Verse 1.7.98

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.7.98:

तमिस्र-पुञ्जादि यद् एव किञ्चिन् मदीय-वर्णोपमम् ईक्ष्यते तैः ।
स-चुम्बनं तत् परिरभ्यते मद्-धिया परं तत् क्व नु वर्णनीयम् ॥ ९८ ॥

tamisra-puñjādi yad eva kiñcin madīya-varṇopamam īkṣyate taiḥ |
sa-cumbanaṃ tat parirabhyate mad-dhiyā paraṃ tat kva nu varṇanīyam || 98 ||

Upon seeing a mass of dense dark clouds as well as a Tamāla tree, or anything resembling my bodily complexion of syāma, the vrajavāsīs caress and embrace it, considering them my actual form. To whom can I relate all of this?

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

He is mentioning the activities of the vraja-vāsīs under the influence of sāttvika bhāvas in this verse beginning with tamisra (darkness).

“When the residents of Vraja, especially the gopīs, see anything that resembles my complexion, namely, an extremely charming, blackish complexion such as a dense dark cloud, a Tamala tree, and so forth, they consider that same object to be my actual form and begin to kiss and embrace it. Alas, this is a matter of great wonder! To whom shall I recount such activities, namely, their activities of imitating My pastimes? On the other hand, these incidences are not suitable for everyone, because not everybody has become qualified to hear these pastimes. Rather, all of them will receive a similar unhappiness by describing them; factually, these pastimes are not describable. Therefore, by residing in Vraja also, I shall not be able to remove their distress of impending separation by increasing their happiness. In this way, at present, during separation, they sometimes experience the happiness of meeting by full audience with me. Will they receive an even greater happiness than this if I reside in Vraja? Namely, I shall not be able to return their favors despite residing in Vraja.”

Therefore, by the previous consideration, it especially proves that Bhagavān is greatly indebted to them. In this way, Śrī Kṛṣṇa expressed His concern of incompetence, having refuted the fault of being ungrateful (akṛtajñatā).