Text 5]
The Characteristics of Rṣabhadeva
143
his transcendental son with great affection, and he was overwhelmed with transcendental bliss, joy and devotion.
PURPORT
The word  māyā  is used in the sense of illusion. Considering the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be his own son, Mahārāja Nābhi was certainly in illusion, but this was transcendental illusion. This illusion is required; otherwise how can one accept the supreme father as his own son? The Supreme Lord appears as the son of one of His devotees, just as Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja. These devotees could never think of their son as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for such appreciation would hamper their relationship of paternal love.
TEXT 5
विदितानुरागमापौरप्रकृति जनपदो राजा नाभिरात्मजं समयसेतु- रक्षायामभिषिच्य ब्राह्मणेषूपनिधाय सह मेरुदेव्या विशालायां प्रसन्न- निपुणेन तपसा समाधियोगेन नरनारायणाख्यं भगवन्तं वासुदेवमुपासीनः कालेन तन्महिमानमवाप ॥ ५ ॥
viditānurāgam āpaura-prakṛti jana-pado rājā nābhir ātmajam samaya-setu-rakṣāyām abhiṣicya brāhmaṇeṣupanidhāya saha merudevyā viśālāyām prasanna-nipuṇena tapasā samādhi-yogena nara-nārāyaṇākhyam bhagavantam vāsudevam upāsīnaḥ kālena tan- mahimānam avāpa.
vidita —known very well;  anurāgam —popularity;  āpaura-prakṛti — among all the citizens and government officers;  jana-padaḥ —desiring to serve the people in general;  rājā —the King;  nābhiḥ —Nābhi;  ātma- jam —his son;  samaya-setu-rakṣāyām —to protect the people strictly ac- cording to the Vedic principles of religious life;  abhiṣicya —enthroning;  brāhmaṇeṣu —to the learned  brāhmaṇas ;  upanidhāya —entrusting;  saha —with;  merudevyā —his wife. Merudevī;  viśālāyām —in Badarikāśrama;  prasanna-nipuṇena —performed with great satisfaction