Verse 1.4.51

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.4.51:

स्वामिन् कपि-पतिर् दास्ये इत्य्-आदि-वचनैः खलु ।
प्रसिद्धो महिमा तस्य दास्यम् एव प्रभोः कृपा ॥ ५१ ॥

svāmin kapi-patir dāsye ity-ādi-vacanaiḥ khalu |
prasiddho mahimā tasya dāsyam eva prabhoḥ kṛpā || 51 ||

O Prabhu, certainly his talented glories have become well-known by scriptural words such as ‘kapi-patir dāsye’. Thus, servitorship alone is proof of the mercy of the Lord.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Concluding his speech here, Śrī Prahlāda says: “O Nārada Prabhu, in this verse his glories are celebrated too.”

As Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 2.263, 265):

शारङ्गि-श्रवणे परीक्षिद् अभवद् वैयासकिः कीर्तने
प्रह्लादः स्मरणे तद्-अङ्ग्ःरि-भजने लक्ष्मीः पृथुः पूजने
अक्रूरस् त्व् अभिवन्दने कपि-पतिर् दास्ये’थ सख्ये’र्जुनः
सर्व-स्वात्म-निवेदने बलिर् अभूद् भक्तः कथं वर्ण्यते

śāraṅgi-śravaṇe parīkṣid abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane
prahlādaḥ smaraṇe tad-aṅgḥri-bhajane lakṣmīḥ pṛthuḥ pūjane
akrūras tv abhivandane kapi-patir dāsye’tha sakhye’rjunaḥ
sarva-svātma-nivedane balir abhūd bhaktaḥ kathaṃ varṇyate

King Parīkṣit attained perfection by the eka mukhyāṅga sādhana (one-pointed practice) of hearing (śravaṇam) about the holy names, form, pastimes and so on of Śrī Kṛṣṇa; Śrī Śukadeva by recitation (kīrtanam);Śrī Prahlāda by remembering (smaraṇam); Śrī Lakṣmī by serving the lotus feet (pāda-sevanam); King Pṛthu by worshipping Śrī Viṣṇu (arcanam);Akrūra by offering prayers (vandanam); Śrī Hanuman by rendering personal services (dāsyam); Arjuna by his friendship (sakhyam);and Bali Mahārāja by his complete self-surrender (ātma-nivedana).”

Here, the mention of dāsyam indicates paricaryā-pradhāna or “the pre-eminent rendering of personal services.”

According to the explanation of Śrīdhara Swāmīpāda, it is not karmārpana or the offering of one’s fruitive activities. As a matter of fact, this kind of sevā comes by the mercy of the Lord, concluding in the engagement of all the senses as well as the body, mind and words.

The reason is that this body is the sanctuary of all external and internal senses. Just as when taking bath, the body becomes purified, all the senses automatically become purified. Similarly, by personal services through the body, all the limbs of devotion such as remembrance are achieved. Therefore, the attribute of rendering personal service is comparatively superior to constant remembrance. In those services, direct service to Bhagavān Śrī Ramācandra is even more praiseworthy. Remembrance (smaraṇam) is largely an indirect or remote activity. Therefore, Śrī Prahlāda, knowing Śrī Hanumān to be superior in rank, began to glorify him repeatedly.