In this verse begins a description in order to show how Krsna and Balarama displayed power (isa cestitah), mentioned in the previous verse. The boys spoke with prema. Thus under the guise of wanting to get tala fruit for themselves, they actually wanted to get the fruit for giving to Krsna and Balarama.

The first day’s herding cows was described as typical of other days. Now, to show some of the powers that Kṛṣṇa manifested while herding the cows to please his dear friends, a story is related. Balarāma’s name is mentioned before Kṛṣṇa’s because he was the most prominent in fighting. Subala and others were also friends. Śrīdāmā is mentioned first since he was the chief friend in Vraja. Another boy was called Stoka-kṛṣṇa. He was given this four syllable name because it would have been improper to call him Kṛṣṇa. His form was similar to Kṛṣṇa’s and thus giving a similar name, his father thought that the name would produce affection for Kṛṣṇa. The boys spoke out of love for a dear friend, not for obtaining tāla fruit and not for getting the demon killed. The nature of prema is sometimes expressed as a request for a desired object. Or they made the request with a desire that Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa could eat, out of affection as friends. Friend arises because of great similarity in which each has knowledge of the other’s abilities. asmān kim atra grasitā niviṣṭān ayaṁ tathā ced bakavad vinaṅkṣyati Has this living creature come to swallow us if we enter it? If he does so, he will immediately be killed like Bakāsura by Kṛṣṇa, without delay. SB 10.12.24 Thus the boys speak in the next verse with knowledge of Balarāma’s powers. The love indicated here is natural friendship mixed with vīrya-rasa similar to Arjuna requesting Kṛṣṇa’s help while fighting.

The first day’s herding cows was described as typical of other days. Now, to show some of the powers that Kṛṣṇa manifested while herding the cows to please his dear friends, a story is related. Subala and Stokakṛṣṇa were friends. Śrīdāma is mentioned first because of the excellence of his intense friendship or because he was the chief friend. Stokakṛṣṇa was a cowherd with a similar name to indicate his friendship. Or Kṛṣṇa was born first and named Kṛṣṇa. Ṣtokakṛṣṇa was born later, and because he was inferior to Kṛṣṇa was called Stokakṛṣna (little Kṛṣṇa). The word ādi indicates other chief friends like Aṁśu, Arjuna, Viśāla, Vṛṣabha, Ojasvī, Devaprastha, Varuthapa and Bhadrasena. They spoke out of prema, not with greed for the tāla fruit and not for killing the demon. They spoke to please their dear friend. The nature of prema is to sometimes request dear things. Or they requested because they were attached to glorifying his punishing the demons.