SB 10.69.16 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

सम्पूज्य देवऋषिवर्यमृषि: पुराणो नारायणो नरसखो विधिनोदितेन । वाण्याभिभाष्य मितयामृतमिष्टया तं प्राह प्रभो भगवते करवाम हे किम् ॥ १६ ॥

Verse text

sampūjya deva-ṛṣi-varyam ṛṣiḥ purāṇo nārāyaṇo nara-sakho vidhinoditena vāṇyābhibhāṣya mitayāmṛta-miṣṭayā taṁ prāha prabho bhagavate karavāma he kim

Synonyms

sampūjya — fully worshiping ; deva — among the demigods ; ṛṣi — the sage ; varyam — greatest ; ṛṣiḥ — the sage ; purāṇaḥ — primeval ; nārāyaṇaḥ — Lord Nārāyaṇa ; nara — sakhaḥ — the friend of Nara ; vidhinā — by scripture ; uditena — enjoined ; vāṇyā — with speech ; abhibhāṣya — conversing ; mitayā — measured ; amṛta — with nectar ; miṣṭayā — sweet ; tam — him, Nārada ; prāha — He addressed ; prabho — O master ; bhagavate — for the lord ; karavāma — We may do ; he — O ; kim — what .

Translation

After fully worshiping the great sage of the demigods according to Vedic injunctions, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is Himself the original sage — Nārāyaṇa, the friend of Nara — conversed with Nārada, and the Lord’s measured speech was as sweet as nectar. Finally the Lord asked Nārada, “What may We do for you, Our lord and master?”

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

After fully worshiping the great sage of the demigods according to Vedic injunctions, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is Himself the original sage—Nārāyaṇa, the friend of Nara—conversed with Nārada, and the Lord's measured speech was as sweet as nectar. Finally the Lord asked Nārada, "What may We do for you, Our lord and master?" KB 10.69.16 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is the original Nārāyaṇa and eternal friend of all living entities, thus worshiped the sage Nārada according to Vedic regulative principles. Welcoming him with sweet, nectarean words, He addressed Nārada as bhagavān, or one who is self-sufficient, possessing all knowledge, renunciation, strength, fame, beauty and other, similar opulences. He particularly asked Nārada, “What can I do in your service?”

Purport

In this verse the words nārāyaṇo nara-sakhaḥ indicate that Kṛṣṇa is Himself the Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa, who appeared as the friend of the sage Nara. In other words, Lord Kṛṣṇa is ṛṣiḥ purāṇaḥ, the original and supreme spiritual master. Nevertheless, following the Vedic injunctions ( vidhinoditena ) that a kṣatriya should worship the brāhmaṇas, Lord Kṛṣṇa happily worshiped His pure devotee Nārada Muni.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Krsna worshipped Narada according to the rules spoken in the scriptures (uditena), since he, as a rsi, is the producer of mantras (puranah rsih). Though as the Supreme Lord Krsna is the oldest (purana), he is also new, as he comes as Narayana, the friend of Nara in order to spread such scriptural rules (nara sakha). He spoke with measured words, of the greatest sweetness. "O master (prabho), you are our master because you are a brahmana. What can I do for you?"

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

The Lord was capable of doing proper worship because he was the establisher of all mantras (ṛṣiḥ). He was always young (purāṇaḥ), remaining in the same condition because of being Svayam Bhagavān. yadyapy asau pārśva-gato raho-gatas tathāpi tasyāṅghri-yugaṁ navaṁ navam pade pade kā virameta tat-padāc calāpi yac chrīr na jahāti karhicit Although Kṛṣṇa was constantly by their sides, as well as exclusively alone, his feet appeared to them to be newer and newer. The goddess of fortune, although by nature always restless and moving, could not quit the Lord’s feet. So what woman can be detached from those feet, having once taken shelter of them? SB 1.11.33 Thus the Lord was not old but acted like an ancient sage. The Lord had appeared in the world in the form of Nārāyaṇa, friend of Nara, for instituting such rules of dharma. This means that Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi had entered into Kṛṣṇa when Kṛṣṇa appeared in the world. tāv imau vai bhagavato harer aṁśāv ihāgatau bhāra-vyayāya ca bhuvaḥ kṛṣṇau yadu-kurūdvahau These two portions of the Lord have entered Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, best of the Yadu and Kuru dynasties for relieving the earth of its burden. SB 4.1.59 Kṛṣṇa made his appearance to demonstrate that all forms are aṁśas or kalās of Svayam Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa. Nārada was the bests of sages (ṛṣi-varyam). He appeared, following after the appearance of the Lord who was also a sage (ṛṣiḥ). “Since Kṛṣṇa is Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, he is Nārada’s guru. How can he worship Nārada?” He did this according to the rules (vidhinoditena). In playing the role of a kṣatriya, it was proper from him to worship the brāhmaṇa. Lokavat līlā-kaivalyam: the Lord performs his pastimes like the play of an ordinary person. (Vedānta-sūtra 2.1.33) Another meaning is as follows. nārāyaṇas tvaṁ na hi sarva-dehinām ātmāsy adhīśākhila-loka-sākṣī nārāyaṇo ’ṅgaṁ nara-bhū-jalāyanāt tac cāpi satyaṁ na tavaiva māyā O Lord, of whom Mahāviṣnū is your expansion! Nārāyaṇa, Mahāviṣṇu, the source of the other puruṣas is not you. Nor is the third puruṣa, dwelling within all beings, nor is the second puruṣa, the witness of all planets. Mahāviṣṇu, called Nārāyaṇa because he is the shelter of the Kāraṇa Ocean, which gives rise to material creation, is simply your expansion. That expansion of yours is real, not illusory. SB 10.14.14 Though you are Bhagavān (of whom Nārāyaṇa is your expansion), you perform human pastimes (nara-sakhaḥ). There is a smṛti rule satyaṁ brūyāt priyaṁ brūyāt: speak truthfully and sweetly. According to this rule (vidhinoditena), the Lord praised him with sweet words (amra-miṣṭayā) which were also true according to scriptural authority (mitayā), and made his request. “O master! You are my master because you are a brāhmaṇa. What can I do for you? Actually I can do nothing for you.” For fun he asks him. He covered his powers with his words. Seeing Nārada thinking of the Lord with reverence on seeing the spectacle of Dvārakā, the Lord seemed to scold him.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

Kṛṣṇa was the original sage (purāṇaḥ ṛṣiḥ) because he was the friend of Nara, Nārāyaṇa, eternally engaged in austerities at Badarikāśrama. This indicates that he was Nārada’s guru. As an avatāra, Nārāyaṇa was non-different from Kṛṣṇa. Or he was the original seer of mantras (ṛṣiḥ) because he was the shelter of all jīvas as the supreme Lord (nārāyaṇaḥ). He was the friend of all jīvas (nara-sakhaḥ), Paramātmā. He was the jīvas’ benefactor by engaging them in pure actions. He thoroughly worshipped Nārada according to the rules mentioned in scriptures because Nārada was the best among sages of the devatās like Devala. Or he, the original bhagavān (purāṇaḥ), who, according to the mode mentioned in the Fourth Canto, was Nārāyaṇa, friend of Nara, worshipped the best among sages of the devatās. tāv imau vai bhagavato harer aṁśāv ihāgatau bhāra-vyayāya ca bhuvaḥ kṛṣṇau yadu-kurūdvahau These two portions of the Lord have entered Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, best of the Yadu and Kuru dynasties for relieving the earth of its burden. SB 4.1.59 Speaking to Nārada sweetly, he then spoke specifically, with words sweeter than nectar, by nature or out of respect. O lord, being a brāhmaṇa, what can we do for you (bhagavate)? Please order us. Bhagavate indicates respect. Or what can we humans do for you, full of all powers? Nothing at all can be said.