Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.39.23
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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vrajaḥ - pateḥ
—
of the Lord of Vraja
The gopīs call Him Vraja-pati — Vraja's master — even while He departs. The title clings to Him whether the body stays or not; Caitanya Mahāprabhu insisted Kṛṣṇa never truly leaves Vraja, only His mortal-eye form goes.
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apāṅga
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the corner / side-glance of the eye
Apāṅga-darśana = the famous Kṛṣṇa side-long glance — a vibhāva in mādhurya. The gopīs imagine Mathurā's women receiving this glance; it is the most rasa-loaded inheritance they fear losing.
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smita - āsavam
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the nectar of the smile
Āsava = fermented nectar, intoxicating drink. His smile as liquor. The gopīs picture city-women drinking what they have lived on — Gauḍīya rasa-vocabulary at full intensity.
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āśiṣaḥ
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the blessings / wishes (of the city women)
Mathurā's women had been wishing for darśana; the gopīs note bitterly that those wishes will be 'realized' (satyāḥ babhūvuḥ). The Lord's universal availability is precisely what tortures the exclusively-loving heart.
"Ah, is this so astonishing? We have become unfortunate, and simultaneously the women of Mathura have become fortunate. For the women of Mathura, it is an auspicious daybreak, and for us it is the daybreak of inauspiciousness. The blessings given to them by the brahmanas, or their long standing aspirations, have been fulfilled, whereas ours have become frustrated. These women of Mathura will be able to relish the taste of that face, intoxication incarnate (asava), whose smiling glances hinting at secrets are full of the highest rasa. Giving up propriety, shame and fear instantly, they will accept those hints he gives. Then, at suitable time, unseen by others, they will directly and completely taste his face."
In five verses the gopīs speak in envy. Long held hopes of the women of Mathurā or the blessing of brāhmaṇas have now born fruit. He should be seen by the people of Vraja (vrajas-pateḥ), but he will enter into the city. The “s” in vrajas is poetic license. They will taste the nectar of his smile by their eyes in the form of tongues. Viṣṇu Purāṇa says: suprabhātādya rajanī mathurā-vāsayoṣitām / pāsyanty acyuta-vaktrābjaṁ yāsāṁ netrāli-paṅktayaḥ // The night today is glorious for the women of Mathurā, since their eyes will see the lotus face of Acyuta.
Long held hopes of the women of Mathurā or the blessing of brāhmaṇas have now born fruit. They see his sweet smile endowed with loving glances. The whole phrase can modify the verb also. His special bhāvas indicate the good fortune of the women of Mathurā. Viṣṇu Purāṇa says: suprabhātādya rajanī mathurā-vāsayoṣitām pāsyanty acyuta-vaktrābjaṁ yāsāṁ netrāli-paṅktayaḥ The night today is glorious for the women of Mathurā, since their eyes will see the lotus face of Acyuta.
Like dawn for one city is dusk for another — the gopīs imagine the Mathurā women rising tomorrow to find Kṛṣṇa entering their streets, their hopes ripening exactly as Vraja's hopes are cut. Pratyāgnyāgāra: their loss is being measured against another city's gain.
My note
Source: vedabase.io