Devanagari
तत्र चक्रु: परिवृढौ गोपा रामजनार्दनौ ।
कृष्णसङ्घट्टिन: केचिदासन् रामस्य चापरे ॥ २० ॥
Verse text
tatra cakruḥ parivṛḍhau
gopā rāma-janārdanau
kṛṣṇa-saṅghaṭṭinaḥ kecid
āsan rāmasya cāpare
Synonyms
tatra
—
in that game
;
cakruḥ
—
they made
;
parivṛḍhau
—
the two leaders
;
gopāḥ
—
the cowherd boys
;
rāma
—
janārdanau — Lord Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa
;
kṛṣṇa
—
saṅghaṭṭinaḥ — members of Kṛṣṇa’s party
;
kecit
—
some of them
;
āsan
—
became
;
rāmasya
—
of Balarāma
;
ca
—
and
;
apare
—
others .
Translation
The cowherd boys chose Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma as the leaders of the two parties. Some of the boys were on Kṛṣṇa’s side, and others joined Balarāma.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The cowherd boys chose Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma as the leaders of the two parties. Some of the boys were on Kṛṣṇa's side, and others joined Balarāma.
KB 10.18.20
Some of them took the side of Kṛṣṇa, and some of them took the side of Balarāma, and they arranged to play in duel.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Parivrdhau means the two heroes. Some went to the side of Krsna and the others to the side of Balarama.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
The boys were followers of either Kṛṣṇa or Balarāma, though they had equal friendship with both boys. However to produce rasa in the game, Kṛṣṇa had boys of Balarāma’s group in his group and Balarāma had Kṛṣṇa’s boys in his group. The friendship of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa however remained intact. Similarly it is described in Hari-vaṁśa during water games that Balarāma had Kṛṣṇa’s sons on his side and Kṛṣṇa had Balarāma’s sons on his side. Thus Śrīdāmā and others were in Balarāma’s group. Rāma indicates that Balarāma would enjoy the game (and killing Pralamba). Janārdana indicates that by being requested (ardana) to be a leader by all the boys (jana), Kṛṣṇa would fulfill his desire to have Pralamba killed.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
The boys chose Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma as leaders since there was no difference between them in their good qualities. Kṛṣṇa was he who gives pain to the demonic people (like Pralamba) or he who is requested by his devotees (janārdanaḥ). Kṛṣṇa was requested by the devotees to be one of the leaders. His group was formed first because everyone had affection for him. On the other side were Kṛṣṇa’s friends like Śridāmā and Vṛṣabha who knew the hints made by Kṛṣṇa. Similarly it is described in Hari-vaṁśa during water games that Balarāma had Kṛṣṇa’s sons on his side and Kṛṣṇa had Balarāma’s sons on his side.