SB 10.48.26 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

क: पण्डितस्त्वदपरं शरणं समीयाद् भक्तप्रियाद‍ृतगिर: सुहृद: कृतज्ञात् । सर्वान् ददाति सुहृदो भजतोऽभिकामा- नात्मानमप्युपचयापचयौ न यस्य ॥ २६ ॥

Verse text

kaḥ paṇḍitas tvad aparaṁ śaraṇaṁ samīyād bhakta-priyād ṛta-giraḥ suhṛdaḥ kṛta-jṣāt sarvān dadāti suhṛdo bhajato ’bhikāmān ātmānam apy upacayāpacayau na yasya

Synonyms

kaḥ — what ; paṇḍitaḥ — scholar ; tvat — other than You ; aparam — to another ; śaraṇam — for shelter ; samīyāt — would go ; bhakta — to Your devotees ; priyāt — affectionate ; ṛta — always true ; giraḥ — whose words ; suhṛdaḥ — the well-wisher ; kṛta — jṣāt — grateful ; sarvān — all ; dadāti — You give ; suhṛdaḥ — to Your well-wishing devotees ; bhajataḥ — who are engaged in worshiping You ; abhikāmān — desires ; ātmānam — Yourself ; api — even ; upacaya — increase ; apacayau — or diminution ; na — never ; yasya — whose .

Translation

What learned person would approach anyone but You for shelter, when You are the affectionate, grateful and truthful well-wisher of Your devotees? To those who worship You in sincere friendship You reward everything they desire, even Your own self, yet You never increase or diminish.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

What learned person would approach anyone but You for shelter, when You are the affectionate, grateful and truthful well-wisher of Your devotees? To those who worship You in sincere friendship You reward everything they desire, even Your own self, yet You never increase or diminish. KB 10.48.26 “Who in the three worlds among factually learned men will not take shelter of Your lotus feet and surrender unto You? Who, knowing well that no one can be as affectionate as You are to Your devotees, is so foolish that he will decline to become Your devotee? Throughout the Vedic literature it is declared that You are the dearmost friend of every living entity. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām [Bg. 5.29]. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, completely capable of fulfilling the desires of Your devotees. You are the real friend of everyone. In spite of giving Yourself to Your devotees, You are never depleted of Your original potency. Your potency neither decreases nor increases in volume.

Purport

This verse describes both the Lord and His devotees as suhṛdaḥ “well-wishers.” The Lord is the well-wisher of His devotee, and the devotee lovingly desires all happiness for the Lord. Even in this world, an excess of love may sometimes produce unnecessary solicitude. For example, we often observe that a mother’s loving concern for her adult child is not always justified by an actual danger to the child. A grown child may be wealthy, competent and healthy, and yet the mother’s loving concern continues. Similarly, a pure devotee always feels loving concern for Lord Kṛṣṇa, as exemplified by mother Yaśodā, who could only think of Kṛṣṇa as her beautiful son. Lord Kṛṣṇa had promised Akrūra that after killing Kaṁsa He would visit his home, and now the Lord kept His promise. Akrūra recognizes this and glorifies the Lord as ṛta-giraḥ, “one who is true to His word.” The Lord is kṛta-jṣa, grateful for whatever little worship a devotee offers, and even if the devotee forgets, the Lord does not.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

"What learned person would surrender to anyone other than you, who are true to your word (rta girah), having kept your promise to come to my house after killing Kamsa; who are the best friend (su hdrah), knowing what is best for your servant, and doing that; who are most grateful (krta jnat), remembering anything that your devotee has done for you as an act of service, even if done once or is insignificant, forgotten even by the devotee himself; who have a splendorous heart (su hrdah), without personal desire; and who gives the desired results to those who worship you. Even if they do not desire something, you also give that. Though you give so much, you are not finished. You give even yourself. If you give even yourself, will you not be left with nothing? No, for you there is not increase or decrease . Though presented with all things by millions of brahmas of millions of universes, you do not increase. And though you give everything, even yourself, to your devotees, you have no decrease, because of your inconceivable, unlimited energy."

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

One should surrender to you because you, famous for your affection to your devotees including even Pūtanā because she dressed like a devotee. aho bakī yaṁ stana-kāla-kūṭaṁ jighāṁsayāpāyayad apy asādhvī lebhe gatiṁ dhātry-ucitāṁ tato ’nyaṁ kaṁ vā dayāluṁ śaraṇaṁ vrajema Oh! Evil Pūtanā, who offered her poisonous breast to Kṛṣṇa to drink with the intention of killing him, attained the position of a nurse in the spiritual world. How else is so merciful? I surrender to him! SB 3.2.23 “Though he is affectionate will he not fail to keep his promise to protect his devotee because of inattention?” He is truthful to his word (ṛta-giraḥ). Though he may be absorbed in his highest devotees, by his will everything is accomplished. He is not dependent on his devotees as assistants to him, but is dependent on them if they take shelter of him (suhrḍaḥ). He is not ignorant of their assistance, since he is grateful, knowing who has helped him. Even if a person assists indirectly he respects that person. He gives everything to one who worships him. In gaining and giving he does not increase or decrease. He gives all that can be desired to one who serves by offering flowers and leaves and he gives himself as a friend to one who acts in a friendly manner. He becomes dependent on that person. Therefore it is not astonishing that you have come to my house.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

Who would surrender (īyāt) to devatās or other rulers at some time or by some means (sam). The long ī is poetic license. The real intelligent persons should surrender to you only since you have great qualities. The reasons for surrender are given. You are affectionate to the devotees. You speak true words such as “I am the shelter for those in pain.” You are thus affectionate to the miserable. You are the friend, giving unqualified mercy. You supply what is lacking or your heart is splendid though a person offends you (suhṛdaḥ). Thus you do not recognize offenses. You know yourself and others (kṛt-jñāt). You always examine everything to benefit all people. The list of terms is in order of increasing excellence for surrendering. “I will come to your house.” (SB 10.41.17) By coming he should prove that his words were true. He did not consider Akrūra’s conduct with the gopīs to be offensive. He also knew Akrūṛa had built his house for him. You give everything to the dear one (suhṛdaḥ) because he worships you, or even if he does not worship you (abhajataḥ), since he is your friend. You are affectionate to friends. You give whatever is desired, even yourself. You are under his control. This is because you have unconditional friendship. There is no gain from worship or loss from not worshipping you from your perspective. Even though there is gain for the Lord by attaining the happiness of bhakti for the devotees, this statement is made out of humility and politeness. For the Lord there is no gain in not giving to those who desire something, and there is no loss in giving oneself since you have inconceivable powers. Or there is no increase in not giving oneself, since you already are most complete, and there is no decrease when you give, because you are always without change. You give yourself completely.