Krsna Enters Mathura 265
immediately came out and with great devotion fell down on his face to
offer his respectful obeisances. He offered a nice seat to Krsna and
Balarama and asked his assistant to bring out flowers and betel nuts
smeared with pulp of candana. The florist’s welcome greatly satisfied
the Lord.

The florist very humbly and submissively offered his prayers to the
Lord, saying, “My dear Lord, because You have come to my place, I think
all my forefathers and all my worshipable superiors are pleased and
delivered. My dear Lord, You are the supreme cause of all causes of this
cosmic manifestation, but for the benefit of the residents of this earthly
planet, You have appeared with Your plenary portion to give protection to
Your devotees and annihilate the demons. You are equally disposed as the
friend ef all living entities; Yeu are the Superseul, and Yeu de net
discriminate between friend and enemy. Yet You are pleased to give Your
devotees the special result of their devotional activities. My Lord, I am
praying that You please tell me whatever You wish me to do, because I am
Your eternal servant. If You will allow me to do something, it will be a
great favor to me.” The florist, Sudima, was greatly pleased within his
heart by seeing Krsna and Balarama in his place, and thus, as his choicest
desire, he made two exquisite garlands of various flowers and presented
them to the Lord. Both Krsna and Balarama were very pleased with his
sincere service, and Krsna offered the florist His salutation and benediction,
which He is always prepared to bestow upon the surrendered souls. When
the florist was offered benediction, he begged from the Lord that he might
remain His eternal servant in devotional service and by such service do
good to all living creatures. By this, it is clear that a devotee of the Lord in
Krsna consciousness should not be simply satisfied by his own advance-
ment in devotional service; he must be willing to work for the welfare of
all others. This example was followed by the six Gosvamis of Vrndavana.
It is therefore stated in their prayer, lokanari hitakarinau: Vaisnavas, or
devotees of the Lord, are not selfish. Whatever benefit they derive from
the Supreme Personality of Godhead as benediction they want to distribute
to all other persons. That is the greatest of all humanitarian activities. Being
satisfied with the florist, Lord Krsna not only gave him benediction for
whatever he wanted, but over and above that, He offered him all material
opulences, family prosperity, long duration of life, and whatever else his
heart desired within the material world.

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Fortieth Chapter of Krsna,
“Krsna Enters Mathura.”
