Canto 10: The Summum BonumChapter 38: Akrūra's Arrival in Vṛndāvana

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.38.22

na tasya kaścid dayitaḥ suhṛttamo

na cāpriyo dveṣya upekṣya eva vā

tathāpi bhaktān bhajate yathā tathā

sura-drumo yadvad upāśrito 'rtha-daḥ

SYNONYMS

na tasyaHe does not have; kaścit — any; dayitaḥ — favorite; suhṛttamaḥ — best friend; na ca — nor; apriyaḥ — unfavored; dveṣyaḥ — hated: upekṣyaḥ — neglected; eva — indeed; — or; tathā api — still; bhaktān — with His devotees; bhajateHe reciprocates; yathāas they are; tathā — accordingly; sura-drumaḥa heavenly desire tree; yadvat — just as; upāśritaḥ — taken shelter of; artha — desired benefits; daḥ — giving.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord has no favorite and no dearmost friend, nor does He consider anyone undesirable, despicable or fit to be neglected. All the same, He lovingly reciprocates with His devotees in whatever manner they worship Him, just as the trees of heaven fulfill the desires of whoever approaches them.

PURPORT

The Lord says something similar in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.29):

samo 'haḿ sarva-bhūteṣu

na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ

ye bhajanti tu māḿ bhaktyā

mayi te teṣu cāpy aham

"I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend and is in Me, and I am also a friend to him."

Similarly, Lord Caitanya was as hard as a thunderbolt for those who envied Him, and as soft as a rose for those who understood His divine mission.

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