Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.57.3
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
-
antaram
—
opportunity, gap, opening
Literally an interval or breach. Bhāgavata diagnostics: envy waits for the Lord's absence to act. Gauḍīyas read antara-vāda as the structural condition of all conspiracies in Kṛṣṇa-līlā — Kaṁsa, Duryodhana, Śatadhanvā all act 'in the gap.'
-
akrūra - kṛtavarmāṇau
—
Akrūra and Kṛtavarmā
Dual compound. Striking pairing: Akrūra is the great bhakta of chapters 38-40, Kṛtavarmā a Yādava warrior. The verse shows even senior devotees can be drawn into anartha when envy over the jewel is unaddressed. Sober warning to sādhakas.
-
śatadhanvānam
—
to Śatadhanvā
Literally 'he of a hundred bows.' Brother of Satrājit on some accounts; here the instrument of others' envy. The Bhāgavatam frames him as a tool, not the prime mover — his bows do not save him from Kṛṣṇa's disc.
-
maniḥ
—
the jewel (Syamantaka)
From √maṇ. The Syamantaka has been the engine of the previous chapter's saga; Gauḍīyas read it as a token of mundane opulence that, when grasped outside of Kṛṣṇa's sanction, drags every holder into ruin — Prasena, Satrājit, now Śatadhanvā.
Akrūra and Kṛtavarmā reasoned that since Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were absent from Dvārakā, Satrājit could be killed and the jewel stolen. Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī mentions that these two must have flattered Śatadhanvā telling him, “You are much braver than we are; so you kill him.”
Taking the opportunity when Krsna and Balarama were not in Dvaraka, Krtavarma and Akrura went to Satadhanva and said, "You can kill Satrajit and take the jewel. Since you are more courageous than us you should kill him."
They took advantage of Kṛṣṇa’s absence (etat). A person with bad character cannot take the jewel. Therefore you should take it.
They took advantage of Kṛṣṇa’s absence (etat). They went to Śatadhanvā because of his wicked nature or to arouse hatred for Satrājit because he gave his daughter who had been promised to him. A person with bad character cannot take the jewel. Therefore you should not take it.
- Where have you whispered evil during someone's absence?
- Who has whispered evil to you when your protector was away?
Akrūra and Kṛtavarmā wait for Kṛṣṇa's back to turn before whispering — the same shadow-strategy that envy uses everywhere, looking for a 'gap' (antaram) in which to push its plot. The verse names the opening; the rest of the chapter shows what crawls through it.
My note
Source: vedabase.io