BRS 3.2.50

BRS 3.2.50

Verse Text

yathā – devaḥ sevyatayā yathā sphurati me devyas tathāsya priyāḥ sarvaḥ prāṇa-samānatāṁ pracinute tad-bhakti-bhājāṁ gaṇaḥ | smṛtvā sāhasikaṁ bibhemi tam ahaṁ bhaktābhimānonnataṁ prītiṁ tat-praṇate khare ’py avidadhad yaḥ svāsthyam ālambate ||50||

Translation

Just as Kṛṣṇa appears as the object of service for me, His dear women are also my objects of service. His devotees are all objects of my service. I consider them my very life. I fear even to think of that rash person who simply makes a pretense of being a devotee. However, even the person who has affection for a donkey who has offered respect to Kṛṣṇa is blessed with good health.

Purport (Nectar of Devotion)

The devotees of Kṛṣṇa engaged in His personal service are always very cautious, because they know that becoming personal servitors of Lord Kṛṣṇa is not an ordinary thing. A person who offers respect even to the ass engaged in the service of the Lord becomes eternally happy, so what is there to say of one who offers Kṛṣṇa direct service? Raktaka once said within himself, “Not only is Kṛṣṇa my worshipable and servable Lord, but also the girlfriends of Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs, are equally worshipable and servable by me. And not only the gopīs, but anyone who is engaged in the service of the Lord is also worshipable and servable by me. I know that I must be very careful not to become overly proud that I am one of the servitors and devotees of the Lord.” From this statement one can understand that the pure devotees, those who are actually engaged in the service of the Lord, are always very cautious and are never overly proud of their service.