Devanagari
स्मायावलोकलवदर्शितभावहारि-
भ्रूमण्डलप्रहितसौरतमन्त्रशौण्डै: ।
पत्न्यस्तु षोडशसहस्रमनङ्गबाणै-
र्यस्येन्द्रियं विमथितुं करणैर्न शेकु: ॥ ४ ॥
Verse text
smāyāvaloka-lava-darśita-bhāva-hāri
bhrū-maṇḍala-prahita-saurata-mantra-śauṇḍaiḥ
patnyas tu śoḍaśa-sahasram anaṅga-bāṇair
yasyendriyaṁ vimathitum karaṇair na śekuḥ
Synonyms
smāya
—
with concealed laughter
;
avaloka
—
of glances
;
lava
—
by the traces
;
darśita
—
displayed
;
bhāva
—
by the intentions
;
hāri
—
enchanting
;
bhrū
—
of the eyebrows
;
maṇḍala
—
by the arch
;
prahita
—
sent forth
;
saurata
—
romantic
;
mantra
—
of messages
;
śauṇḍaiḥ
—
with the manifestations of boldness
;
patnyaḥ
—
wives
;
tu
—
but
;
ṣoḍaśa
—
sixteen
;
sahasram
—
thousand
;
anaṅga
—
of Cupid
;
bāṇaiḥ
—
with the arrows
;
yasya
—
whose
;
indriyam
—
senses
;
vimathitum
—
to agitate
;
karaṇaiḥ
—
and by (other) means
;
na śekuḥ
—
were unable .
Translation
The arched eyebrows of these sixteen thousand queens enchantingly expressed those ladies’ secret intentions through coyly smiling sidelong glances. Thus their eyebrows boldly sent forth conjugal messages. Yet even with these arrows of Cupid, and with other means as well, they could not agitate Lord Kṛṣṇa’s senses.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The arched eyebrows of these sixteen thousand queens enchantingly expressed those ladies' secret intentions through coyly smiling sidelong glances. Thus their eyebrows boldly sent forth conjugal messages. Yet even with these arrows of Cupid, and with other means as well, they could not agitate Lord Kṛṣṇa's senses.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
This verse describes their alluring activities. They could not conquer his senses with their eyes (karaniah), taking the form of cupid's arrows. What type of arrows were these? Arrows of showing sweet smiles, showing their intentions through glances, and skilful messages sent by the movements of their attractive eyebrows.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
This verse describes the special gestures they displayed (prahita) to attract him. Their brows were laden with secret plans related to love affairs (saurata-mantra-śauṇḍaiḥ), endowed with arrows of Cupid. This suggests their brows were like bows with the glances like arrows. Since they failed to attract him they sent out an abundance (maṇḍala) of glances steeped with secret plans for love affairs. The word yasya does not depend on a correlative. A clause with yat need not have a corresponding tat, since the relationship is implied. An example is found the verse sādhu candramasi puṣkaraiḥ kṛtaṁ nīlitaṁ yad abhirāmatādhike of Kāvya-prakāśa 7.188. The present verse indicates that the gopīs of Vraja were superior to the queens because of their possession of the highest pure prema.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Their charms are described. The phrases modify “with arrows of Cupid.” Anaṅga-bānaiḥ also means “with arrows which pierce the sensitive points so that the limbs do not function.” Their brows were like bows for the arrows. Arrow-like glances with intoxicated messages of love were released by their brows. But they could not agitate his senses as the gopīs did (vi-mathum).
The word tu means though. Though they were sixteen thousand (hundred and eight), they could not agitate his senses.