Verse 2.4.91

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.4.91:

यथा-कालं ततः सर्वे निःसरन्तो महा-श्रियः ।
आज्ञाय निर्गमानिच्छुं युक्त्या मां बहिर् आनयन् ॥ ९१ ॥

yathā-kālaṃ tataḥ sarve niḥsaranto mahā-śriyaḥ |
ājñāya nirgamānicchuṃ yuktyā māṃ bahir ānayan || 91 ||

yathā-kālam–in accordance with the time; tataḥ–then; sarve–everyone; niḥsarantaḥ–went out; mahā-śriyaḥ–of Mahā-Lakṣmī; ājñayā–by the order; nirgama–to go; anicchum–not desiring; yuktyā–skillfully; mām–me; bahiḥ–outside; ānayan–led.

When it was time to leave, all of the Lord’s eternal associates went out. I had no desire to go, but on the order of Śrī Mahā-Lakṣmī, a group of associates deftly escorted me out.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Gopa-kumāra says, “At the appointed time, all of the Lord’s eternal associates left Śrī Bhagavān’s private chamber. Although I had no desire to leave, those associates very cleverly escorted me out. As ordered by Mahā-Lakṣmī, no one can be present when Bhagavān takes His meal; only she has that right.”

Another way of understanding this is that, according to the general custom, everyone other than Mahā-Lakṣmī left the Lord’s chamber in order to allow Him the opportunity to enjoy unrestricted happiness. It was His desire that she stay. Thus, even though the residents of Vaikuṇṭha possess great opulence and power, each has designated privileges in regard to the happiness and enjoyment of life in Vaikuṇṭha.