“Though you are omniscient, the prema that you desire in my charioteer pastime is in Arjuna alone. It is understood that among all the associates with prema, he is the chief.” That is not so. Your dear gopis have the most exalted prema among all devotees. They are superior to Arjuna. No one can dare to pray for their position. Let that be! I will be successful at my death just by indicating their nature. Thus he speaks this verse.

He was expert at physical arts such as dancing in the rasa-lila, expert in expressing mental qualities such as dhira-lalita, expert in words with joking, expert with the eyes at glancing to show all aspects of prema. The gopis were to be worshipped by all these skilful actions of Krsna. In order to please them, Krsna endowed them with all the best, outstanding qualities of himself. The result of their extreme prema, was that Krsna, in giving all his own qualities, attempted to please them with conciliating love. That display of love, which is without restraints for either party, showed extreme control of Krsna by the gopis and was filled with great bliss. Control of the Lord, manifested as a result of Arjuna’s prema, was that Krsna became his messenger and charioteer. That role had restraints for both parties. Arjuna could thus not attain intimacy with the Lord.

He became compliant by offering all his qualities to them (gopis). They had a mutual friendship filled with happiness because of mutual compliance. Then he bestowed an extraordinary fortune—the dancing, songs and speech during the rasa-lila. And in response, the gopis did the same (anukrta-vatya). In harmony with him, they offered him dancing, songs and speech in the rasa-lila. There was no need to teach them anything. They were blinded by the increase of great prema (unmadandhah). They did not need practice. How astonishing (kila)! They attained all his extraordinary qualities such as skills in dancing and singing. Krsna did not give his unique, extraordinary power to Arjuna.

Krtam can also refer to Krsna’s actions such as lifting Govardhana. They imitated those actions. Instead of unmada sometimes unmada is seen. This indicates madness in separation. In that extreme state some of them even merged with the Lord. This is the highest level of exalted prema. Since I am situated between the two limits, why can I not attain your pastime as the charioteer, which I desire?