Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 15
Nārada Sees Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Yoga-māyā in the Palaces of the Queens
Dvāra-kā-līlā
तस्यावनिज्य चरणौ तदप: स्वमूर्ध्ना बिभ्रज्जगद्गुरुतमोऽपि सतां पतिर्हि । ब्रह्मण्यदेव इति यद्गुणनाम युक्तं तस्यैव यच्चरणशौचमशेषतीर्थम् ॥ १५ ॥
tasyāvanijya caraṇau tad-apaḥ sva-mūrdhnā bibhraj jagad-gurutamo ’pi satāṁ patir hi brahmaṇya-deva iti yad guṇa-nāma yuktaṁ tasyaiva yac-caraṇa-śaucam aśeṣa-tīrtham
The Lord bathed Nārada’s feet and then put the water on His own head. Although Lord Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spiritual authority of the universe and the master of His devotees, it was proper for Him to behave in this way, for His name is Brahmaṇya-deva, “the Lord who favors the bṛāhmaṇas.” Thus Śrī Kṛṣṇa honored the sage Nārada by bathing his feet, even though the water that bathes the Lord’s own feet becomes the Ganges, the ultimate holy shrine.
Since Lord Kṛṣṇa’s own lotus feet are the source of the most holy Ganges, the Lord did not have to purify Himself by bathing Nārada Muni’s feet. Rather, as Śrīla Prabhupāda explains: “Lord Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā enjoyed the pastimes of a perfect human being. When, therefore, He washed the feet of the sage Nārada and took the water on His head, Nārada did not object, knowing well that the Lord did so to teach everyone how to respect saintly persons.”
FAQs
This verse declares that the water used to wash the Lord’s feet is itself “aśeṣa-tīrtha”—equivalent to all holy places—because it is directly connected to His lotus feet.
Śukadeva explains that even the greatest spiritual master honors Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord; Nārada’s act shows perfect humility and devotion, placing service to the Lord above all status.
Cultivate humility and reverence for the Lord and His devotees, and treat devotional practices connected to Kṛṣṇa (like honoring caraṇāmṛta and serving Vaiṣṇavas) as spiritually transformative rather than merely symbolic.