Text 54
prīṇanti hy atha māṁ dhīrāḥ
sarva-bhāvena sādhavaḥ
śreyas-kāmā mahā-bhāga
sarvāsām āśiṣāṁ patim
prīṇanti — try to please; hi — indeed; atha — because of this; mām — Me; dhīrāḥ — those who are sober and most intelligent; sarva-bhāvena — in all respects, in different modes of devotional service; sādhavaḥ — persons who are very well-behaved (perfect in all respects); śreyas-kāmāḥ — desiring the best benefit in life; mahā-bhāga — O you who are so fortunate; sarvāsām — of all; āśiṣām — kinds of benedictions; patim — the master (Me).
My dear Prahlāda, you are very fortunate. Please know from Me that those who are very wise and highly elevated try to please Me in all different modes of mellows, for I am the only person who can fulfill all the desires of everyone.
The words dhīrāḥ sarva-bhāvena do not mean “in whichever way you like.” Bhāva is the preliminary condition of love of Godhead.
athāsaktis tato bhāvas
tataḥ premābhyudañcati
sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ
prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.4.16)
The bhāva stage is the final division before one reaches love of Godhead. The word sarva-bhāva means that one can love the Supreme Personality of Godhead in different transcendental modes of mellows, beginning with dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya. In the śānta stage, one is on the border of loving service to the Lord. Pure love of Godhead begins from dāsya and develops to sakhya, vātsalya and then mādhurya. Still, in any of these five mellows one can render loving service to the Supreme Lord. Since our main business is to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can render service from any of the above-mentioned platforms of love.