tÄn rocamÄnÄn sva-rucÄ
brahma-putropamÄn nava
papraccha parama-prītaḥ
praÅ›rayÄvanato ná¹›paḥ
tÄn - them; rocamÄnÄn - glowing; sva-rucÄ - by their own effulgence; brahma-putra-upamÄn - just like the sons of BrahmÄ; nava - nine; papraccha - he asked; parama-prÄ«taḥ - transcendentally overjoyed; praÅ›raya - with humility; avanataḥ - bowed down; ná¹›paḥ - the King.
ÅšrÄ«la ÅšrÄ«dhara SvÄmÄ« has pointed out that the word sva-rucÄ indicates that the nava-yogendras glowed from their own spiritual effulgence and not due to their ornaments or any other cause. The Supreme Soul, Lord Kṛṣṇa, is the original source of all light. His brilliantly glowing body is the source of the all-pervading brahmajyoti, the immeasurable spiritual light that is the resting place of innumerable universes (yasya prabhÄ prabhavato jagad-aṇá¸a-koá¹i). The individual soul, being part and parcel of the Lord, is also self-effulgent. In fact, everything in the kingdom of God is self-effulgent, as described in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (15.6):
na tad bhÄsayate sÅ«ryo
na Å›aÅ›Äá¹…ko na pÄvakaḥ
yad gatvÄ na nivartante
tad dhÄma paramaá¹ mama
It has already been described in many ways that the nava-yogendras were pure devotees of the Lord. Being completely Kṛṣṇa conscious souls, they naturally radiated the intense effulgence of the soul, as indicated here by the word sva-rucÄ. ÅšrÄ«la ÅšrÄ«dhara SvÄmÄ« has also pointed out that the word brahma-putropamÄn, meaning “equal to the sons of BrahmÄ,†indicates that the nava-yogendras were on the same spiritual platform as the four exalted KumÄra brothers. It has been described in the Fourth Canto that MahÄrÄja Pá¹›thu received the four KumÄras with great love and reverence, and here King Nimi is similarly receiving the nine sons of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva. Receiving exalted Vaiṣṇavas with love and reverence is standard spiritual etiquette for those who desire progress and happiness in life.