Shloka 27
Chapter 90
याः सम्पर्यचरन् प्रेम्णा पाद-संवाहनादिभिः । जगद्गुरुं भर्तृ-बुद्ध्या तासां किं वर्ण्यते तपः ॥
yāḥ samparyacaran premṇā pāda-saṃvāhanādibhiḥ / jagad-guruṃ bhartṛ-buddhyā tāsāṃ kim varṇyate tapaḥ //
In liebender Bhakti dienten sie Ihm auf jede Weise—indem sie Seine Füße massierten und andere innige Dienste verrichteten. Obwohl Er der geistige Lehrer des ganzen Universums ist, betrachteten sie Ihn als ihren Gemahl. Wie ließe sich ihre Askese und ihr Verdienst beschreiben?
This verse glorifies the unparalleled fortune of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s queens. Kṛṣṇa is jagad-guru—the supreme guide and worshipable Lord of all worlds—yet in His intimate līlā He allows His devotees to relate with Him in personal moods (rasa). The queens’ service is not ordinary domestic duty; it is prema-bhakti expressed through direct, affectionate attendance (pāda-saṃvāhana, etc.). The phrase bhartṛ-buddhyā highlights the mystery of divine intimacy: the same Supreme Lord who is approached through Vedic reverence becomes approachable as ‘husband’ for those whose hearts are fully purified. Their ability to serve Him so closely indicates immense tapas—not merely hardship, but the accumulated spiritual refinement and purity that culminates in loving service. The verse therefore teaches that the highest fruit of austerity is not prestige or power, but eligibility for intimate devotion to Bhagavān. In the broader narrative of Canto 10, this also establishes that Kṛṣṇa’s household life is not material entanglement. Rather, it is a display of the Lord’s mercy, where perfected devotees render personal service and the Lord reciprocates, making the path of bhakti attractive and accessible to all seekers.
FAQs
This verse says the queens served Kṛṣṇa lovingly through intimate services like massaging His feet, showing that true devotion expresses itself as affectionate personal service to Bhagavān.
Because in bhakti, the Supreme Lord reciprocates with devotees according to their pure loving relationship (rasa). Though He is worshipable as the guru of the universe, He accepts intimate roles for His devotees’ joy.
Offer daily acts of service—at home or in temple—with a loving, God-centered intention, understanding that the highest ‘austerity’ is cultivating purity and devotion, not merely external hardship.