tato bhaktir bhagavati
putrÄ«-bhÅ«te janÄrdane
dampatyor nitarÄm ÄsÄ«d
gopa-gopÄ«á¹£u bhÄrata
tataḥ - thereafter; bhaktiḥ bhagavati - the cult of bhakti, devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; putrÄ«-bhÅ«te - in the Lord, who had appeared as the son of mother YaÅ›odÄ; janÄrdane - in Lord Kṛṣṇa; dam-patyoḥ - of both husband and wife; nitarÄm - continuously; ÄsÄ«t - there was; gopa-gopÄ«á¹£u - all the inhabitants of Vá¹›ndÄvana, the gopas and the gopÄ«s, associating with Nanda MahÄrÄja and YaÅ›odÄ and following in their footsteps; bhÄrata - O MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it.
Thereafter, O MahÄrÄja ParÄ«ká¹£it, best of the BhÄratas, when the Supreme Personality of Godhead became the son of Nanda MahÄrÄja and YaÅ›odÄ, they maintained continuous, unswerving devotional love in parental affection. And in their association, all the other inhabitants of Vá¹›ndÄvana, the gopas and gopÄ«s, developed the culture of kṛṣṇa-bhakti.
Although when the Supreme Personality of Godhead stole the butter, curd and milk of the neighboring gopas and gopÄ«s, this teasing superficially seemed troublesome, in fact it was an exchange of affection in the ecstasy of devotional service. The more the gopas and gopÄ«s 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 Kṛṣṇa, that suffering is transcendental enjoyment. Unless one becomes a devotee, this cannot be understood. When Kṛṣṇa exhibited His childhood pastimes, not only did Nanda MahÄrÄja and YaÅ›odÄ increase their devotional affection, but those in their association also increased in devotional service. In other words, persons who follow the activities of Vá¹›ndÄvana will also develop devotional service in the highest perfection.
