vidyaiśvarya-dhanādibhiḥ

vidyaiśvarya-dhanādibhiḥ

yady asya na bhavet stambhas

tatrāyaṁ mad-anugrahaḥ

If a human being is born in an aristocratic family, if he performs wonderful activities, if he is youthful, if he has personal beauty, education or wealth, and if he is nonetheless not proud, it is to be understood that he is especially favored by me.

If a person does not have pride, which causes destruction and insult, even on attaining good birth etc. that is my mercy to a person. This is different form of mercy from the previously mentioned mercy of taking away wealth. I do not take away his wealth, since there is no harm from his possessing that wealth. 

|| 8.22.27 ||

māna-stambha-nimittānāṁ

janmādīnāṁ samantataḥ

sarva-śreyaḥ-pratīpānāṁ

hanta muhyen na mat-paraḥ

Although high birth and other qualifications are impediments because they are causes of arrogance and pride, they never disturb my devotee at all.

However, my devotee is not bewildered by high birth etc. which are causes of disrespectfulness (stambha) and arrogance, a type of pride. The genitive case represents the instrumental case as in the phrase nāgniḥ tṛpyati kāṣṭhānām: fire is not satisfied by wood fuel. Hanta indicates amazement and “not at all” since the word yadi is not used as in the previous verse and the statement is repeated in the next verse. My dedicated devotee is the special recipient of my mercy. I give wealth to devotees like Dhruva who are distinguished from the previously mentioned persons. Being merciful to the devotee, the Lord in the beginning takes away actions, birth or wealth which are causes of obstacles for the devotee. He does not take away things he has given to the devotee. Some say that this however is not a set rule for the Lord who is skilful at increasing the prema of his devotee. Some give the example of the Lord taking away the wealth of the Pāṇḍavas. 

|| 8.22.28 ||