Devanagari
श्रीनारद उवाच
नमस्तस्मै भगवते कृष्णायामलकीर्तये ।
यो धत्ते सर्वभूतानामभवायोशती: कला: ॥ ४६ ॥
Verse text
śrī-nārada uvāca
namas tasmai bhagavate
kṛṣṇāyāmala-kīrtaye
yo dhatte sarva-bhūtānām
abhavāyośatīḥ kalāḥ
Synonyms
śrī
—
nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada said
;
namaḥ
—
obeisances
;
tasmai
—
to Him
;
bhagavate
—
the Supreme Lord
;
kṛṣṇāya
—
Kṛṣṇa
;
amala
—
spotless
;
kīrtaye
—
whose glories
;
yaḥ
—
who
;
dhatte
—
manifests
;
sarva
—
of all
;
bhūtānām
—
living beings
;
abhavāya
—
for the liberation
;
uśatīḥ
—
all attractive
;
kalāḥ
—
expansions .
Translation
Śrī Nārada said: I offer my obeisances to Him of spotless fame, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, who manifests His all-attractive personal expansions so that all living beings can achieve liberation.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Śrī Nārada said: I offer My obeisances to Him of spotless fame, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, who manifests His all-attractive personal expansions so that all living beings can achieve liberation.
KB 10.87.46
Nārada Muni addressed Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi as an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa and specifically addressed Him as the supreme well-wisher of the conditioned souls. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that Lord Kṛṣṇa descends in every millennium just to give protection to His devotees and to annihilate the nondevotees. Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, being an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, is also addressed as the well-wisher of the conditioned souls. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, everyone should know that there is no well-wisher like Kṛṣṇa. Everyone should understand that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the supreme well-wisher of everyone and should take shelter of Him. In this way one can become completely confident and satisfied, knowing that he has someone who is able to give him all protection. Kṛṣṇa Himself, His incarnations and His plenary expansions are all supreme well-wishers of the conditioned souls, but Kṛṣṇa is the well-wisher even of the demons, for He gave salvation to all the demons who came to kill Him in Vṛndāvana; therefore Kṛṣṇa’s welfare activities are absolute, for whether He annihilates a demon or gives protection to a devotee, the result of His activities is one and the same. It is said that the demon Pūtanā was elevated to the same position as that of Kṛṣṇa’s mother. When Kṛṣṇa kills a demon, the demon is supremely benefited, as much as a pure devotee is benefited by always being protected by the Lord.
Purport
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī remarks that Nārada’s addressing Śrī Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi as an incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa is perfectly appropriate, in accordance with the following statement of
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
(1.3.28)
:
ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ/ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.
“All of the above-mentioned incarnations [including Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi] are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead.”
In his commentary on this verse, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī has Lord Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi asking, “Why do you offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa instead of Me, your
guru,
who am standing here before you?” Nārada explains his action by saying that Lord Kṛṣṇa assumes all-attractive incarnations like Śrī Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi to end the conditioned souls’ material life. By offering obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa, therefore, Nārada honors Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi and all other manifestations of Godhead as well.
This prayer of Nārada’s is the essential nectar he has extracted from the personified
Vedas’
prayers, which themselves were churned from the sweet ocean of all secrets of the
Vedas
and
Purāṇas.
As the
Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad
(Pūrva 50) recommends,
tasmāt kṛṣṇa eva paro devas taṁ dhyāyet taṁ rasayet taṁ bhajet taṁ yajed iti;
oṁ tat sat:
“Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Godhead. One should meditate on Him, relish the taste of reciprocating loving exchanges with Him, worship Him and offer sacrifice to Him.”
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Narada, discerning the real meaning of the praises of the Vedas, then indicated the supreme position of Krsna alone, according to his promise. Among the different paths metioned in the praises, jnana, yoga and bhakti, bhakti is the best. Among the worshippers the devotees are the best. Among the objects of worship, brahman, paramatma and bhagavan, bhagavan is the best. This has been concluded from all the statements of the srutis. Even in bhagavan, however, Krsna is shown to be the best form, as understood from verses 17 and 23.
To indicate this, he recites this verse in Narayana’s presence, directly in front of him. In a loud voice he spoke, "I offer my respects to Krsna." To say " I offer my respects to Narayana" would have been contrary to his feelings. "I offer my respects to he who is famous for removing the contaminion of ignorance by giving liberation even to the demons (amala kirtaye)."
"Oh, are you offering your respects to Krsna and not to me, your guru, Narayana who is standing before you?"
"He accepts various beautiful forms (usatih kalah) such as your self for destroying material existence (abhavaya)." This implies that by offering obeisance to Krsna, Narada has also offered his respects to Narayana. With this verse Narada has extracted the essence from the praises of the Vedas which have arisen from the churning of the ocean of an unlimited collection of Upanisads and Puranas. Similarly Gopal Tapani Upanisad says the following .
Tasmat krsna eva paro devas tam dhyayet tam rasayet tam bhajet tam yajed iti om tat sat
Therefore krsna is the supreme worshippale object. One should meditate on him, relish him, worship him and surrender fully to him.
Gopala Tapani Upanisad Purva 50
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Nārada speaks to show his satisfaction. Understanding that Kṛṣṇa is the conclusion of all the Vedas, he indicates Kṛṣṇa’s excellence. Among all the paths, bhakti is the best. Among all worshippers such as jñānīs and others, the devotees are the best. Among all objects of worship such as Brahman, Bhagavān is the best. This is determined by the words of all the śrutis. Among the forms of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa is determined to be the best.
sad-asataḥ paraṁ tvam atha yad eṣv avaśeṣam ṛtam
Distinct from the gross and subtle material manifestations, you are the reality underlying them all. (SB 10.87.17)
striya uragendra-bhoga-bhuja-daṇḍa-viṣakta-dhiyaḥ
The gopīs are attracted to your arms. (SB 10.87.23)
Understanding this, directly in front of Nārāyaṇa, he does not offer respects to Nārāyaṇa, but to Kṛṣṇa, speaking loudly. Kṛṣṇa has fame which eradicates ignorance since he gives liberation even to demons. “Why do you give up me, your guru, standing in front of you, and instead offer respects to Kṛṣṇa?” Kṛṣṇa has within him attractive avatāra forms like you for extinguishing material suffering. By offering respects to him, I offer respects to you. The present tense (dhatte) is used to show this is Kṛṣṇa’s eternal position. Śruti says:
tasmāt kṛṣṇa evea parā devas taṁ dhārayet taṁ rasayet taṁ bhajet tam; yajet oṁ tat sat
Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. You should meditate upon him, give him pleasure, worship him and offer sacrifice to him. Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Nārada offers respects to Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi while thinking of Kṛṣna, with his special glories. Though Nārāyaṇa is present, Nārada addresses him in the third person out of great respect. Or by offering respects to Kṛṣṇa, respects to Nārāyaṇa are accomplished. Nārāyaṇa is satisfied. He offers respects to Kṛṣna, who is the supreme Lord (bhagavate), who is most attractive to all hearts by manifesting all his powers (kṛṣṇāya), and who has spotless qualities. As bhagavān he extinguishes all suffering of saṁsāra (abhavāya) for all beings, without qualification. These forms (kalāḥ) such as Nārāyaṇa are auspicious for the world (uśatīḥ), giving happiness to all. Or his spotless qualities are explained: he nourishes artistic play in the rāsa dance (uṣatīḥ kalāḥ dhatte).