BRS 2.1.331

Bhāva-sarvasva-śālitā means refers to pastimes radiant with the sum of all loving states (bhāva), present in the gopīs. This indicates the highest praise for the gopīs’ type of love. Here the age of youth was described in four ways: by bodily characteristics, by dress, by actions and by special attractiveness. Although the dress, actions and attractiveness are all part of the characteristics, they are designated separately in order to describe them in detail. In the beginning of youth, these things are clearly divided by the author, but the dress of the middle and end periods of youth are not mentioned separately because of being generally the same in all three parts of youth. The sweetness of Kṛṣṇa, which is the cause of attractiveness, however, was shown separately in verse 329 with the last part of youth. That sweetness however is manifest even in the beginning of youth. The sweetness of the beginning of youth is indicated in verse 319 with “Gazing upon the new sweetness of Your smile,” in verse 318 with “The two eye brows of the enemy of Agha are dancing like new bows of Cupid,” and in verse 316 with “He filled the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips.” The sweetness of the middle period of youth is indicated in verse 324, which describes “the excellence of activities etc.” (ceṣṭādi-sauṣthavam). Sauṣṭhavam means excellence. (They are excellent because of their sweetness.) In the last period of youth, attractiveness is also mentioned, in the present verse (331), though not made a separate category like sweetness. Actually, though excellence (sauṣtḥavam), sweetness (mādhurya) and attractiveness (mohanatā) are distinguished from each other, they actually indicate the same thing. They should not be understood as separate items. Excellence (sauṣtḥavam) is a unique beauty of the limbs suitable for sweetness and attractiveness. Sweetness is the pleasure arising from that unique beauty. Attractiveness is being attracted to the unique beauty of Kṛṣṇa with the exclusion of all other experiences. In this way the meaning of the section has been explained. Abhuta-pūrva here indicates “not previously enacted.” [Note: Thus the beginning of youth mentions all four categories, whereas the middle and end of youth mention bodily characteristics, activities and attraction. Sweetness is added in a separate category in the end of youth. The present verse mentions the activities of the last period of youth. Attractiveness is discussed in verse 333.]