Verse 1.5.34

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.5.34:

विचित्र-वाक्यैर् बहुधा रुरोद स्फुटेन् नृणां यच्-छ्रवणेन वक्षः ।
भवत्स्व् अपि स्नेह-भरं परं सा ररक्ष कृष्ण-प्रियताम् अपेक्ष्य ॥ ३४ ॥

vicitra-vākyair bahudhā ruroda sphuṭen nṛṇāṃ yac-chravaṇena vakṣaḥ |
bhavatsv api sneha-bharaṃ paraṃ sā rarakṣa kṛṣṇa-priyatām apekṣya || 34 ||

After hearing the appeasing words of Śrī Yadunandana, Śrī Kuntīdevī wept and lamented in various ways. Simply by hearing her lamentations the hearts of mankind would be rent asunder. She shows intense affection unto you only with the desire for obtaining Śrī Krṣṇa’s mercy.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Nārada clarifies the characteristic of Śrī Kuntidevī’s absorbtion in her mellow of divine love beginning with the verse vicitra.

While lamenting in various ways she exclaims (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhāgavata Purāṇa 10.49.11-12):

कृष्ण कृष्ण महा-योगिन् विश्वात्मन् विश्व-भावन
प्रपन्नां पाहि गोविन्द शिशुभिश् चावसीदतीम्
नान्यत् तव पदाम्भोजाति पश्यामि शरणं नृणाम्

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahā-yogin viśvātman viśva-bhāvana
prapannāṃ pāhi govinda śiśubhiś cāvasīdatīm
nānyat tava padāmbhojāti paśyāmi śaraṇaṃ nṛṇām

“O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, O great mystic! O soul and maintainer of the universe, I have surrendered unto You! I am residing in this material world with my sons in constant suffering! O Govinda, please protect me! I do not see any shelter other than Your lotus feet for the human beings that are afraid of the time factor.”

Simply hearing that pitiful lamentation, the hearts of men were rendered to pieces. Now, doubt may arise whether she has so much affection for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. How it is possible for her to have affection for her sons? By the phrase bhavatsv api he subdues that doubt. With the word api (also) it is indicated that her topmost affection is possible only because she has very good sons like you. However, seeing Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s relationship with you, or seeing Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s affection towards you, or those who love Śrī Kṛṣṇa, only they are dear to Śrī Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇa-priya). Only due to the affection of these persons who are dear to Kṛṣṇa, she keeps such type of affection for you. Here the purport of the word rarakṣa is that due to the devotional nature towards Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Kuntīdevī automatically does not have any affection towards her sons. However, only due to the devotional nature of her sons unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in other words, considering her sons to be closely related to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, she keeps affection for them.

To express her dedication in showing that type of love the past tense has been employed in place of the present tense.