FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.69.17

శ్రీనారద ఉవాచ నైవాద్భ‍ుతం త్వయి విభోఽఖిలలోకనాథే మైత్రీ జనేషు సకలేషు దమ: ఖలానామ్ । ని:శ్రేయసాయ హి జగత్స్థితిరక్షణాభ్యాం స్వైరావతార ఉరుగాయ విదామ సుష్ఠు ॥ ౧౭ ॥
śrī-nārada uvāca
[shree-naarada uvaacha]
naivādbhutaṁ tvayi vibho ’khila-loka-nāthe
[naivaadbhutam tvayi vibho ’khila-loka-naathe]
maitrī janeṣu sakaleṣu damaḥ khalānām
[maitree janeshu sakaleshu damah khalaanaam]
niḥśreyasāya hi jagat-sthiti-rakṣaṇābhyāṁ
[nihshreyasaaya hi jagat-sthiti-rakshanaabhyaam]
svairāvatāra urugāya vidāma suṣṭhu
[svairaavataara urugaaya vidaama sushthu]
śrī - nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada said na — not eva — at all adbhutam — surprising tvayi — for You vibho — O almighty one akhila — of all loka — worlds nāthe — for the ruler maitrī — friendship janeṣu — toward people sakaleṣu — all damaḥ — the subduing khalānām — of the envious niḥśreyasāya — for the highest benefit hi — indeed jagat — of the universe sthiti — by maintenance rakṣaṇābhyām — and protection svaira — freely chosen avatāraḥ — descent uru - gāya — O You who are praised universally vidāma — we know suṣṭhu — well .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-nārada uvāca
śrī - nāradaḥ uvāca
Śrī Nārada said
na
not
eva
at all
adbhutam
surprising
naivādbhutaṁ tvayi vibho ’khila-loka-nāthe
tvayi
for You
vibho
O almighty one
maitrī janeṣu sakaleṣu damaḥ khalānām
akhila
of all
loka
worlds
nāthe
for the ruler
niḥśreyasāya hi jagat-sthiti-rakṣaṇābhyāṁ
svairāvatāra urugāya vidāma suṣṭhu
maitrī
friendship
janeṣu
toward people
sakaleṣu
all
damaḥ
the subduing
khalānām
of the envious
niḥśreyasāya
for the highest benefit
hi
indeed
jagat
of the universe
sthiti
by maintenance
rakṣaṇābhyām
and protection
svaira
freely chosen
avatāraḥ
descent
uru - gāya
O You who are praised universally
vidāma
we know
suṣṭhu
well .
  • svaira-avatāraḥ — descent by His own sweet will
    Compound: svaira (freely chosen, by one's own will) + avatāra. The Gauḍīya doctrine of līlā: Kṛṣṇa descends not from karma, not from compulsion, but svairam — by His own choice. The avatāra is grace's free movement, not necessity.
  • uru-gāya — O You who are widely praised
    Compound: uru (vast, wide) + gāya (sung, praised). A standing epithet of Viṣṇu in the Bhāgavatam. To call Kṛṣṇa uru-gāya is to lean into the chapter's later refrain — Nārada will leave singing His pastimes, fulfilling the very name.
  • maitrī — friendship
    From mitra (friend). Bhagavān's relation to all beings is maitrī — He is suhṛt-sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). The verse pairs maitrī (toward all) with damaḥ (toward the envious), showing that both faces are kindness in different forms.
  • niḥśreyasāya — for the highest benefit
    Compound: niḥ (without) + śreyas (better) — that than which there is nothing better. The Vedānta term for the supreme good (mokṣa, prema). Nārada locates Kṛṣṇa's descent in this category: the avatāra is for niḥśreyasa, not for adjustments within saṁsāra.
Śrī Nārada said: O almighty Lord, it is no surprise that You, the ruler of all worlds, show friendship for all people and yet subdue the envious. As we well know, You descend by Your sweet will in order to bestow the highest good on this universe by maintaining and protecting it. Thus Your glories are widely sung.

As pointed out by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, all living beings are in fact servants of the Lord. The ācārya quotes the following verse from the Padma Purāṇa to elucidate: a-kāreṇocyate viṣṇuḥ śrīr u-kāreṇa kathyate ma-kāras tu tayor dāsaḥ pañca-viṁśaḥ prakīrtitaḥ “[In the mantra om ] the letter a signifies Lord Viṣṇu, the letter u signifies the goddess Śrī, and the letter m refers to their servant, who is the twenty-fifth element.” The twenty-fifth element is the jīva, the living being. Every living being is a servant of the Lord, and the Lord is the true friend of every living being. Thus even when the Lord chastises envious persons like Jarāsandha, such punishment amounts to real friendship, since both the Lord’s chastisement and His blessing are for the benefit of the living being.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Śrī Nārada said: O almighty Lord, it is no surprise that You, the ruler of all worlds, show friendship for all people and yet subdue the envious. As we well know, You descend by Your sweet will in order to bestow the highest good on this universe by maintaining and protecting it. Thus Your glories are widely sung.
Commentary

In the material world, if the object of worship worships the worshipper, it will not be beneficial for the worshipper. However, because you are independent, if you worship your devotee, or if you receive his worship, or if you punish him, it is always beneficial. This is expressed in this verse. It is not at all amazing for you, the master of all the people, that you are the benefactor (maitri) of all people. Because you are the master of all the people and all people are in the status of dependent jivas, they must factually be your servants. In the explanation of Om in the Padma Purana it is said, "A refers to Visnu, U refers to Laksmi and M refers is the twenty fifth element, the jiva, the servant of the other two." For those brahmanas like me who worship you with devotion, your worshipping us gives displeasure. For others who serve you like Vidura and Uddhava, you give them sorrow by refusing to accept their worship. Others who are like animals, living in the material world, who do not worship you, are given your glance of mercy. And other evil persons like Jarasandha you punish. For all these people you are the benefactor, for you appear in this world by your free will for giving the highest benefit to all the people of the world in the form of prema bhakti and liberation, as well as maintainance and protection. This I know.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

This is not astonishing. The statement is in the neuter to express generality. It is in the singular, with the expectation that he will enlarge his topic. You give proper treatment (maitrī) though you are the master of all the people. In your form, you are equal to all. These two are not astonishing since you appear in order to give benefit to the world in the form of bhakti and mukti. You bestow these two according to the qualification of the person. This is all possible because you are capable (vibho). Thus you are praised by songs (urugāya).

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

It is not surprising for you, the Lord of all planets, that you worship me, since you have affection for people. And you do not depend anything. O Lord, complete in yourself (vibho)! You descend from Vaikuṇṭha by your own will (svairāvaratāraḥ). Your glory is thus sung in all planets (urugaya). Or you are the friend of devotees like me and the punisher of non-devotees. This is not surprising for you, who are equal to all, since you are the Lord of all planets. It is quite suitable that you descend by your will for everyone’s benefit. You make steady and nourish the universe by spreading bhakti and showing affection for your devotees and you protect the universe by destroying the demons, since by this you destroy obstacles to bhakti. Though contrary to your nature as being equal to all, it is not surprising in you. Though I am a servant, you, the Lord, worship me. It is not astonishing since you are independent.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses

When a king travels among his people in plain clothes, his kindness to all and his strictness with thieves is no surprise — both flow from the same kingship. Nārada's first response to Kṛṣṇa's hospitality is not awe but recognition: this is exactly how the avatāra has always behaved, and the world is praised in His praise.

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