CC Madhya 24.284
Madhya-līlā, Chapter 24, Text 284
স্থূলে ‘দুই’ অর্থ, সূক্ষ্মে ‘বত্রিশ’ প্রকার ॥ ২৮৪ ॥
sthūle ‘dui’ artha, sūkṣme ‘batriśa’ prakāra
Word by word
āra — another; artha — import; śuna — hear; yāhā — which; arthera bhāṇḍāra — storehouse of knowledge; sthūle — grossly; dui artha — two meanings; sūkṣme — by a subtle import; batriśa — thirty-two; prakāra — varieties.
Translation
“There is yet another meaning, which is full of a variety of imports. Actually there are two gross meanings and thirty-two subtle meanings.”
Purport
The two gross meanings refer to regulative devotional service and spontaneous devotional service. There are also thirty-two subtle meanings. Under the heading of regulative devotional service, there are sixteen meanings based on understanding the word ātmārāma to mean (1) a servant of the Lord as His personal associate, (2) a personal friend, (3) personal parents or similar superiors, (4) a personal beloved, (5) a servant elevated by spiritual cultivation, (6) a friend by spiritual cultivation, (7) parents and superior devotees by cultivation of devotional service, (8) a beloved wife or female friend by cultivation of devotional service, (9) a mature devotee as a servant, (10) a mature devotee as a friend, (11) a mature devotee as a parent and superior, (12) a mature devotee as a wife and beloved, (13) an immature devotee as a servant, (14) an immature devotee as a friend, (15) an immature devotee as a father or superior, and (16) an immature devotee as a beloved. Similarly, under the heading of spontaneous devotion there are also sixteen various associates. Therefore the total number of devotees under the headings of regulated devotees and spontaneous devotees is thirty-two.