Verse 2.4.231

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.4.231:

लोका बहिर्-दृष्टि-परास् तु भावं तं भ्रामकं प्रेम-भरं विलोक्य ।
भक्ताव् अकामा विहसन्ति भक्तांस् तत्-प्रेम-भक्तिं भगवान् न दत्ते ॥ २३१ ॥

lokā bahir-dṛṣṭi-parās tu bhāvaṃ taṃ bhrāmakaṃ prema-bharaṃ vilokya |
bhaktāv akāmā vihasanti bhaktāṃs tat-prema-bhaktiṃ bhagavān na datte || 231 ||

lokāḥ–the general populace; bahiḥ-dṛṣṭi-parāḥ–who are absorbed in external vision; tu–indeed; bhāvam–love; tam–this; bhrāmakam–bewildering; prema-bharam–weight of love; vilokya–seeing; bhaktau–for devotion; akāmāḥ–they give up desire; vihasanti–ridicule; bhaktān–the devotees; tat–to Himself; prema-bhaktim–loving devotion; bhagavān–the Lord; na–not; datte–gives.

When worldly people see the premī-bhaktas’ signs of distress and lamentation that arise due to the matured stage of prema-bhakti, they become perplexed and have no desire to engage in bhakti. They even ridicule such devotees. Therefore, Śrī Bhagavān does not grant His prema-bhakti.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

In this verse beginning with lokā, Śrī Nārada says that it is also for the benefit of foolish people that Bhagavān does not grant the wealth of prema-bhakti to everyone.

He says, “The reason for this is that people who only see things externally cannot understand the truth of pure devotion. Therefore, when they see the distress-filled emotions of the premī-bhaktas, such as weeping, they lose faith in bhakti and sneer at these advanced devotees. What type of emotions do the devotees experience? With their external vision, the materialists wonder, ‘Are these sentiments (bhāvas) of the devotees the greatest distress or the highest bliss?’ The ecstasy simply bewilders them. Unable to ascertain what it is and unable to understand the true nature of bhakti, they ridicule the devotees. This is the reason that Śrī Bhagavān, being most merciful and knowing everyone’s welfare, does not easily grant His prema-bhakti.”