| Canto 10: The Summum Bonum | Chapter 8: Lord Krishna Shows the Universal Form Within His Mouth |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.8.19
śriyā kīrtyānubhāvena
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — therefore; nanda — O Nanda Mahārāja; ātmajah — your son; ayam — this; te — of you; nārāyana-samah — is as good as Nārāyana (Nārāyana Himself showing transcendental qualities); gunaih — by qualities; śriyā — by opulence; kīrtyā — especially by His name and fame; anubhāvena — and by His influence; gopāyasva — just raise this child; samāhitah — with great attention and precaution.
TRANSLATION
In conclusion, therefore, O Nanda Mahārāja, this child of yours is as good as Nārāyana. In His transcendental qualities, opulence, name, fame and influence, He is exactly like Nārāyana. You should all raise this child very carefully and cautiously.
PURPORT
In this verse, the word nārāyana-samah is significant. Nārāyana has no equal. He is asamaurdhva: no one is equal to Him, and no one is greater than He is. As stated in śāstra:
samatvenaiva vīksheta
One who equates Nārāyana even with great exalted demigods like Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā is a pāshandī, an agnostic. No one can equal Nārāyana. Nonetheless, Gargamuni used the word sama, meaning "equal," because he wanted to treat Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead who had become Nanda Mahārāja's son. Gargamuni wanted to impress upon the mind of Nanda Mahārāja, "Your worshipable Deity, Nārāyana, is so pleased with you that He has sent you a son almost equal to Him in qualifications. Therefore you may designate your son with a similar name, such as Mukunda or Madhusūdana. But you must always remember that whenever you want to do something very good, there will be many hindrances. Therefore you should raise and protect this child with great care. If you can protect this child very cautiously, as Nārāyana always protects you, the child will be as good as Nārāyana." Gargamuni also indicated that although the child was exaltedly qualified like Nārāyana, He would enjoy more than Nārāyana as rāsa-vihārī, the central enjoyer of the rāsa dance. As stated in the Brahma-samhitā, lakshmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam: [Bs. 5.29] He would be served by many gopīs, who would all be as good as the goddess of fortune.
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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
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Dravida dasa Brahmacari