Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.11.8
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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ājñaptaḥ
—
being ordered
Ā-jñā — the root of ājñā (command). The Lord of all whose word is the universe's law accepts the ājñā of mother and gopīs. Gauḍīya commentators: this inversion (commander commanded) is one of the six aiśvaryas of Bhagavān — He alone is great enough to be small without diminishment.
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bāhu - kṣepam ca
—
striking the arms on the body
Bāhu-kṣepa — the village wrestler's gesture of slapping the arms to demonstrate strength. Gauḍīya commentators (Viśvanātha) note this is performed naravat — like a human child — for the pleasure of the gopīs. The Sanskrit grammar (kṣepa from kṣip, 'to throw') captures the boastful flick.
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svānām ca
—
of His own relatives
Svāna — 'one's own.' A precise word: not 'devotees in general' but His own, His sva-jana. Gauḍīya theology distinguishes Kṛṣṇa's sva-jana (Vrajavāsīs, eternal associates) from general bhaktas — the Vraja-folk are His in a way no others quite are.
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prītim
—
the pleasure
Prīti — the technical Vaiṣṇava word for affectionate pleasure (less than prema, more than ordinary sukha). Inviting the prīti of His devotees is, per the Gauḍīya rasa-texts, the proximate aim (sākṣāt-prayojana) of Kṛṣṇa's līlā.
In order to test Krsna’s strength first the gopis would ask Krsna to bring the wooden shoes. Then they would ask him to bring heavier and heavier objects. In this way ordered by the gopis (ajnapta), he would stand up holding the objects over his soft belly. In order to show his expertise, sometime he would raise his hands up. All the relatives (svanam) would become joyful.
He would raise his arms to show his prowess. Not only did he give pleasure to the gopīs, but to all the cowherds. He gave pleasure to all the cowherd people (svānām). The word ca indicates all others who knew about his powers.
The goal is explained. The gopīs (svānām) or his devotees derived bliss or prema (prītim) from his actions by making him dance as a child. The word ca indicates some were elder and some were very young girls.
- When a parent or elder asks you to fetch something today, do it immediately and wholeheartedly, dropping the inner protest of 'that's beneath me'.
- Notice one place where you posture strength to be admired, and instead let yourself be small in the presence of someone who loves you.
- Refuse to weigh tasks by their dignity — accept the next humble errand as a chance to please those Kṛṣṇa has placed over you.
A wrestler who could lift a mountain agrees to grunt and strain pretending the door is heavy, just to delight the child who asked for help — not weakness but love's costume. Kṛṣṇa touches the wooden plank and stands there, then strikes His arms as if proving strength: the Master of all energies wears effort as a garment for His devotees' pleasure.
Hanumān, having lifted an entire mountain to bring the saṅjīvanī herb to revive Lakṣmaṇa, set it down before Rāma and, when later asked to fetch other things, sometimes feigned tiredness — not because he was tired, but because his joy lay in being doted on by Rāma and His brothers as a humble servant.
The Gauḍīya teaching: bhakta-vaśya works in both directions. The Lord performs human-like limitation to please devotees; the devotee performs servant-like limitation to please the Lord. Both are rasa — neither is fact misperceived.
My note
Source: vedabase.io