SB 01.13.11 api nah suhrdas tata... cited

Expressions researched:
"api nah suhrdas tata" |"bandhavah krsna-devatah" |"drstah sruta va yadavah" |"sva-puryam sukham asate"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.13.11, Translation and Purport:

My uncle, you must have visited Dvārakā. In that holy place are our friends and well-wishers, the descendants of Yadu, who are always rapt in the service of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. You might have seen them or heard about them. Are they all living happily in their abodes?

The particular word kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ, i.e., those who are always rapt in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa, is significant. The Yādavas and the Pāṇḍavas, who were always rapt in the thought of the Lord Kṛṣṇa and His different transcendental activities, were all pure devotees of the Lord like Vidura. Vidura left home in order to devote himself completely to the service of the Lord, but the Pāṇḍavas and the Yādavas were always rapt in the thought of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus there is no difference in their pure devotional qualities. Either remaining at home or leaving home, the real qualification of a pure devotee is to become rapt in the thought of Kṛṣṇa favorably, i.e., knowing well that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Personality of Godhead. Kaṁsa, Jarāsandha, Śiśupāla and other demons like them were also always rapt in the thought of Lord Kṛṣṇa, but they were absorbed in a different way, namely unfavorably, or thinking Him to be a powerful man only. Therefore, Kaṁsa and Śiśupāla are not on the same level as pure devotees like Vidura, the Pāṇḍavas and the Yādavas.

Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was also always rapt in the thought of Lord Kṛṣṇa and His associates at Dvārakā. Otherwise he could not have asked all about them from Vidura. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was therefore on the same level of devotion as Vidura, although engaged in the state affairs of the kingdom of the world.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

Nitāi: Translation: "My uncle, you must have visited Dvārakā. In that holy place are our friends and well-wishers, the descendants of Yadu, who are always rapt in the service of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. You might have seen them or heard about them. Are they all living happily in their abodes?"

Prabhupāda:

api naḥ suhṛdas tāta

bāndhavāḥ kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ

dṛṣṭāḥ śrutā vā yadavaḥ

sva-puryāṁ sukham āsate

(SB 1.13.11)

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, after meeting Vidura, the first inquiry was about the family of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Now, because he has come back home by touring different places of pilgrimage... Dvārakā is also one of the celebrated place of pilgrimage. So he expected that "Vidura must have gone to Dvārakā. And when he had gone to Dvārakā, he must have some news from Kṛṣṇa's place."

So Kṛṣṇa is the friend, most intimate friend of the Pāṇḍavas. Therefore he says, naḥ. Naḥ means "our." Suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ, this word, "always thinking of others' good." That is called suhṛdaḥ. The heart is not contaminated. Hṛdaḥ means "heart," and su means "very good." So Kṛṣṇa says also that suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). And here Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja confirms, naḥ suhṛdaḥ. Actually, Kṛṣṇa is suhṛt. Suhṛt means well-wisher. As the father is the well-wisher of the sons or intimate friend, well-wisher... Here in the material world, although I may be your well-wisher, you may be well-wisher, but there is some interest. Unless there is some interest for my personal benefit, I cannot become your suhṛt. This is material suhṛt. But spiritual suhṛt is different. Spiritual suhṛt means everyone is suffering for want of spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore attempt should be made so that everyone becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is spiritual suhṛt

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

So to such person, Kṛṣṇa is suhṛt. Suhṛt. Here it is said, api naḥ suhṛdas tāta, uncle, bāndhavāḥ kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. Kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ means one who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the worshipable Deity. He is called kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. There are so many demigods. They have taken to worship. The Roman were worshiping demigods. The India, in India they also worship demigods. That will not make you happy. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). To take some benediction from the demigods, although people go there, kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ. People are very much attached to enjoy this material world. So they worship Durgā, Kālī, or Lord Śiva. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhim. They get immediately some material benefit. But tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. What you will do with some temporary material benefit? That is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Don't be attracted by the temporary material benefits. Just try for permanent eternal benefit. Go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the... That is the... What you will do? Suppose you become king. How long you will remain king? Or there are so many dangers. Sometimes the kings are beheaded. King Johann(?) was beheaded.

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja asking that "Did you see them, the Yadu families, who have Kṛṣṇa as their worshipable Deity?" Dṛṣṭāḥ śrutā vā yadavaḥ. Yadu. Yadavaḥ is plural number. Sva-puryāṁ sukham āsate: "Whether they are happy in their home,"sva-puryām, sva-purī, "Dvārakā?" So in this way Kṛṣṇa consciousness means always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. And make Kṛṣṇa the friend. Kṛṣṇa says that suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). Actually, Kṛṣṇa is the only friend, and He is sitting in everyone's heart. He is so nice friend that He is simply trying to induce us to turn our faith towards Kṛṣṇa. He is coming as avatāra, incarnation. He is giving us advice from within. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He's such a nice friend. Although we have left Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa has not left us. Here He is living with Me within my heart to give me advice, "Please come back." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66).