Text 4.20

यथा,

yathā,

This verse illustrates māna caused by intimate love (Kṛṣṇa speaks):

aham iha vicinomi tvad-giraiva prasūnaṃ kathaya katham akāṇḍe caṇḍi vācaṃ-yamāsi |
viditam upadhinālaṃ rādhike śādhi kena priya-sakhi kusumena śrotram uttaṃsayāmi ||

aham—I; iha—here; vicinomi—am picking; tvat-girā eva—only because of your speech; prasūnam—a flower (flowers); kathaya—speak (tell Me); katham—why; akāṇḍe—unexpectedly; caṇḍi—O angry lady; vācaṃ-yamā—silent (“one who restrains speech”); asi—You are; viditam—it is understood; upadhinā alam—enough of the deceit; rādhike—O Rādhikā; śādhi—give an order; kena—with which?; priya-sakhi—O dear girlfriend; kusumena—flower; śrotram—the ear; uttaṃsayāmi—I am decorating.

I have been picking flowers here only because You said to do so. Tell Me, O You who are unexpectedly angry: Why do You remain silent? Ah! Now I understand. Stop Your deceit, Rādhikā! Sweetheart, order Me: With which flower shall I adorn Your ear? (Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 15.107)

Commentary:

Viśvanātha Cakravartī elucidates: kāraṇābhāsa-bhava-mānam udāhartum āha, yathā veti. svādhīna-bhartṛkāyāḥ śrī-rādhāyā nideśenaiva puṣpāṇy avacityāgataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇo rādhāṃ mānavatīm ālakṣyāha, aham iheti. he caṇḍi! he akāraṇa-kopane! vācaṃ-yamā maunavatī. kṣaṇaṃ sthitvā īrṣyā-cihnam anākalayan sa-harṣam āha, viditaṃ jñātaṃ mayā kha-puṣpākāro’yaṃ te māno mad-vaiyāgryadarśanārtha iti bhāvaḥ. upadhinā kapaṭenālam.^[1] śādhi ājñāpaya.

“In this verse he exemplifies māna that originates from a semblance of a cause. Coming back after picking flowers only by the order of Śrī Rādhā, who is svādhīna-bhartṛkā (a heroine who controls her man), Śrī Kṛṣṇa, perceiving that Rādhā is in māna, speaks: “O You of causeless anger, why are You silent?” After a moment, not noticing any sign of resentment, He joyfully speaks: “I get it! This māna of Yours has the form of a flower in the sky!!! (it is nonexistent).” The gist is: “It was for the purpose of seeing My zeal!” “Enough of Your deceit. Order Me”” (Ānanda-candrikā 15.107).

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

This definition of upadhi is sourced as follows: kapaṭo’strī vyāja-dambhopadhayaś chadma-kaitave, kusṛtir nikṛtiḥ śāṭhyam, “The following words are synonymous [and mean pretext, deceit]: kapaṭa either in the masculine or in the neuter, vyāja, dambha, upadhi, chadman, kaitavam, kusṛti, nikṛti, and śāṭhyam” (Amara-koṣa 1.7.30).