Verse Ten

कर्म्मिभ्यः परितो हरेः प्रियतया व्यक्तिं ययुर्ज्ञानिनस्
तेभ्यो ज्ञानविमुक्तभक्तिपरमाः प्रेमैकनिष्ठास् ततः ।
तेभ्यस्ताः पशुपालपङ्कजदृशस्ताभ्योऽपि सा राधिका
प्रेष्ठा तद्वदियं तदीयसरसी तां नाश्रयेत्कः कृती ॥१०॥

karmibhyah parito hareh priyataya vyaktim yayur jnaninas
tebhyo jnana-vimukta-bhakti-paramah premaika-nisthas tatah
tebhyas tah pasu-pala-pankaja-drsas tabhyo ’pi sa radhika
prestha tadvad iyam tadiya-sarasi tam nasrayet kah krti [10]

jnaninah–Knowers [of impersonal Brahman] vyaktim yayuh–are known [to be] priyataya–more dear, paritah–in all respects, hareh–to the Lord karmibhyah–than performers [of material activities]. [More dear] tebhyah–than them [are] bhakti-paramah–devotees vimukta–completely free jnana–from knowledge [of Brahman]. [More dear] tatah–than them [are] nisthah–those who are fixed eka–exclusively prema–in divine love. [More dear] tebhyah–than them [are] tah–they, pankaja-drsah–the lotus-eyed pasu-pala–cowherd women, [and more dear] tabhyah api–than even them [is] sa–She, radhika–Sri Radhika. iyam–This sarasi–lake tadiya–of Hers [is] tadvad–similarly prestha–dear [to the Lord]. kah–What krti–fortunate soul na asrayet–would not take shelter tam–of it? [10]

Translation:

More dear to Krishna, in all respects,
than performers of pious deeds
are knowers of Brahman,
more dear than them
are devotees completely free from knowledge of Brahman,
more dear than them
are devotees fixed exclusively in divine love,
more dear than them are the gopis,
and more dear than them is Sri Radhika.
Her lake is similarly dear to Krishna.
What fortunate soul would not take shelter there?

Bhasa by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur

চিদন্বেষী জ্ঞানী জড়কর্ম্মী হইতে শ্রেষ্ঠ ।
জ্ঞানিচর ভক্ত তদপেক্ষা কৃষ্ণপ্রেষ্ঠ ॥১॥

chid-anvesi jnani jada-karmi ha-ite srestha
jnani-chara bhakta tad apeksa krsna-prestha [1]

jnani–Knowers [of Brahma who] anvesi–seek chid–spirit [are] srestha–higher ha-ite–than jada–material karmi–actors. bhakta–Devotees chara–free from jnani–knowledge [of Brahma are] prestha–dear krsna–to Krishna [more so] apeksa–than tad–them. [1]

Translation:

Jnanis who seek spirit are higher than those who are engaged in material activities. Devotees who are free from jnan are more dear to Krishna than them.

প্রেমনিষ্ঠ ভক্ত তদপেক্ষা শ্রেষ্ঠ জানি ।
গোপীগণে তদপেক্ষা শ্রেষ্ঠ বলি’ মানি ॥২॥

prema-nistha bhakta tad apeksa sreṣtha jani
gopi-gane tad apeksa srestha bali’ mani [2]

jani–We know [that] bhakta–devotees nistha–fixed prema–in divine love [are] sreṣtha–higher apeksa–than tad–them, [and] bali’ mani–we consider gopi-gane–the gopis srestha–higher apeksa–than tad–them. [2]

Translation:

We know that devotees fixed in divine love are higher than them, and we consider the gopis higher than all other devotees.

সর্ব্বগোপী-শ্রেষ্ঠা রাধা কৃষ্ণপ্রেষ্ঠা সদা ।
তাঁহার সরসী নিত্য কৃষ্ণের প্রীতিদা ॥৩॥

sarva-gopi srestha radha krsna-prestha sada
ta̐hara sarasi nitya krsnera pritida [3]

radha–Sri Radha [is] srestha–higher [than] sarva–all gopi–the gopis. [She is] sada–forever krsna–Krishna’s prestha–favourite, [and] ta̐hara–Her sarasi–lake [is] nitya–always pritida–pleasing krsnera–to Krishna. [3]

Translation:

Sri Radha is the highest of all the gopis. She is forever Krishna’s favourite, and Her lake always pleases Krishna.

এ হেন প্রেমের স্থান গোবর্দ্ধন-তটে ।
আশ্রয় না করে কেবা কৃতী নিষ্কপটে ॥৪॥

e hena premera sthana govardhana-tate
asraya na kare keba krti niskapate [4]

keba–What krti–fortunate soul asraya kare na–would not take shelter [in] e hena–that sthana–abode premera–of divine love tate–at the base govardhana–of Govardhan niskapate–with [all] sincerity? [4]

Translation:

What fortunate soul would not take shelter in that abode of divine love at the base of Govardhan Hill with all sincerity?

Piyusa-varsini-vrtti by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur

Devotees who reside on the bank of Radha Kunda are higher and more dear to Krishna than all other types of practitioners that exist throughout the world. This is being shown in the tenth verse. Jnanis who seek spirit are more dear to Krishna than all types of karmis. Devotees who are free from jnan are more dear to Krishna than all types of jnanis. Amongst all types of devotees, devotees fixed in divine love are most dear to Krishna. Amongst all such devotees, the Vraja-gopis are extremely dear to Krishna, and amongst all the gopis, Sri Radhika is the most dear. As Radhika is dear to Krishna, so Her lake is also most dear to Him. Therefore, those who have great spiritual fortune will reside at Sri Radha Kunda and serve Sri Krishna during the eight periods of the day.

Bhasa by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur

সত্ত্বগুণে অধিষ্ঠিত পুণ্যবান্ কর্ম্মী ।
হরিপ্রিয়জন বলি’ গায় সব ধর্ম্মী ॥১॥

sattva-gune adhisthita punyavan karmi
hari-priya-jana bali’ gaya saba dharmi [1]

saba–All dharmi–followers of dharma bali’ gaya–proclaim [that] punyavan–pious karmi–actors adhisthita–situated gune–in the mode sattva–of goodness [are] jana–persons priya–dear hari–to the Lord. [1]

Translation:

All followers of dharma proclaim that pious karmis situated in the mode of goodness are dear to the Lord.

কর্ম্মী হইতে জ্ঞানী হরিপ্রিয়তর জন ।
সুখভোগবুদ্ধি জ্ঞানী না করে গণন ॥২॥

karmi ha-ite jnani hari-priya-tara jana
sukha-bhoga-buddhi jnani na kare ganana [2]

jnani–Knowers [of Brahma are] jana–persons tara–more priya–dear hari–to the Lord ha-ite–than [material] karmi–actors; jnani–knowers [of Brahma] ganana kare na–have no regard buddhi–for the mentality [of seeking] sukha–pleasure [and] bhoga–enjoyment. [2]

Translation:

Jnanis are more dear to the Lord that karmis, as they have no regard for the mentality of seeking pleasure and enjoyment.

জ্ঞানমিশ্রভাব ছাড়ি’ মুক্তজ্ঞানীজন ।
পরাভক্তি সমাশ্রয়ে হরিপ্রিয় হন ॥৩॥

jnana-misra-bhava chhadi’ mukta-jnani-jana
para-bhakti samasraye hari-priya hana [3]

mukta–Liberated jnani-jana–knowers [of Brahma who] chhadi’–leave behind bhava–devotion misra–mixed jnana–with knowledge [and] samasraye–take full shelter [in] para–transcendental bhakti–devotion hana–are [more] priya–dear hari–to the Lord. [3]

Translation:

Liberated jnanis who leave behind devotion mixed with jnan and take full shelter in transcendental devotion are more dear to the Lord.

ভক্তিমান্ জন হৈতে প্রেমনিষ্ঠ শ্রেষ্ঠ ।
প্রেমনিষ্ঠ হৈতে গোপী শ্রীহরির প্রেষ্ঠ ॥৪॥

bhaktiman jana haite prema-nistha srestha
prema-nistha haite gopi sri-harira prestha [4]

[Devotees] nistha–fixed prema–in divine love [are] srestha–higher haite–than [all other] bhaktiman–devoted jana–persons, [and] gopi–the gopis [are more] prestha–dear sri-harira–to the Lord haite–than [other devotees] nistha–fixed prema–in divine love. [4]

Translation:

Devotees who are fixed in divine love are higher than all other devotees, and the gopis are more dear to the Lord than other devotees fixed in divine love.

গোপী হৈতে শ্রীরাধিকা কৃষ্ণপ্রিয়তমা ।
সে রাধাসরসী প্রিয় হয় তাঁর সমা ॥৫॥

gopi haite sri-radhika krsna-priya-tama
se radha-sarasi priya haya ta̐ra sama [5]

sri-radhika–Sri Radhika [is] tama–more priya–dear krsna–to Krishna haite–than [all the other] gopi–gopis, [and] se–this sarasi–lake radha–of Radha’s haya–is priya–dear [to Krishna and] sama–equal ta̐ra–to Her. [5]

Translation:

Sri Radhika is more dear to Krishna than all the other gopis, and Her lake is equally dear to Him.

সে কুণ্ড-আশ্রয় ছাড়ি’ কোন মৃঢ়জন ।
অন্যত্র বসিয়া চায় হরির সেবন ॥৬॥

se kunda-asraya chhadi’ kona mudha-jana
anyatra vasiya chaya harira sevana [6]

kona–What mudha–foolish jana–person [would] chhadi’–leave asraya–the shelter [of] se–this kunda–lake [and] chaya–desire sevana–service harira–to the Lord vasiya–residing anyatra–elsewhere? [6]

Translation:

What fool would leave the shelter of this lake and desire to serve the Lord residing elsewhere?

Anuvrtti by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur

Pious karmis fixed in the mode of goodness are more dear to Krishna than souls engrossed in whimsical behaviour. Jnanis who have realised Brahma and given up the three modes are more dear to Krishna than karmis. Pure devotees are more dear to Krishna than jnanis. Devotees fixed in divine love are more dear to Krishna than all other pure devotees. The beauties of Vraja are more dear to Krishna than other devotees fixed in divine love, and Srimati Varsabhanavi is more dear to Krishna than all the other beauties of Vraja. As Srimati Radhika is Krishna’s favourite, so Her lake is also most dear to Krishna. The most fortunate of all devotees of Krishna will take shelter exclusively at Sri Radha Kunda.