SB 10.8.51

TEXT 51

TEXT

tataAe Bai·(BaRgAvaita
pau‡aIBaUtae janaAdR"nae
d"mpatyaAeinaRtar"AmaAs$aIa,"
gAAepagAAepaISau BaAr"ta

tato bhaktir bhagavati

putri-bhute janardane

dampatyor nitaram asid

gopa-gopisu bharata

tatah-thereafter; bhaktih bhagavati-the cult of bhakti, devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; putri-bhute-in the Lord, who had appeared as the son of Mother Yasoda; janardane-in Lord Krsna; dam-patyoh-of both husband and wife; nitaram-continuously; asit-there was; gopa-gopisu-all the inhabitants of Vrndavana, the gopas and the gopis, associating with Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda and following in their footsteps; bharata-O Maharaja Pariksit.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, O Maharaja Pariksit, best of the Bharatas, when the Supreme Personality of Godhead became the son of Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda, they maintained continuous, unswerving devotional love in parental affection. And in their association, all the other inhabitants of Vrndavana, the gopas and gopis, developed the culture of krsna-bhakti.

PURPORT

Although when the Supreme Personality of Godhead stole the butter, yogurt and milk of the neighboring gopas and gopis this teasing superficially seemed troublesome, in fact it was an exchange of affection in the ecstasy of devotional service. The more the gopas and gopis exchanged feelings with the Lord, the more their devotional service increased. Sometimes we may superficially see that a devotee is in difficulty because of being engaged in devotional service, but the fact is different. When a devotee suffers for Krsna, that suffering is transcendental enjoyment. Unless one becomes a devotee, this cannot be understood. When Krsna exhibited His childhood pastimes, not only did Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda increase their devotional affection, but those in their association also increased in devotional service. In other words, persons who follow the activities of Vrndavana will also develop devotional service in the highest perfection.