Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.13
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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anavasthita
—
unsteady
An (not) + ava-sthita (settled). The gopīs accuse Kṛṣṇa of being un-fixed — but Gauḍīya commentators (Viśvanātha) note that this is precisely the sākṣāt cause of mādhurya-rasa's depth: His unsteadiness keeps prema in continuous motion.
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kṛta - ghnasya
—
who is ungrateful
Compound: kṛta (what was done) + ghna (destroyer). 'One who destroys what was done for Him.' The harshest word the gopīs use — and Gauḍīyas read it as the highest praise in reverse: only the closest devotee can speak this way and not be wrong.
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citra
—
wonderful
Lit. 'variegated, painted.' His narrations are kathā-citra — picture-like. The gopīs admit the aesthetic power of His speech even while accusing Him of using it.
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sundara
—
beautifully
Beautiful. Modifies smita (smile). The smile is named the way one names a weapon — these gopīs know exactly what undid them and what will now undo the city women.
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smita
—
smiling
The famous smile. Rūpa Gosvāmī treats smita as a primary anubhāva in mādhurya — the visible signal that releases the lover's bhāva. The gopīs are diagnosing how the same signal will work on Mathurā's women.
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smara
—
by lust
Smara — Kāma, the god of desire. The gopīs project that the city women are 'lust-agitated' (āturāḥ). Gauḍīyas distinguish carefully: gopī-prema is kāma-rūpā but uncoupled from svārtha — same surface, opposite substance.
According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, some gopīs speak the first two lines of this verse, and others reply in the second two lines.
"I suppose we uncultured women are unintelligent, but how can the city women being very intelligent believe his words?" That is expressed in this verse. Other gopis speak to bring out the conclusion. "Though he speaks lies, it is very exciting and astonishing when those words come from his mouth (citra kathasya). Not being able to give up the taste of those talks, they continue to listen. There is also another reason. They are afflicted by love caused and increasing at every moment by his beautiful smiling glances."
Being unintelligent we believed his words. But city women are intelligent. How could they believe him? Wounded internally by the pain arising from their prema, they speak. Nu indicates amazement. How could city women accept or believe his words? They should not. Why? His heart is not steady and he destroys (ghna) the friendship made with us and others. Because they are city women they are intelligent. Still it has happened. Ah, we can understand after remembering (vai). Even without hearing his words they become bewildered—by his smile and his glance. That we remember. Or when he speaks on various attractive topics and they become afflicted with lust by his beautiful smile and glances, they lose their power of discrimination.
- What lament in my prayer life might actually be a form of intimacy with God?
- Where am I afraid to bring honest complaint into my conversation with Kṛṣṇa?
A jilted lover, hearing that her beloved is now a celebrity in the capital, exclaims: 'how can those clever city women possibly trust him?' — and answers her own question in the next breath: 'oh, they believe him because of how he smiles.' She knows the smile. She named it.
My note
Source: vedabase.io