Verse 1.7.123

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.7.123:

प्रत्युवाचोद्धवः स्मित्वा प्रभो भीत्यापि लज्जया ।
ततो ब्रह्मण्य-देवेन स्वयम् उक्तः प्रवेश्य सः ॥ ७.१२३ ॥

pratyuvācoddhavaḥ smitvā prabho bhītyāpi lajjayā |
tato brahmaṇya-devena svayam uktaḥ praveśya saḥ || 7.123 ||

Śrī Uddhava smiled and replied: “O Lord, his own shame and fear prevented him.” Then brahmaṇya-deva, the Lord who favors the brāhmaṇas, Śrī Kṛṣṇa got up, brought Śrī Nārada into the house and spoke.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Uddhava, while remembering the activities of Śrī Nārada, smilingly replied that it was fear alone that prevented him from coming. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa asked what kind of fear it was, Śrī Uddhava replied that he was afraid of an offense being committed by him.

When Śrī Bhagavān said that Śrī Nārada never has any fear from Me, then Śrī Uddhava replied that shame must be restraining him from coming. Factually, great personalities become ashamed themselves when their intense prema undergoes a transformation (vikāra). Then brahmaṇya-deva Bhagavān, the Lord who favors the brāhmaṇas, Śrī Kṛṣṇa got up Himself and advanced towards Śrī Nārada, respectfully offered him praṇāma and catching his hand, brought him into His own royal palace and worshipped him. Here, the import hinted at by saying brahmaṇya-deva is from the previously stated behavior.