SB 10.14.32

The description of your glories in the spiritual parts of the Vedas is not actually suitable. Understanding that his glories are completely different, Brahmā speaks in astonishment. Oh (aho)! He is astonished. Their good fortunate is inconceivable. He repeats the phrase with boldness to show their extreme good fortune and indicate his still greater astonishment. “Why do you only show astonishment in the beginning? You should say what is astonishing about them.” What is astonishing about, or what is the good fortune, of Nanda and the other inhabitants of Vraja including the animals and birds? Kṛṣṇa, who is the greatest bliss, gave them prema, which is deserved by natural friends. They were the objects of his prema. dustyajaś cānurāgo ’smin sarveṣāṁ no vrajaukasām nanda te tanaye ’smāsu tasyāpy autpattikaḥ katham Dear Nanda, how is it that we and all the other residents of Vraja cannot give up our constant affection for your son? And how is it that he is so spontaneously attracted to us? SB 10.26.13 Ānandam is in the neuter for metrical reasons. This hints at the śruti which says vijñānam ānandam brahma: he is knowledge and bliss. (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.9.32) There is a little bliss and there are many givers of prema in other forms of the Lord. But bliss itself is not the doer in those cases. But bliss itself (Kṛṣṇa) is the give of prema to the people of Vraja. This is to be known from the śruti alone. Parama combined with ānanda means extraordinary sweetness by nature, like the highest sweetness in various degrees of sweetness in sugar candy. This is good fortune and astonishing. There is something else which is astonishing: this bliss is eternal. Someone may have a little amount of bliss, but that is not eternal. These cowherds had eternal bliss. Why is that? It is because he is the greatest (brahma). Atha kasmād ucyate brahma bṛṁhati bṛmḥayati ca: Brahman is great and gives greatness to others. Viṣnu Purāṇa says: bṛhattvād bṛṁhaṇatvāc ca tad brahma paramaṁ viduḥ Brahman is known as the supreme entity because it is the greatest (bṛhattva) and because it is the nourisher of all things (bṛṁhaṇatva) Viṣṇu Purāṇa 1.12.57 Though Brahman is defined as “being great” starting with the phrase athānandasya mīmāmsā bhavati, ye te śatam, after multiplying the bliss by a hundred each time from humans up to Brahmā, the śruti says that the Supreme Brahman has Brahmā’s bliss multiplied by a hundred. Then out of respect it is said yato vāco nivarrtānte aprāpya manasā saha ānandaṁ brāhmaṇa vidvān na vibheti kutaścana: those who know the bliss of Brahman, which words and mind cannot grasp, do not have fear at any time. (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.4.1) Thus the śrutis glorify the unlimited nature of Brahman as that which cannot be described by words or mind, but which has bliss by which friendship takes place even though the greatness remains. Not only that, this is full bliss—filled with the sweetness of form, qualities pastimes and powers which are innate, like his fragrance for instance. This is not seen or heard of anywhere. Nor is his friendship seen anywhere. Though Kṛṣṇa is now visible directly to Brahmā, words which indicate the invisible Brahman are used to give particular flavor. The word mitram should be defined, since it is placed first. Paramānandam is the explanation of mitram, placed later. Thus the meaning is “In friendship the highest bliss is attained.” Indicating that friendship attains oneness with bliss, the meaning is that friendship (a form of prema) reaches perfection with attainment of the greatest bliss and with fullness. Because prema is eternal, because prema has been described as being devoid of upādhis, and because it becomes equal to time itself since it is beyond the particularities of time, the friendship is eternal. This friendship be seen also in Rukmiṇī and others, and such friends are described in statements of śruti and tantra. As previously, Kṛṣṇa nature as Svayam Bhagavān and the aptness of Brahmā’s desire is also shown.