Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.23.52
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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sva-agham
—
their own offense
Compound: sva (own) + agham (sin, evil). Agha — the technical term for a serious offense, the same noun-family as Aghāsura's name. The brāhmaṇas use it for themselves; they call their refusal an agha.
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kṛta-helanāḥ
—
having shown contempt
Compound: kṛta (done) + helanāḥ (contempt). Helanā — disregard. The exact word Bhagavān Himself uses for the offense of treating Him as ordinary. The brāhmaṇas identify their failure precisely.
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didṛkṣavaḥ
—
wishing to see
Desiderative of √dṛś — 'desiring to see.' The same root used of the wives in verses 18 and 24. The brāhmaṇas finally reach what their wives reached at the chapter's middle: didṛkṣā for Kṛṣṇa.
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vrajam
—
to the village of Nanda Mahārāja
Accusative of Vraja. The destination is now named — and the brāhmaṇas cannot reach it. Vraja is the geography of bhakti; the chapter closes by naming what they can no longer ignore but cannot yet reach.
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kaṁsāt-bhītāḥ
—
afraid of Kaṁsa
Compound: kaṁsāt (ablative of Kaṁsa) + bhītāḥ (afraid). Worldly fear is the final obstacle. Gauḍīyas: bhaya is the great enemy of bhakti's last step. The chapter ends mid-yearning — the next chapters will continue the line.
Realizing their offense against Lord Kṛṣṇa, and finally appreciating His almighty position, the brāhmaṇas naturally wanted to rush to Vraja and surrender at the lotus feet of the Lord. But they were afraid that Kaṁsa would certainly kill them when his spies reported that they had gone to Kṛṣṇa. The brāhmaṇas’ wives were absorbed in ecstatic Kṛṣṇa consciousness and thus went to Kṛṣṇa anyway, just as the gopīs, simply to dance with the Lord, traveled in the dead of night through a forest inhabited by wild animals. But the brāhmaṇas were not on such an advanced platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and thus, overcome by fear of Kaṁsa, could not see the Lord face to face. Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Twenty-third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Brāhmaṇas’ Wives Blessed.”
They remembered their extraordinary offense: they had disrespected Kṛṣṇa, thinking him to be an ordinary human. They desired to meet him directly to ask forgiveness for their offense, but did not go to Vraja. They did not take even one step because they were completely afraid of Kaṁsa (atha). Since they did not have strong faith in the Lord, they feared for their own safety.
They remembered their extraordinary offense. They had disrespected Kṛṣṇa or thought him to be an ordinary human. Or Kṛṣṇa did not ignore them (akṛta-helanaḥ) since he sent their wives back on the pretext of completing the sacrifice. Though (atha) they wanted to see him they did not go to Vraja because they were afraid of Kaṁsa. They feared for their own safety since firm faith had not arisen in them. Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A . C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto,Twenty-third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Brāhmaṇas' Wives Blessed." 10.24: Worshiping Govardhana Hill verses: Summary, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32-33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 Chapter Summary In this chapter Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa crushes the pride of Indra by prohibiting a sacrifice intended for him and initiating a substitute sacrifice in worship of Govardhana Hill. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa saw the cowherd men busily preparing for a sacrifice to Indra, He inquired about it from their king, Nanda. Nanda explained that the rain given by Indra enables all living entities to maintain their lives, and therefore this sacrifice would be executed to satisfy him. Kṛṣṇa responded, "It is because of karma alone that living entities take their birth in a certain body, experience varieties of happiness and suffering in that body, and then give it up as the karma pertaining to it runs out. Thus it is karma alone that is our enemy, our friend, our guru and our lord, and Indra can do nothing to alter the happiness and distress of anyone, for everyone is tightly bound by his karmic reactions. The material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance bring about the creation, maintenance and destruction of this world. The clouds give forth rain when they are impelled by the mode of passion, and cowherds prosper by protecting the cows. Furthermore, the cowherds' proper residence is in the forest and on the hills. Therefore you should offer worship to the cows, the brāhmaṇas and Govardhana Hill." After Kṛṣṇa spoke thus, He arranged for the cowherd men to worship Govardhana with the paraphernalia collected for the sacrifice to Indra. He then assumed a huge, unprecedented transcendental form and devoured all the food and other offerings presented to Govardhana. As He did so He proclaimed to the cowherd community that although they had worshiped Indra for so long, he had never appeared in person, whereas Govardhana himself had now manifested before their eyes and eaten their offerings of foodstuffs. Therefore they should all now offer obeisances to Govardhana Hill. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa joined the cowherds in offering obeisances to His own newly assumed form.
Pilgrims at the riverbank who finally know which direction to walk but whose feet are nailed by an old fear — repentance ripens into longing, but fear of Kaṁsa keeps them on the wrong shore. The chapter closes on the bhakta's burning-without-arrival.
My note
Source: vedabase.io