SB 10.66.15 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

द‍ृष्ट्वा तमात्मनस्तुल्यं वेषं कृत्रिममास्थितम् । यथा नटं रङ्गगतं विजहास भृशं हरि: ॥ १५ ॥

Verse text

dṛṣṭvā tam ātmanas tulyaṁ veṣaṁ kṛtrimam āsthitam yathā naṭaṁ raṅga-gataṁ vijahāsa bhṛśaṁ harīḥ

Synonyms

dṛṣṭvā — seeing ; tam — him ; ātmanaḥ — to His own ; tulyam — equal ; veṣam — in dress ; kṛtrimam — imitation ; āsthitam — arrayed ; yathā — like ; naṭam — an actor ; raṅga — a stage ; gatam — entered upon ; vijahāsa — laughed ; bhṛśam — strongly ; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa .

Translation

Lord Hari laughed heartily when He saw how the King had dressed up in exact imitation of His own appearance, just like an actor onstage.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Lord Hari laughed heartily when He saw how the King had dressed up in exact imitation of His own appearance, just like an actor on a stage. KB 10.66.15 On the whole, however, his dress and makeup were clearly imitation. Anyone could understand that he was just like someone onstage playing the part of Vāsudeva in false dress. When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa saw Pauṇḍraka imitating His posture and dress, He could not check His laughter, and thus He laughed with great satisfaction.

Purport

Śrīla Prabhupāda describes this scene as follows: “On the whole, however, [Pauṇḍraka’s] dress and makeup were clearly imitation. Anyone could understand that he was just like someone on stage playing the part of Vāsudeva in false dress. When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa saw Pauṇḍraka imitating His posture and dress, He could not check His laughter, and thus He laughed with great satisfaction.” Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī points out that it was a benediction from Lord Śiva that enabled Pauṇḍraka to imitate the Lord’s dress and appearance exactly — a fact gleaned from the Uttara-khaṇḍa of Śrī Padma Purāṇa.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Instead of ātmanas tulyam sometimes ātmanā tulyam is seen. His ornaments were imitation (kṛtrimam) whereas the Lord’s were naturally manifested.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

His ornaments were imitation (kṛtrimam) whereas the Lord’s were naturally manifested. He had dressed with skill. Thus the Lord laughed especially loud.