SB 1.8 - Undeviating affection for Kṛṣṇa and His devotees

Kuntī prayed just as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, her attraction be constantly drawn unto Kṛṣṇa without being diverted anywhere else. Cutting off her ties with the Yādavas would mean cutting off her affection for Kṛṣṇa also. But she wanted undeviating affection for Kṛṣṇa. To cut off the tie of affection does not mean complete negation of the finer elements like affection for the Lord and devotees. The symptoms of life such as desire, anger, hankerings, feelings of attraction etc cannot be annihilated. Only the objective has to be changed. When the desire is directed toward satisfaction of the Lord, it is called devotional service. Arjuna did not desire to fight at the beginning but after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he changed his decision and served the lord. Thus he attained spiritual perfection by devotional service to the Lord in friendship. And that is what Kuntī also prays for here.

Kuntī’s affection for the Pāṇḍavas and the Vṛṣṇis is not out of range of devotional service because service of the Lord and the service of the devotees are identical. Sometimes service to the devotees is more valuable than service to the lord. But here the affection is due to family connection. This tie of affection in terms of material relation is the relation of māyā, but relations of the soul established in relation with the Supreme Soul are factual relations. Since it was a prayer in front of Kṛṣṇa, Kuntī meant to cut off the relation of the body, which is a cause for bondage. The relation of the soul to the soul can be established by the via medium of the relation with the Supersoul. Just as the Gaṅgā does not consider any obstacles on its course, Kuntī wished her mind also should not consider any obstacles that might arise while thinking of the Lord.

In conclusion, Kuntī offers her respects to Kṛṣṇa, who is the destroyer of the disturbing elements on this earth, whose prowess never deteriorates, who descends to relieve the distress of the cows, the brāhmaṇas and the devotees, who is the master of all mystic power, and the preceptor of the entire universe. Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of His transcendental abode, where He keeps surabhi cows, and served by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune. He creates, maintains and annihilates by His unlimited energies, and still He is always full with prowess.