Devanagari
एवं निगूढात्मगति: स्वमायया
गोपात्मजत्वं चरितैर्विडम्बयन् ।
रेमे रमालालितपादपल्लवो
ग्राम्यै: समं ग्राम्यवदीशचेष्टित: ॥ १९ ॥
Verse text
evaṁ nigūḍhātma-gatiḥ sva-māyayā
gopātmajatvaṁ caritair viḍambayan
reme ramā-lālita-pāda-pallavo
grāmyaiḥ samaṁ grāmya-vad īśa-ceṣṭitaḥ
Synonyms
evam
—
in this way
;
nigūḍha
—
hidden away
;
ātma
—
gatiḥ — His personal opulence
;
sva
—
māyayā — by His own mystical potency
;
gopa
—
ātmajatvam — the status of being the son of a cowherd
;
caritaiḥ
—
by His activities
;
viḍambayan
—
pretending
;
reme
—
He enjoyed
;
ramā
—
by the goddess of fortune
;
lālita
—
attended
;
pāda
—
pallavaḥ — His feet, which are tender like new buds
;
grāmyaiḥ samam
—
together with village persons
;
grāmya
—
vat — like a village personality
;
īśa
—
ceṣṭitaḥ — although also displaying feats unique to the Supreme Lord .
Translation
In this way the Supreme Lord, whose soft lotus feet are personally attended by the goddess of fortune, concealed His transcendental opulences by His internal potency and acted like the son of a cowherd. Yet even while enjoying like a village boy in the company of other village residents, He often exhibited feats only God could perform.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
In this way the Supreme Lord, whose soft lotus feet are personally attended by the goddess of fortune, concealed His transcendental opulences by His internal potency and acted like the son of a cowherd. Yet even while enjoying like a village boy in the company of other village residents, He often exhibited feats only God could perform.
KB 10.15.19
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, whose legs are tended by the goddess of fortune, shared Himself with the cowherd boys as one of them, expanding His internal potency to appear exactly like a village boy. But despite His appearing just like a village boy, there were occasions when He proved Himself to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sometimes men pose themselves as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cheat innocent people, but they can only cheat; they cannot exhibit the potency of God.
While Kṛṣṇa was thus engaged in His transcendental pastimes, exhibiting His internal potency in the company of the supermost fortunate cowherd boys, there occurred another chance for Him to exhibit the superhuman powers of Godhead.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Covering his powers by yogamaya, as a cowherd boy, he mocked the role of being son of a king. (gopa can mean protector of the earth as well as protector of the cows). Though his lotus feet are served by Laksmi, covering that, he played like an ordinary boy with ordinary friends. But not only did he act covering his powers, sometimes he engaged in pastimes such as killing demons which showed his great powers (isa cestitah).
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
This verse summarized the pastimes, explaining the attractiveness of the pastimes and indicating other activities not specifically mentioned. Kṛṣṇa, whose feet were attended by Lakṣmī in other avatāra forms, attained pleasure (reme) in Vṛndāvana. This indicates that the pleasure in this place made him indifferent to the pleasure of pastimes with Lakṣmī. He took the incomparable form of an ordinary cowherd boy (caritaiḥ viḍambayan) as mentioned in SB 10.5.1. He showed in himself the extraordinary nature of being born as a cowherd. “How can the Lord be anyone’s son?” He did this because of mercy (māyayā) to his parents Nanda and Yaśodā (sva), controlled by their vatsalya-bhāva. He had particular sweetness filled with great affection (ātmā-gatiḥ) which cannot be understood at all by anyone (nigūḍha). He enjoyed with his friends like a friend. Since he was a son, the word “friend” is used to show intimacy. How can the manifestation of qualities of the Lord be suitable with this description? He performed activities which showed the power of the Lord (īśa-ceṣṭitaḥ). His līlā-śakti, with powers similar to his, though not requested, makes all arrangements.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Indicating other pastimes not mentioned on that day, this verse summarizes the forest pastimes of that day. In that way (evam) or with these specific activities, he whose feet are served by Lakṣmī enjoyed (reme). The happiness he derived from playing as a cowherd was greater than the happiness from having his lotus feet served by Lakṣmī. Or Ramā can refer to she who gives enjoyment to Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-devī. He whose feet are served by Rādhā enjoyed. The ingredients for enjoyment such as wandering in the forest during the day and getting relief from fatigue by foot massage have been shown.
How did he act? He revealed himself (viḍambayam) as a cowherd by his actions. Or he accepted the cowherd boy form. How does he manifest this form when he has an obvious display of power? He does so by his śakti called māyā (sva-māyayā) or by his mercy. His particular sweetness (ātma-gatiḥ) is hidden even in the Upaniṣads (gūḍa). He acted like an ordinary friend (samam) with ordinary friends. He appeared most ordinary. This indicates the sweetness of his cowherd pastimes. How does this agree with many statements about manifesting his power as Bhagavān? He has the actions of the Lord (īśa-ceṣṭitaḥ). This means his actions were not material. The human-like and extraordinary features of Kṛṣṇa as Bhagavān were previously proven.
Nigūḍātma-gatiḥ can also meant that he went to Gokula secretly by Vasudeva’s efforts. Thus his actions as a cowherd were the principal pastimes since he acted according to Nanda’s awareness that he was his son, though he acted with all powers (īśa-ceṣṭitaḥ). Or though he acted with full powers, he enjoyed as an ordinary person (gramyavat). The cowherd pastimes were superior to his lordly pastimes.