4.23

mayi bhaktir hi bhutanam

amrtatvaya kalpate

distya yad asin mat-sneho

bhavatinam mad-apanah

SYNONYMS

mayi—to Me; bhaktih—devotional service; hi—certainly; bhutanam—of the living beings; amrtatvaya—the eternal life; kalpate—brings about; distya—by good fortune; yat—which; asit—was; mat—for Me; snehah—the affection; bhavatinam—of all of you; mat—of Me; apanah—the obtaining " ’Devotional service rendered to Me by the living beings revives their eternal life.

O My dear damsels of Vraja, your affection for Me is your good fortune, for it is the only means by which you have obtained My favor.’

PURPORT

Pure devotional service is represented in the activities of the residents of Vrajabhumi (Vrndavana).

During a solar eclipse, the Lord came from Dvaraka and met the inhabitants of Vrndavana at Samanta-pancaka.

The meeting was intensely painful for the damsels of Vrajabhumi because Lord Krsna had apparently left them to reside at Dvaraka.

But the Lord obligingly acknowledged the pure devotional service of the damsels of Vraja by speaking this verse (Bhag.10.82.44).