Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains that Lord Kṛṣṇa wanted to dispel Nārada’s distress, which the sage felt because he saw Lord Kṛṣṇa worshiping the demigods and even Nārada himself. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains Lord Kṛṣṇa’s feelings as follows: “As I state in the Bhagavad-gītā, yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ: [‘Whatever a great person does, ordinary people follow.’] Thus I bathed your feet today in order to help propagate the principles of religion. In the past, before I began My pastimes of directly teaching religious principles, you came and offered prayers to Me after I had killed the Keśī demon, but I simply listened to your elaborate prayers and glorification and did nothing to honor you. Just remember this and consider.

“Do not think that you have committed an offense by allowing Me to bathe your feet today and accept the water as holy remnants. Just as a son does not offend his father by touching him with his foot while sitting on the father’s lap, so you should understand that in the same way, My son, you have not offended Me.”