Devanagari
गोपीभि: स्तोभितोऽनृत्यद् भगवान्बालवत्क्वचित् ।
उद्गायति क्वचिन्मुग्धस्तद्वशो दारुयन्त्रवत् ॥ ७ ॥
Verse text
gopībhiḥ stobhito ’nṛtyad
bhagavān bālavat kvacit
udgāyati kvacin mugdhas
tad-vaśo dāru-yantravat
Synonyms
gopībhiḥ
—
by the gopīs (by flattery and offers of prizes)
;
stobhitaḥ
—
encouraged, induced
;
anṛtyat
—
the small Kṛṣṇa danced
;
bhagavān
—
although He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead
;
bāla
—
vat — exactly like a human child
;
kvacit
—
sometimes
;
udgāyati
—
He would sing very loudly
;
kvacit
—
sometimes
;
mugdhaḥ
—
being amazed
;
tat
—
vaśaḥ — under their control
;
dāru
—
yantra — vat — like a wooden doll .
Translation
The gopīs would say, “If You dance, my dear Kṛṣṇa, then I shall give You half a sweetmeat.” By saying these words or by clapping their hands, all the gopīs encouraged Kṛṣṇa in different ways. At such times, although He was the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead, He would smile and dance according to their desire, as if He were a wooden doll in their hands. Sometimes He would sing very loudly, at their bidding. In this way, Kṛṣṇa came completely under the control of the gopīs.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The gopīs would say, "If You dance, my dear Kṛṣṇa, then I shall give You half a sweetmeat." By saying these words or by clapping their hands, all the gopīs encouraged Kṛṣṇa in different ways. At such times, although He was the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead, He would smile and dance according to their desire, as if He were a wooden doll in their hands. Sometimes He would sing very loudly, at their bidding. In this way, Kṛṣṇa came completely under the control of the gopīs.
KB 10.11.7
After being freed by Nanda Mahārāja, Kṛṣṇa was taken onto the laps of the elder gopīs. They took Him away to the courtyard of the house and began to clap, praising His wonderful activities. Kṛṣṇa danced along with their clapping, just like an ordinary child. The Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, being completely controlled by the gopīs, sang and danced just like a puppet in their hands.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Who can describe the good fortune of Nanda and Yasoda , Krsna’s father and mother? Though he is the controller of Brahma and Siva and others, Krsna is controlled at every step by the inhabitants of Vraja. This is described in three and a half verses. "If you dance I will give a sweet!" Inspired by the gopis (stobhitah), the Lord sometimes danced just a normal boy (balavat). Sometimes without showing his powers because of the gopis’ love (mugdha,innocent) he would sing like a wooden puppet.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Not only was he controlled by the prema of his mother and father having the highest affection for him. Other gopīs also controlled him. Previous events are described in two verses. These gopīs were generally elderly. Though Bhagavān was full of all powers, he was like other boys. He forgot his own powers by being absorbed in his childhood pastimes, controlled by the rasa of its prema. Instead of bālavat sometimes bālakaḥ is seen. Then it means that he acted according to his childhood pastimes. Sometimes he sang, sometimes he danced, and sometimes appeared ignorant. As a small child he knew dancing a little, sometimes showing himself to be ignorant ( mugdhaḥ). Or in dancing he was charming (mugdhaḥ). He danced because he was controlled by them like a puppet on strings.