The gopas and gopis, honored (adrtah) by seeing their beloved (ati priya), with eyes thirsting to drink the nectar of his beauty (trsata iksana), glanced at him (aiksantah), looking over his whole body, for fear that he was wounded.

Hearing this, the cowherd men and women were surprised. They were attentive to Kṛṣṇa for his protection with great affection. They looked at him with attachment. They could not stop looking at him for a long time because their eyes could not be satisfied. They glanced with attachment and affection as if he had returned from death. The word iva (as if) is used because they thought he had returned from death. Or, it was like a friend returning from death. Or, being separated from him during any day, they all longed to see him, but on hearing that he had killed Baka that day, they became particularly attached to him and gazed at him more intensely.

Hearing this, the cowherd men and women were surprised and immersed in great affection. They gazed at him with attachment. This means that they became blissful on seeing from him for a long time, because their eyes were never satisfied fully. The reason for looking at him with attachment and affection was that it was as if (iva) he had come back from death. They thought in this way because of great affection. Or they thought of him like a friend who had returned from death. Or the gopīs were astonished. Ca here means “but.” They were distinguished from the cowherds by their intense prema. They were respected by Kṛṣṇa who was most dear and precious as he glanced at them. Thus they gazed at him with longing, with unsatisfied eyes. Or during the day in separation their eyes were thirsty for seeing him. And on hearing that he had killed Baka, they especially gazed at him with attachment.