakī
brahmaṇya-devo dharmātmā
brahmaṇya
devoted to the brāhmaṇas
devaḥ
God
dharma
of religion
ātmā
the soul
rājanyān anuśikṣayan
rājanyān
the royal class
anuśikṣayan
in effect instructing .
  • devakī - sutaḥ — the son of Devakī
    The patronymic chosen here is striking: the lesson concerns brāhmaṇa-honour, and the speaker is named through His mother. Gauḍīyas read this as the poet's reminder that even the Supreme accepts a human family-name — and from that intimacy speaks the warning.
  • brahmaṇya - devaḥ — the Lord devoted to the brāhmaṇas
    Brahmaṇya (kind to / dedicated to brāhmaṇas) + deva (God). Kṛṣṇa's standing epithet, especially in the prayers of Bhīṣma (SB 1.9.42). The verse is Kṛṣṇa speaking as brahmaṇya-deva about brahmaṇya-aparādha — He is defending those whom He Himself honours.
  • dharma - ātmā — the soul of dharma
    Dharma (right order) + ātman (self). Not 'one who follows dharma' but 'one whose very self is dharma.' The Bhāgavata thus identifies the source of dharma with the speaker of this discourse: when Kṛṣṇa speaks of brāhmaṇa-honour, dharma itself is speaking.
  • rājanyān anuśikṣayan — in effect instructing the royal class
    Rājanya (kṣatriya) + anu-√śikṣ (to instruct in turn). The verse names the addressees plainly: kings. The Yadu boys are kings; the verse's lesson is for them and through them for all rulers. Śrīdhara Svāmī marks this as the chapter's didactic centre.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī — who is especially devoted to the brāhmaṇas and who embodies the essence of religion, then spoke to His personal associates and thus instructed the royal class in general.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead—Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī—who is especially devoted to the brāhmaṇas and who embodies the essence of religion, then spoke to His personal associates and thus instructed the royal class in general.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Though he is Svayam Bhagavān he spoke to his close associates to show the result of offending a brāhmaṇa since he was the son of Devakī, performing human pastimes like birth and accepting them as his associates. He was the best of all (deva) who had appeared to benefit the brāhmaṇas. Not only was he the establisher of dharma, he was the establisher of all dharmas (dharmātmā). “Since they are his followers what is the use of teaching them. It is like grinding what is already ground.” He spoke to teach other kṣatriyas who were present.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Kṛṣṇa spoke to the Yadus, using logic and proofs, in order to teach all kṣatriyas by his own conduct and to teach by the example of Nṛga since he was dharma itself or the cause of dharma, and the best for the brāhmaṇas and devotees, since he was the son of Devakī, full of all powers (bhagavān) and attractor of the hearts of even sages.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Prema (Divine Love)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
Concepts
JivaDharma

The Lord turns from the now-vacant sky to the still-watching boys and switches register — from the warmth of a guru's farewell to the precision of a śāstra-lesson. Brahmaṇya-deva: He defends brāhmaṇas not as an outsider but as their own indweller.

📝 My note

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