अन्योन्यशासनः क्रीडापटुः परमकैतवः ।प्रतिध्वानप्रमुदितः शाखाचतुरचङ्क्रमः॥
anyonyaśāsanaḥ krīḍāpaṭuḥ paramakaitavaḥ ·pratidhvānapramuditaḥ śākhācaturacaṅkramaḥ
amid the boys' commanding one another in play
'Who directs each other (with friends)' — Kṛṣṇa and his friends take turns being 'king' or leader in their games; the rotation of authority among equals is a Bhāgavata aesthetic ideal.
clever at games
'Skilled in play' — Kṛṣṇa is the master inventor of new games; whenever the boys grow bored, he devises a new amusement; his creative play-skill is celebrated.
full of supreme playful guile
'Supreme prankster (paramakaitava)' — Kṛṣṇa's deceptions are always for his friends' delight; the Bhāgavata distinguishes his loving 'pranks' from any malicious deception.
delighted by the echo of his own calls
'Delighted by echoes' — Kṛṣṇa calls out in the forest to hear his own voice echo back; the simple delight of a child playing with sound is recorded with tenderness by the text.
nimble at clambering among the branches
'Skilled in walking among branches' — Kṛṣṇa is adept at climbing trees and walking along branches; his agility in the forest canopy is described in the play sequences.
