316
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 8]
maitreyaḥ uvāca —the sage Maitreya continued;  iti —thus;  udāhṛtam —being spoken;  ākarṇya —hearing;  bhagavān nāradaḥ —the great personality Nārada;  tadā —thereupon;  prītaḥ —being pleased;  pratyāha —replied;  tam —him;  bālam —the boy;  sat-vākyam —good advice;  anukampayā —being compassionate.
TRANSLATION
The sage Maitreya continued: The great personality Nārada Muni, upon hearing the words of Dhruva Mahārāja, became very compassionate towards him, and in order to show him his causeless mercy, he gave him the following expert advice.
PURPORT
Since the great sage Nārada is the foremost spiritual master, naturally his only activity is to bestow the greatest benefit upon whomever he meets. Dhruva Mahārāja, however, was a child, and so his demand was also that of a playful child. Still, the great sage became compassionate towards him, and for his welfare he spoke the following verses.
TEXT 40
नारद उवाच
जनन्याभिहितः पन्थाः स वै निःश्रेयसस्य ते ।
भगवान् वासुदेवस्तं भज तं प्रवणात्मना ॥४०॥
nārada uvāca  
 jananyābhihitaḥ panthāḥ  
 sa vai niḥśreyasasya te  
 bhagavān vāsudevas tam  
 bhaja tam pravaṇātmanā
nāradaḥ uvāca —the great sage Nārada said;  jananyā —by your mother;  abhihitaḥ —stated;  panthāḥ —the path;  saḥ —that;  vai —certainly;  niḥśreyasasya —the ultimate goal of life;  te —for you;  bhagavān —the Supreme Personality of Godhead;  vāsudevaḥ —Kṛṣṇa;  tam —unto Him;  bhaja —render your service;  tam —by Him;  pravaṇa-ātmanā —fully absorbing your mind.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Nārada told Dhruva Mahārāja: The instruction given by your mother, Sunīti, to follow the path of devotional service to the