CC Adi 6.53 (1975)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Below is the 1996 edition text, ready to be substituted with the 1975 one using the compile form.
TEXT 53
- kṛṣṇa-premera ei eka apūrva prabhāva
- guru-sama-laghuke karāya dāsya-bhāva
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-premera—of love of Kṛṣṇa; ei—this; eka—one; apūrva prabhāva—unprecedented influence; guru—to those on the level of the spiritual master; sama—equal level; laghuke—unto the less important; karāya—makes; dāsya-bhāva—the conception of being a servant.
TRANSLATION
Love for Kṛṣṇa has this one unique effect: it imbues superiors, equals and inferiors with the spirit of service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
PURPORT
There are two kinds of devotional service: the way of pāñcarātrika regulative principles and the way of bhāgavata transcendental loving service. The love of Godhead of those engaged in pāñcarātrika regulative principles depends more or less on the opulent and reverential platform, but the worship of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is purely on the platform of transcendental love. Even persons who play as the superiors of Kṛṣṇa also take the chance to offer transcendental loving service to the Lord. The service attitude of the devotees who play the parts of superiors of the Lord is very difficult to understand, but it can be very plainly understood in connection with the superexcellence of their particular service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. A vivid example is the service of mother Yaśodā to Kṛṣṇa, which is distinct. In the feature of Nārāyaṇa, the Lord can accept services only from His associates who play parts in which they are equal to or less than Him, but in the feature of Lord Kṛṣṇa He accepts service very plainly from His fathers, teachers and other elders who are His superiors, as well as from His equals and His subordinates. This is very wonderful.