Shloka 35
Parīkṣit’s Vow on the Gaṅgā and the Advent of Śukadeva Gosvāmī
अपि मे भगवान् प्रीत: कृष्ण: पाण्डुसुतप्रिय: । पैतृष्वसेयप्रीत्यर्थं तद्गोत्रस्यात्तबान्धव: ॥ ३५ ॥
api me bhagavān prītaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ pāṇḍu-suta-priyaḥ paitṛ-ṣvaseya-prīty-arthaṁ tad-gotrasyātta-bāndhavaḥ
പാണ്ഡുപുത്രന്മാർക്ക് അത്യന്തം പ്രിയനായ ഭഗവാൻ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണൻ എന്നോട് പ്രസന്നനായി. തന്റെ പിതൃസഹോദരബന്ധുക്കളായ മഹാബന്ധുക്കളെ സന്തോഷിപ്പിക്കാനായി എന്നെ ആ ഗോത്രത്തിലെ ബന്ധുവായി സ്വീകരിച്ചു.
A pure and exclusive devotee of the Lord serves his family interest more dexterously than others, who are attached to illusory family affairs. Generally people are attached to family matters, and the whole economic impetus of human society is moving under the influence of family affection. Such deluded persons have no information that one can render better service to the family by becoming a devotee of the Lord. The Lord gives special protection to the family members and descendants of a devotee, even though such members are themselves nondevotees! Mahārāja Prahlāda was a great devotee of the Lord, but his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was a great atheist and declared enemy of the Lord. But despite all this, Hiraṇyakaśipu was awarded salvation due to his being the father of Mahārāja Prahlāda. The Lord is so kind that he gives all protection to the family members of His devotee, and thus the devotee has no need to bother about his family members, even if one leaves such family members aside to discharge devotional service. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers were the sons of Kuntī, the paternal aunt of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit admits the patronage of Lord Kṛṣṇa because of his being the only grandson of the great Pāṇḍavas.
FAQs
This verse shows the devotee’s concern for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure—measuring life by whether Bhagavān is satisfied, and remembering His affectionate nature toward His devotees and their families.
Parīkṣit recalls Kṛṣṇa’s intimate relationship with the Pāṇḍavas to express hope that the same Lord—who lovingly protected His devotees—may also be pleased with him.
Cultivate devotional humility: instead of seeking status or certainty, seek to act in ways that please Kṛṣṇa, trusting His affectionate care for those connected to sincere devotion.