Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.84.41
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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paramayā
—
supreme
Instrumental of paramā (supreme). Qualifies bhaktyā — the highest grade of bhakti. Gauḍīyas read paramā-bhakti as approaching prema; the qualification accounts for the result: Bhagavān as son.
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putratām
—
the role of son
From putra + abstract suffix tā. Kṛṣṇa has voluntarily entered into the relation putratām gataḥ — gone-into son-ness. Gauḍīyas treat this as the doctrinal warrant for vātsalya-rasa: the Lord consents to be son because His devotee consents to be father.
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īśvaram
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the supreme controller
Kṛṣṇa as īśvara of every world (jagatām īśvaram). Gauḍīyas note that the sages do not soften this even as they call Him Vasudeva's son — the two truths are simultaneously asserted: He is the īśvara, He is your son.
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harim
—
Lord Kṛṣṇa, Hari
From √hṛ (to take away, attract). Hari is the One who takes away sins and attracts the heart. Gauḍīyas hold Hari as one of Kṛṣṇa's principal names; the verse uses it deliberately — He who removes (sins) and who attracts (devotees) is the same Person who became Vasudeva's son.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī paraphrases the sages’ mood as follows: “We have answered you, who questioned us in the manner of ordinary discourse, in the same ordinary way. In truth, however, since you are the eternally liberated father of the Supreme Lord, neither worldly customs nor the injunctions of scripture have any authority over you.” According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, the very name Vasudeva indicates that Vasudeva manifests brilliantly ( dīvyati ) the superexcellent wealth ( vasu ) of pure devotional service. In the Eleventh Canto Nārada will again meet with Vasudeva and at that time remind him, devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam “O King, one who has given up all material duties and has taken full shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not indebted to the demigods, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives, friends, mankind or even his forefathers who have passed away. Since all such classes of living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, one who has surrendered to the Lord’s service has no need to serve such persons separately.” ( Bhāg. 11.5.41 )
You have asked a question posing as an ordinary person, and we have answered according to ordinary scriptural rules. But actually since you are the father of the Lord, and a nitya siddha devotee, you do not have to follow the ordinary rules of scripture. But if you think that you are only qualified to following the rules of scripture then listen to what we have said. O Vasudeva, you enjoy ( deva) the treasure (vasu) of bhakti yoga. You have intensely worshipped (pra arcah) the lord with most excellent devotion previously. Therefore, why should you now fall to the lower standard of actions? If it is not so, then our words meaning nothing. The proof is that the Lord himself has appeared as your son. If you want to perform such lower acts out of humility, and taking yourself as a fallen soul, do so just to teach other persons, as the Lord does.
Having described the process for persons who have not developed faith in bhakti, now they say that Vasudeva has been most successful from the beginning. O Vasudeva! Vasudeva means he who performs pastimes (deva) with a wealth (vasu) of bhakti for the Lord. They then show how this is true. Certainly you worshipped excellently (pra--arcaḥ) the Lord—as your son, by which you brought him under control. The Lord takes away all suffering (harim), since he is the Lord of all devatās and others (jagatām īśvaram). Therefore you have finished repaying all debts and are to be worshipped by all liberated souls and devotees. With another intention you have also accomplished this. However, this relief from debt is stated according to his imitation of human pastimes, not according to his eternal position. This is indicated by the word Vasudeva itself. Vasudeva refers to the internal śakti of the Lord called śuddha-sattva. It is said in the Fourth Canto: sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditaṁ: śuddha-sattva is called vasudeva. (SB 4.3.23)
Having described the process for persons who have not developed faith in bhakti, now they say that Vasudeva has been most successful from the beginning. O Vasudeva! sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditaṁ; the pure antaḥ-karaṇa is called Vasudeva. (SB 4.3.23) Thus Vasudeva has a pure heart, endowed with pure sattva. Or Vasudeva means “he who shines (deva) with a wealth (vasu) of bhakti. That is stated in the verse. Certainly you worshipped excellently (pra--arcaḥ) the Lord—as your son, by which you brought him under control. The Lord takes away all suffering (harim), since he is the Lord of all devatās and others (jagatām īśvaram). Therefore you have finished repaying all debts and are to be worshipped by all liberated souls and devotees.
The sages turn from accounting to history: a man whose son is Bhagavān must have offered, in some prior life, perfect worship to Hari. Vasudeva's fatherhood is not luck — it is the visible certificate of completed bhakti, hung on the wall of this incarnation.
Bhāgavatam 10.3.32–37 narrates that Vasudeva and Devakī were Sutapā and Pṛśni in a previous life, and even earlier Pṛśnigarbha and Kaśyapa — performing austerities to obtain Bhagavān as son. He appeared each time and promised to be born to them again.
Gauḍīyas read this verse as the sages' diagnostic recognition: prema-bhakti compounded over lifetimes is what produces a parent-of-Bhagavān.
My note
Source: vedabase.io