Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.68.18
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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suhṛt - tamam
—
their dearest friend
Suhṛt = 'good-hearted one,' 'well-wisher beyond expectation.' The Kurus genuinely love Balarāma — which is why their later insolence is so tragic. Affection without dharma is not enough.
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maṅgala - pāṇayaḥ
—
with auspicious offerings in their hands
Maṅgala-dravya — yogurt, sandal-paste, durvā grass, akṣata — the standard ritual greeting for an honored guest. The Kurus offer perfect form; their content (verses 24–28) will dishonor the very form they offer.
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arcayitvā
—
after worshiping
Worshiping Uddhava first — proper Vedic etiquette toward a messenger. Even the wicked Kurus know the protocol; they fail not in form but in substance.
In Kṛṣṇa, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes: “The leaders of the Kuru dynasty, especially Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Duryodhana, were very joyful because they knew very well that Lord Balarāma was a great well-wisher of their family. There were no bounds to their joy on hearing the news, and so they immediately welcomed Uddhava. In order to properly receive Lord Balarāma, they all took in their hands auspicious paraphernalia for His reception and went to see Him outside the city gate.”
Welcoming Uddhava (tam arcayitva), they went to meet Balarama.
The Yādavas were their friends, Vasudeva was a better friend, and Balarāma was the best friend (suhṛt-tamam) since he was the son of Rohiṇī, belonging to the Puru dynasty. Or because Balarāma had taught Duryodhana fighting with the club since Duryodhana was obedient to him, they were most affectionate to him. Or, they were most affectionate to him because he had personally come to pacify them in order to free Sāmba.
When word comes that an old friend has arrived at the city gate, the household lights lamps and runs out with sweets — the Kurus show no malice toward Balarāma personally; they revere Him. The clash will come not from cold hatred but from arrogance triggered by His message.
My note
Source: vedabase.io