SB 1.11.21
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 21
- bhagavāṁs tatra bandhūnāṁ
- paurāṇām anuvartinām
- yathā-vidhy upasaṅgamya
- sarveṣāṁ mānam ādadhe
SYNONYMS
bhagavān — Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead; tatra — in that place; bandhūnām — of the friends; paurāṇām — of the citizens; anuvartinām — those who approached Him to receive and welcome; yathā-vidhi — as it behooves; upasaṅgamya — going nearer; sarveṣām — for each and every one; mānam — honor and respects; ādadhe — offered.
TRANSLATION
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, approached them and offered due honor and respect to each and every one of the friends, relatives, citizens and all others who came to receive and welcome Him.
PURPORT
The Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is neither impersonal nor an inert object unable to reciprocate the feelings of His devotees. Here the word yathā-vidhi, or "just as it behooves" is significant. He reciprocates "just as it behooves" with His different types of admirers and devotees. Of course, the pure devotees are of one type only because they have no other object for service but the Lord, and therefore the Lord also reciprocates with such pure devotees just as it behooves, namely, He is always attentive to all the matters of His pure devotees. There are others who designate Him as impersonal, and so the Lord also does not take any personal interest. He satisfies everyone in terms of one's development of spiritual consciousness, and a sample of such reciprocation is exhibited here with His different welcomers.