Srimad Bhagavatam. Canto 11: General History

Chapter 2: Maharaja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras. Text 1

Å›rÄ«-Å›uka uvÄca
govinda-bhuja-guptÄyÄá¹
dvÄravatyÄá¹ kurÅ«dvaha
avÄtsÄ«n nÄrado 'bhÄ«kṣṇaá¹
kṛṣṇopÄsana-lÄlasaḥ

 Å›rÄ«-Å›ukaḥ uvÄca - ÅšrÄ« Åšuka said; govinda - of Lord Govinda; bhuja - by the arms; guptÄyÄm - protected; dvÄravatyÄm - in the capital DvÄravatÄ«; kuru-udvaha - O best of the Kurus; avÄtsÄ«t - dwelled; nÄradaḥ - NÄrada Muni; abhÄ«kṣṇam - constantly; kṛṣṇa-upÄsana - to engage in the worship of Kṛṣṇa; lÄlasaḥ - who had great eagerness.


Text

ÅšrÄ« Åšukadeva GosvÄmÄ« said: Eager to engage in the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa, O best of the Kurus, NÄrada Muni stayed for some time in DvÄrakÄ, which was always protected by the arms of Govinda.

Purport

In the Second Chapter of this canto, bhÄgavata-dharma, or pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, is explained by NÄrada Muni to Vasudeva, who had inquired with devotion. NÄrada Muni cites a conversation between King Nimi and the JÄyanteyas. According to JÄ«va GosvÄmÄ«, the word abhÄ«kṣṇam indicates that although NÄrada Muni was frequently sent by Lord Kṛṣṇa here and there for various pastimes, such as inquiring about the affairs of the world, NÄrada continuously returned to reside in DvÄrakÄ. The word kṛṣṇopÄsana-lÄlasaḥ indicates that NÄrada was very eager to be near Kṛṣṇa and worship Him. Because of the curse of Daká¹£a, NÄrada is never allowed to live continuously in one place. ÅšrÄ«dhara SvÄmÄ«, however, has pointed out, na tasyÄá¹ Å›ÄpÄdeḥ prabhÄvaḥ: in DvÄrakÄ there is no influence of curses or other such evils, because DvÄrakÄ is the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is always protected by His arms, as shown by the word govinda-bhuja-guptÄyÄm. The conditioned souls are struggling within the kingdom of mÄyÄ against the cruel laws of material nature, such as birth, death, old age and disease, but if such conditioned souls have the good fortune to enter the city of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whether DvÄrakÄ, MathurÄ or Vá¹›ndÄvana, and live there under the direct protection of the omnipotent arms of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, they will experience the unlimited transcendental bliss of real life, which is eternal and which is meant to be lived in the personal company of God.