evaḿ suhṛd-vacaḥ śrutvā
suhṛt-priya-cikīrṣayā
prahasya jagmatur gopair
vṛtau tālavanaḿ prabhū
evam -- thus; suhrit -- of Their friends; vacah -- the words; srutva -- hearing; suhrit -- to Their friends; priya -- pleasure; cikirshaya -- desiring to give; prahasya -- laughing; jagmatuh -- the two of Them went; gopaih -- by the cowherd boys; vritau -- surrounded; tala-vanam -- to the Tala forest; prabhu -- the two Lords.
Hearing the words of Their dear companions, Krishna and Balarama laughed and, desiring to please them, set off for the Talavana surrounded by Their cowherd boyfriends.
Lord Krishna was thinking, "How can a mere ass be so formidable?" And thus He smiled at the petition of His boyfriends. As stated by Lord Kapila in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.28.32), hasam harer avanatakhila-loka-tivra-sokasru-sagara-visoshanam aty-udaram: "The smile and laughter of the Supreme Lord Hari is most magnanimous. Indeed, for those who bow down to the Lord, His smile and laughter dry up the ocean of tears caused by the intense suffering of this world." Thus, to encourage Their boyfriends, Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama smiled, laughed and immediately set out with them for the Tala forest.
