Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.22.12

svāgatam vo dvija-śreshthā

yad-vratāni mumukshavah

caranti śraddhayā dhīrā

bālā eva brihanti ca

SYNONYMS

su-āgatam — welcome; vah — unto you; dvija-śreshthāh — the best of the brāhmanas; yat — whose; vratāni — vows; mumukshavah — of persons desiring liberation; caranti — behave; śraddhayā — with great faith; dhīrāh — controlled; bālāh — boys; eva — like; brihanti — observe; ca — also.

TRANSLATION

Mahārāja Prithu offered his welcome to the four Kumāras, addressing them as the best of the brāhmanas. He welcomed them, saying: From the beginning of your birth you strictly observed the vows of celibacy, and although you are experienced in the path of liberation, you are keeping yourselves just like small children.

PURPORT

The specific importance of the Kumāras is that they were brahmacārīs, living the life of celibacy from birth. They kept themselves as small children about four or five years old because by growing into youth one's senses sometimes become disturbed and celibacy becomes difficult. The Kumāras therefore purposefully remained children because in a child's life the senses are never disturbed by sex. This is the significance of the life of the Kumāras, and as such Mahārāja Prithu addressed them as the best of the brāhmanas. Not only were the Kumāras born of the best brāhmana (Lord Brahmā), but they are addressed herein as dvija-śreshthāh ("the best of the brāhmanas") on account of their being Vaishnavas also. As we have already explained, they have their sampradāya (disciplic succession), and even to date the sampradāya is being maintained and is known as the Nimbārka-sampradāya. Out of the four sampradāyas of the Vaishnava ācāryas, the Nimbārka-sampradāya is one. Mahārāja Prithu specifically appreciated the position of the Kumāras because they maintained the brahmacarya vow from the very beginning of their birth. Mahārāja Prithu, however, expressed his great appreciation of Vaishnavism by addressing the Kumāras as vaishnava-śreshthāh. In other words, everyone should offer respect to a Vaishnava without considering his source of birth. Vaishnave jāti-buddhih. No one should consider a Vaishnava in terms of birth. The Vaishnava is always the best of the brāhmanas, and as such one should offer all respects to a Vaishnava, not only as a brāhmana but as the best of the brāhmanas.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness