nando mahÄ-manÄs tebhyo
vÄso 'laá¹…kÄra-go-dhanam
sÅ«ta-mÄgadha-vandibhyo
ye 'nye vidyopajīvinaḥ
tais taiḥ kÄmair adÄ«nÄtmÄ
yathocitam apūjayat
viṣṇor ÄrÄdhanÄrthÄya
sva-putrasyodayÄya ca
nandaḥ - MahÄrÄja Nanda; mahÄ-manÄḥ - who among the cowherd men was the greatest of all upright persons; tebhyaḥ - unto the cowherd men; vÄsaḥ - clothing; alaá¹…kÄra - ornaments; go-dhanam - and cows; sÅ«ta-mÄgadha-vandibhyaḥ - unto the sÅ«tas (the professional reciters of the old histories), the mÄgadhas (the professional reciters of the histories of royal dynasties) and the vandÄ«s (general singers of prayers); ye anye - as well as others; vidyÄ-upajÄ«vinaḥ - who were continuing their livelihood on the basis of educational qualifications; taiḥ taiḥ - with whatever; kÄmaiḥ - improvements of desire; adÄ«na-ÄtmÄ - MahÄrÄja Nanda, who was so magnanimous; yathÄ-ucitam - as was suitable; apÅ«jayat - worshiped them or satisfied them; viṣṇoḥ ÄrÄdhana-arthÄya - for the purpose of satisfying Lord Viṣṇu; sva-putrasya - of his own child; udayÄya - for the improvement in all respects; ca - and.
The great-minded MahÄrÄja Nanda gave clothing, ornaments and cows in charity to the cowherd men in order to please Lord Viṣṇu, and thus he improved the condition of his own son in all respects. He distributed charity to the sÅ«tas, the mÄgadhas, the vandÄ«s, and men of all other professions, according to their educational qualifications, and satisfied everyone’s desires.
Although it has become fashionable to speak of daridra-nÄrÄyaṇa, the words viṣṇor ÄrÄdhanÄrthÄya do not mean that all the people satisfied by Nanda MahÄrÄja in this great ceremony were Viṣṇus. They were not daridra, nor were they NÄrÄyaṇa. Rather, they were devotees of NÄrÄyaṇa, and by their educational qualifications they would satisfy NÄrÄyaṇa. Therefore, satisfying them was an indirect way of satisfying Lord Viṣṇu. Mad-bhakta-pÅ«jÄbhyadhikÄ (BhÄg. 11.19.21). The Lord says, “Worshiping My devotees is better than worshiping Me directly.†The varṇÄÅ›rama system is entirely meant for viṣṇu-ÄrÄdhana, worship of Lord Viṣṇu. VarṇÄÅ›ramÄcÄravatÄ puruá¹£eṇa paraḥ pumÄn/ viṣṇur ÄrÄdhyate (Viṣṇu PurÄṇa 3.8.9). The ultimate goal of life is to please Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord. The uncivilized man or materialistic person, however, does not know this aim of life. Na te viduḥ svÄrtha-gatiá¹ hi viṣṇum (BhÄg. 7.5.31). One’s real self-interest lies in satisfying Lord Viṣṇu. Not satisfying Lord Viṣṇu but instead attempting to become happy through material adjustments (bahir-artha-mÄninaḥ) is the wrong way for happiness. Because Viṣṇu is the root of everything, if Viṣṇu is pleased, everyone is pleased; in particular, one’s children and family members become happy in all respects. Nanda MahÄrÄja wanted to see his newborn child happy. That was his purpose. Therefore he wanted to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu, and to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu it was necessary to satisfy His devotees, such as the learned brÄhmaṇas, mÄgadhas and sÅ«tas. Thus, in a roundabout way, ultimately it was Lord Viṣṇu who was to be satisfied.
