lit up by his jeweled ornaments
which betrayed him in the dark
In the dark room, Kṛṣṇa is visible because his jewelled ornaments radiate light; he steals by his own ornamental light without needing a lamp.
भूषारत्नप्रकाशाढ्यो गोप्युपालम्भभर्त्सितः ।परागधूसराकारो मृद्भक्षणकृतेक्षणः॥
bhūṣāratnaprakāśāḍhyo gopyupālambhabhartsitaḥ ·parāgadhūsarākāro mṛdbhakṣaṇakṛtekṣaṇaḥ
lit up by his jeweled ornaments
which betrayed him in the dark
In the dark room, Kṛṣṇa is visible because his jewelled ornaments radiate light; he steals by his own ornamental light without needing a lamp.
chided by the gopīs' reproaches
The Bhāgavata describes the gopīs' exasperated complaints to Yaśodā: 'Your son steals butter, breaks pots, gives it to monkeys, and when caught he blames us!'
his little form grey with dust
The butter-thieving Kṛṣṇa, having tumbled through the goṣṭha dust, arrives at each house dishevelled and powdered — which only makes him more beautiful.
caught in the act of eating earth
When the friends report that Kṛṣṇa ate mud, Yaśodā comes and inspects his mouth; he opens his eyes wide and protests innocence — but she sees the whole world inside.