Text 45
śrī-śuka uvāca
tatra teṣv ātma-pakṣeṣv a-
gṛṇatsu vijigīṣayā
vācaḥ peśaiḥ smayan bhṛtyam
uddhavaṁ prāha keśavaḥ
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; tatra — there; teṣu — they (the Yādavas); ātma — His own; pakṣeṣu — supporters; agṛṇatsu — not agreeing; vijigīṣayā — because of their desire to conquer (Jarāsandha); vācaḥ — of speech; peśaiḥ — with charming usage; smayan — smiling; bhṛtyam — to His servant; uddhavam — Śrī Uddhava; prāha — spoke; keśavaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When His supporters, the Yādavas, objected to this proposal out of eagerness to defeat Jarāsandha, Lord Keśava turned to His servant Uddhava and, smiling, addressed him with fine words.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains, “Just before the great sage Nārada arrived in the Sudharmā assembly house of Dvārakā, Lord Kṛṣṇa and His ministers and secretaries had been considering how to attack the kingdom of Jarāsandha. Because they were seriously considering this subject, Nārada’s proposal that Lord Kṛṣṇa go to Hastināpura for Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira’s great Rājasūya sacrifice did not much appeal to them. Lord Kṛṣṇa could understand the intentions of His associates because He is the ruler of even Lord Brahmā. Therefore, in order to pacify them, He smilingly [spoke] to Uddhava.”
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that the Lord smiled because He was about to demonstrate Uddhava’s brilliant ability to give counsel in difficult situations.