yudhiṣṭhirasya bhīmasya
kṛtvā pādābhivandanam
phālgunaḿ parirabhyātha
yamābhyāḿ cābhivanditaḥ
yudhishthirasya bhimasya -- to Yudhishthira and Bhima; kritva -- after offering; pada -- at their feet; abhivandanam -- obeisances; phalgunam -- Arjuna; parirabhya -- firmly embracing; atha -- then; yamabhyam -- by the twin brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva; ca -- and; abhivanditah -- greeted respectfully.
After the Lord bowed down at the feet of Yudhishthira and Bhima and firmly embraced Arjuna, He accepted obeisances from the twin brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva.
Externally Krishna was the Pandavas' cousin, and their relationship was just like that between cousin-brothers. Because Yudhishthira and Bhima were externally senior to Krishna, the Lord bowed down at their feet, whereas He embraced His peer Arjuna and accepted obeisances from the younger brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva. Sometimes inexperienced devotees think it is sinful to honor or bow down to an elder brother in Krishna consciousness. But from Lord Krishna's example here we may conclude that offering all respects to a senior brother in Krishna consciousness is not sinful.
