"Though he\has arrived at the edge of the town, hear why he is slightly delayed." His eyes are mad (mada), rolling about due to the bliss from seeing his father and other loved ones, or due to love generated from seeing the gopis. The first meaning is for those in vatsalya rasa and the second meaning is for those in madurya rasa. This will be understood later. He is giving some acknowledgement of respect by nodding his head, since, though a prince, he was still young, and not obliged to strictly follow the etiquette according to scriptural rules. He gives respect to those dear ones (sva suhrdam) offering blessings—the priests, elders, brothers, servants and tambula makers. This is the reason for his delay. Sva surdam also indicates his beloved gopis. Krsna gives respect to those gopis worshipping him with smiling blue lotus glances from the roof tops, by his own glances, unseen by others, signifying that he would fulfill their desires. His face was slightly flushed like a ripe badari fruit, due to thirst, hunger and fatigue from wandering in the forest. Or his face was flushed due to experiencing prolonged separation from his dear gopis. His tender cheeks were decorated with the glint from his gold earrings. Krsna is addressed as the lord of the yadus which here means lord of the gopas. The reason has been explained previously. (see 10.5.20). He walked slowly like the king of the elephants. With happy face, he approached nearer, cooling the eyes of the inhabitants of Vraja, which had become hot due to separation during the day.

His eyes roll slightly with intoxication. The word īśat (slightly) is used to indicate that Kṛṣṇa is actually viśuddha-sattva, not affected by material intoxication. His eyes roll from intoxication (mada), a transformation of joy in his heart. This is his natural symptom and also the special symptom of nava-yauvana. In this case it arises from seeing the gopīs. The members of the assembly appreciate the many words with various shades of meaning according to their own desires. Thus there is no fault of mixing contradictory rasas. His eyes roll a little, but in various ways (vi—ghūrṇita). This indicates the playful nature of his eyes. He gives respect to his friends and relatives who have come when he arrives in Vraja by obeisances, embraces, conversations with smiles, affectionate glances, joking glances and merciful glances. He wears a kunda garland that reaches his feet. He has tender (mṛdu) cheeks. Tender beauty is the natural quality of kaiśora age. He has natural beauty because of the combination of the earrings with his cheeks. But the beauty is enhanced by his elephant-like gait. By his slow movements, the earrings move to and fro. This creates special beauty on his cheeks. He is master of the people of Vraja (yadu—patiḥ). It is said in the Skanda Purāṇa: govardhanaś ca bhagavān yatra govardhano dhṛtaḥ rakṣitā yādava sarve indra-vṛṣṭi-nivāranāt When Kṛṣṇa lifted Govardhana, he protected the Yādavas from the rain of Indra. It is mentioned in Hari-vaṁśa that Balarāma also spoke to the gopīs when he came from Dvārakā. He said yādaveśv api sarveṣu bhavanto mama vallabhāḥ: among all the Yadus (people of Vraja) you gopīs are dearest to me. Thus Kṛṣṇa is lord of the cowherds (yadu), the object of the highest prema for Gokula, being its supreme shelter. Kṛṣṇa with a happy face relieves the cows of suffering and comes close. The cows feel suffering because of coming from far off with no rest, because of worrying about Kṛṣṇa’s discomfort and because of separation from him. He relieves them of distress and also gives them the highest bliss. Śrīdhara Svāmī says that vraja-gavām (the cows and Vraja) also indicates the gopīs. Kṛṣṇa relieves the suffering of the cows, carts and places (gavām) of Vraja and its people including the gopīs. Or, he relieves the suffering of the eyes. Gavām can mean “eye” according to Nanārtha-varga. His face is pale like a badari fruit. According to the gopīs’ bhāva, they discern that he also suffers separation from them. But if one disregards his inner feelings one could say he was pale because of fatigue. Like the moon rising in the evening, he appears in Vraja in the evening. Thus the pairs of verses recited by the gopīs have been completed.

His eyes roll slightly from joy or intoxication. That is natural to him, but particularly because of seeing the gopīs. They roll with variety (vi-ghūrṇa). This indicates the beauty of his eyes. He offers respect to the feet of his mother and father. Or he personally acknowledges the gopīs, by glancing everywhere and rolling his eyes. Or he breaks the pride of the gopīs by not returning quickly, because of playing for a long time with the cowherd boys. He wears a jasmine garland extending to his feet, to give joy to the cowherds and cows. His cheeks are soft, without whiskers, since he is of kaiśora age. He decorates his tender cheeks with earrings. Naturally the earrings and his cheeks combine, but because the earrings sway slowly when he walks, they touch his cheeks. As the lord of the Yadus, the Yadus gave mercy to the people of Vraja by having him stay there. Or yadu-pati can mean lord of the cowherds. This is stated in Skanda Purāṇa. He is the lord of the cowherds by manifesting great qualities. He appeared in their family for this purpose. He has a joyful face—with smiles and glances. This indicates that special bhāva has arisen in him. He frees the cows of their continual suffering. Or he wears a garland of flowers and leaves. This indicate his great beauty in his forest dress. It is understood that he has a peacock feather on his head and wears earrings. As well he wears a long guṣja necklace, as described previously. He has given up his previous dress and now wears a different costume. Because his desires are not completely fulfilled he slightly gives respect. His face is pale because they consider that he also suffers from separation, like them. Or he actually has a pale face from separation. Because he walks like an elephant, his earrings touch his cheeks. The earrings are like Lakṣmī kissing his cheeks. He frees the cows of Vraja from their distress by letting them meet their calves. This is unlike us. Just as the moon rises at the end of day, and meets the night after separation during the day, and is pale because of separation, so Kṛṣṇa appears at the end of the day, pale from separation and meets us. The moon is also lord of the Yadus since the Yadu dynasty begins with the moon. He causes people’s faces to become joyful (mudita-vaktraḥ) since he takes away their sorrow experienced during the day. He takes away suffering experienced during the day for the eyes (gavām) of the living entities (vraja).