13.79

putra pana dampati haila anandita mana

visese sevana kare govinda-carana

SYNONYMS

putra—son; pana—having gotten; dampati—husband and wife; haila—became; anandita—pleased; mana—mind; visese—specifically; sevana—service; kare—render; govinda-carana—the lotus feet of Lord Govinda.

The husband and wife (Jagannatha Misra and Sacimata), having gotten Visvarupa as their son, were very pleased within their minds.

Because of their pleasure, they specifically began to serve the lotus feet of Govinda.

PURPORT

There is a common saying in India that everyone goes to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead when he is in distress, but when a person is in an opulent position, he forgets God.

In Bhagavad-gita (7.16) this is also confirmed:

catur-vidha bhajante mam

janah sukrtino ’rjuna

arto jijnasur artharthi

jnani ca bharatarsabha “If backed by pious activities in the past, four kinds of men-namely, those who are distressed, those in need of money, those searching after knowledge and those who are inquisitive-become interested in devotional service.” The husband and wife, Jagannatha Misra and Sacimata, were very unhappy because their eight daughters had passed away.

Now, when they got Visvarupa as their son, certainly they became extremely happy.

They knew that it was by the grace of the Lord that they were endowed with such happiness and opulence.

Therefore instead of forgetting the Lord, they became more and more adherent in rendering service to the lotus feet of Govinda.

When a common man becomes opulent, he forgets God; but the more opulent a devotee becomes by the grace of the Lord, the more he becomes attached to the service of the Lord.