Text 11
śrī-śuka uvāca
vaco niśamya kṛpaṇaṁ
bandhūnāṁ bhagavān hariḥ
nimīlayata mā bhaiṣṭa
locanānīty abhāṣata
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; vacaḥ — the words; niśamya — hearing; kṛpaṇam — pitiful; bandhūnām — of His friends; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hariḥ — Hari; nimīlayata — just close; mā bhaiṣṭa — do not be afraid; locanāni — your eyes; iti — thus; abhāṣata — He spoke.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Hearing these pitiful words from His friends, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa told them, “Just close your eyes and do not be afraid.”
This verse clearly reveals the simple, sublime relationship between Kṛṣṇa and His pure devotees. The Absolute Truth, the supreme almighty Lord, is actually a young, blissful cowherd boy named Kṛṣṇa. God is youthful, and His mentality is playful. When He saw that His beloved friends were terrified of the forest fire, He simply told them to close their eyes and not be afraid. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa acted, as described in the next verse.