evaḿ pariṣvańga-karābhimarśa-
snigdhekṣaṇoddāma-vilāsa-hāsaiḥ
reme rameśo vraja-sundarībhir
yathārbhakaḥ sva-pratibimba-vibhramaḥ
evam -- thus; parishvanga -- with embracing; kara -- by His hand; abhimarsa -- with touching; snigdha -- affectionate; ikshana -- with glances; uddama -- broad; vilasa -- playful; hasaih -- with smiles; reme -- He took pleasure; rama -- of the goddess of fortune; isah -- the master; vraja-sundaribhih -- with the young women of the cowherd community; yatha -- just as; arbhakah -- a boy; sva -- His own; pratibimba -- with the reflection; vibhramah -- whose playing.
In this way Lord Krishna, the original Lord Narayana, master of the goddess of fortune, took pleasure in the company of the young women of Vraja by embracing them, caressing them and glancing lovingly at them as He smiled His broad, playful smiles. It was just as if a child were playing with his own reflection.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments as follows on this verse: "Lord Krishna alone is the Supreme Absolute Truth, and His potencies are unlimited. All these potencies, taking personal forms, engage Lord Krishna in His pastimes. Just as the opulent manifestation of His one supreme transcendental potency manifests all the countless potencies of the Lord, so in the rasa dance Krishna manifests Himself as many times as there are various potencies represented by the gopis. Everything is Krishna, but by His desire His spiritual energy Yogamaya manifests the gopis. When His internal potency Yogamaya thus produces such pastimes for the enhancement of His transcendental emotions, it is just like a young boy playing with His own reflection. But since these pastimes are created by His spiritual potency, they are eternal and self-manifesting."
