SB 10.44.12 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.44.12

కిం న పశ్యత రామస్య ముఖమాతామ్రలోచనమ్ । ముష్టికం ప్రతి సామర్షం హాససంరమ్భశోభితమ్ ॥ ౧౨ ॥

kiṁ na paśyata rāmasya

[kim na pashyata raamasya]

mukham ātāmra-locanam

[mukham aataamra-lochanam]

muṣṭikaṁ prati sāmarṣaṁ

[mushtikam prati saamarsham]

hāsa-saṁrambha-śobhitam

[haasa-samrambha-shobhitam]

Word-for-word

kim — why na paśyata — do you not see rāmasya — of Lord Balarāma mukham — the face ātāmra — like copper locanam — with eyes muṣṭikam — Muṣṭika prati — toward sa - amarṣam — with anger hāsa — by His laughter saṁrambha — and His absorption śobhitam — beautified .

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

kiṁ na paśyata rāmasya

kim

why

na paśyata

do you not see

rāmasya

of Lord Balarāma

mukham ātāmra-locanam

mukham

the face

ātāmra

like copper

locanam

with eyes

muṣṭikaṁ prati sāmarṣaṁ

muṣṭikam

Muṣṭika

prati

toward

sa - amarṣam

with anger

hāsa-saṁrambha-śobhitam

hāsa

by His laughter

saṁrambha

and His absorption

śobhitam

beautified .

Important Words

ātāmra — coppery-red
Compound: ā (slightly, fully) + tāmra (copper). The specific red of restrained rage — the eyes have changed color, but the face still smiles. Gauḍīyas read this as the signature of Saṅkarṣaṇa: power held in stillness.
sa - amarṣam — with indignation
Compound: sa (with) + amarṣa (un-tolerance, just anger). Not krodha-as-passion but amarṣa-as-righteous-refusal-to-bear. Balarāma's anger is dharma-anchored, not reactive.
hāsa — laughter, smile
From √has. The smile in the middle of battle — the same smile that lights Vraja. The Bhāgavatam will not let the Lord (or His expansion) lose His smile, even in the killing-verse.
saṁrambha — absorption, vigorous engagement
From sam + √rambh. Total committed engagement — Balarāma's body is fully in the fight, but not consumed by it. Gauḍīyas note: bhakti is also saṁrambha — total engagement that does not lose the smile.

Don’t you see the face of Lord Balarāma, with its eyes copper-red from His anger toward Muṣṭika and its beauty enhanced by His laughter and His absorption in the fight?

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Don't you see the face of Lord Balarāma, with its eyes copper-red from His anger toward Muṣṭika and its beauty enhanced by His laughter and His absorption in the fight?

Commentary

Out of anger, Balarama struck Mustika and became tired. He appeared splendid as he was absorbed in fighting, laughing out of anger.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya

Commentary

Though Balarāma also has a tender body, seeing the fatigue of Kṛṣṇa he has become intensely angry. Look at that! Who does not see that? He laughs, out of disrespect for the wicked wrestler. His face is beautiful with his absorption in continuous laughter. Or he is beautiful with anger which gives rise to his laughter.

Related values & verses

Related values

Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)

Concepts

Jiva

Personal Guidance

Analogy

Balarāma's eyes — copper-red with anger, mouth bent in a small laugh — show the dual face of Bhagavān's expansion: the wrath that destroys demons and the smile that never leaves Him. He fights as one entertained. The composure is the menace.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io