23.8

ananya-mamata visnau

mamata prema-sangata

bhaktir ity ucyate bhisma-

prahladoddhava-naradaih

SYNONYMS

ananya-mamata—having a sense of relationships with no others; visnau—in Lord Visnu, or Krsna; mamata—the sense of ownership; prema-sangata—endowed only with love; bhaktih—devotional service; iti—thus; ucyate—is said; bhisma—by Bhisma; prahlada—by Prahlada Maharaja; uddhava—by Uddhava; naradaih—and by Narada " ’When one develops an unflinching sense of ownership or possessiveness in relation to Lord Visnu, or, in other words, when one thinks Visnu and no one else to be the only object of love, such an awakening is called bhakti (devotion) by exalted persons like Bhisma, Prahlada, Uddhava and Narada.’

PURPORT

This verse, quoted from the Narada-pancaratra, is found in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.4.2).