Text 47
yasya prasanno bhagavān
guṇair maitry-ādibhir hariḥ
tasmai namanti bhūtāni
nimnam āpa iva svayam
yasya — anyone with whom; prasannaḥ — is pleased; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; guṇaiḥ — by qualities; maitrī-ādibhiḥ — by friendship, etc.; hariḥ — Lord Hari; tasmai — unto him; namanti — offer respect; bhūtāni — all living entities; nimnam — to low ground; āpaḥ — water; iva — just as; svayam — automatically.
Unto one who has transcendental qualities due to friendly behavior with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all living entities offer honor, just as water automatically flows down by nature.
The question may be raised in this connection why Suruci, who was not at all favorably disposed towards Dhruva, blessed him, “Long may you live,” which means that she also desired good fortune for him. The answer is given in this verse. Since Dhruva Mahārāja was blessed by the Lord, due to his transcendental qualities everyone was bound to offer him all respects and benediction, just as water, by its nature, flows downward. A devotee of the Lord does not demand respect from anyone, but wherever he goes he is honored by everyone throughout the whole world with all respect. Śrīnivāsa Ācārya said that the Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana are respected throughout the entire universe because a devotee, having pleased the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all emanations, automatically pleases everyone, and thus everyone offers him respect.