अहो अद्य वयं ब्रह्मन्सत्सेव्याः क्षत्रबन्धवः ।
कृपयातिथिरूपेण भवद्भिस्तीर्थकाः कृताः ॥३२॥
parÄ«ká¹£id uvÄca
aho adya vayaá¹ brahman
sat-sevyÄḥ ká¹£atra-bandhavaḥ
ká¹›payÄtithi-rÅ«peṇa
bhavadbhis tÄ«rthakÄḥ ká¹›tÄḥ
parÄ«ká¹£it uvÄca - the fortunate MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it said; aho - ah; adya - today; vayam - we; brahman - O brÄhmaṇa; sat-sevyÄḥ - eligible to serve the devotee; ká¹£atra - the ruling class; bandhavaḥ - friends; ká¹›payÄ - by your mercy; atithi-rÅ«peṇa - in the manner of a guest; bhavadbhiḥ - by your good self; tÄ«rthakÄḥ - qualified for being places of pilgrimage; ká¹›tÄḥ - done by you.
The fortunate King ParÄ«ká¹£it said: O brÄhmaṇa, by your mercy only, you have sanctified us, making us like unto places of pilgrimage, all by your presence here as my guest. By your mercy, we, who are but unworthy royalty, become eligible to serve the devotee.
Saintly devotees like Åšukadeva GosvÄmÄ« generally do not approach worldly enjoyers, especially those in royal orders. MahÄrÄja PratÄparudra was a follower of Lord Caitanya, but when he wanted to see the Lord, the Lord refused to see him because he was a king. For a devotee who desires to go back to Godhead, two things are strictly prohibited: worldly enjoyers and women. Therefore, devotees of the standard of Åšukadeva GosvÄmÄ« are never interested in seeing kings. MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it was, of course, a different case. He was a great devotee, although a king, and therefore Åšukadeva GosvÄmÄ« came to see him in his last stage of life. MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it, out of his devotional humility, felt himself an unworthy descendant of his great ká¹£atriya forefathers, although he was as great as his predecessors. The unworthy sons of the royal orders are called ká¹£atra-bandhavas, as the unworthy sons of the brÄhmaṇas are called dvija-bandhus or brahma-bandhus. MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it was greatly encouraged by the presence of Åšukadeva GosvÄmÄ«. He felt himself sanctified by the presence of the great saint whose presence turns any place into a place of pilgrimage.
