• didṛkṣuḥ — wanting to see
  Desiderative of √dṛś — desiring to see. Kṛṣṇa's purpose for entering Mathurā is named as 'wanting to see.' Bhagavān as subject of darśana, not only its object. He is the seer of His own city before tomorrow's killing.
• saṅkarṣaṇa-anvitaḥ — together with Lord Balarāma
  Compound: Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma's name from saṅ + √kṛṣ, the puller-together — He who pulled the embryo from Devakī to Rohiṇī) + anvita (accompanied). Saṅkarṣaṇa is the first vyūha; Gauḍīyas hold Balarāma as ādi-guru and Kṛṣṇa's first expansion.
• gopaiḥ — by the cowherd boys
  Instrumental plural of gopa. Kṛṣṇa enters Mathurā surrounded by Vraja-sakhās — Śrīdāmā, Sudāmā, Subala and others. Sakhya-rasa walks beside Him into the city of aiśvarya. Vraja does not leave Him.
• apara-ahne — in the afternoon
  Compound: apara (later) + ahan (day). The day's later half. Kṛṣṇa enters Mathurā at the time when shadows lengthen — the slow, deliberate hour, not the urgent dawn. The Lord moves with the calm of foreknown victory.

• 02 - RGS SB 10-41-19-31 - Mathura Lila-02 - 2008 Haridwar
  His Holiness Radha Govinda Swami· English

• Where do you assume Kṛṣṇa is reluctantly involved in places He is actively choosing to enter?
• How does His agency change your perception of difficult environments?

After the long midday rest in Nanda's encampment, Kṛṣṇa rises and walks toward Mathurā the way a lion approaches a cattle-pen at dusk — with His own brother at His side and His own companions around Him, on no one's schedule but His own.