sampÅ«jya deva-ṛṣi-varyam ṛṣiḥ purÄṇo
nÄrÄyaṇo nara-sakho vidhinoditena
vÄṇyÄbhibhÄá¹£ya mitayÄmá¹›ta-miá¹£á¹ayÄ taá¹
prÄha prabho bhagavate karavÄma he kim
sampÅ«jya - fully worshiping; deva - among the demigods; ṛṣi - the sage; varyam - greatest; ṛṣiḥ - the sage; purÄṇaḥ - primeval; nÄrÄyaṇaḥ - Lord NÄrÄyaṇa; nara-sakhaḥ - the friend of Nara; vidhinÄ - by scripture; uditena - enjoined; vÄṇyÄ - with speech; abhibhÄá¹£ya - conversing; mitayÄ - measured; amá¹›ta - with nectar; miá¹£á¹ayÄ - sweet; tam - him, NÄrada; prÄha - He addressed; prabho - O master; bhagavate - for the lord; karavÄma - We may do; he - O; kim - what.
After fully worshiping the great sage of the demigods according to Vedic injunctions, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is Himself the original sage — NÄrÄyaṇa, the friend of Nara — conversed with NÄrada, and the Lord’s measured speech was as sweet as nectar. Finally the Lord asked NÄrada, “What may We do for you, Our lord and master?â€
In this verse the words nÄrÄyaṇo nara-sakhaḥ indicate that Kṛṣṇa is Himself the Supreme Lord, NÄrÄyaṇa, who appeared as the friend of the sage Nara. In other words, Lord Kṛṣṇa is ṛṣiḥ purÄṇaḥ, the original and supreme spiritual master. Nevertheless, following the Vedic injunctions (vidhinoditena) that a ká¹£atriya should worship the brÄhmaṇas, Lord Kṛṣṇa happily worshiped His pure devotee NÄrada Muni.
