Texts 4-6
gopa-vṛddhāṁś ca vidhi-vad
yaviṣṭhair abhivanditaḥ
yathā-vayo yathā-sakhyaṁ
yathā-sambandham ātmanaḥ
samupetyātha gopālān
hāsya-hasta-grahādibhiḥ
viśrāntam sukham āsīnaṁ
papracchuḥ paryupāgatāḥ
pṛṣṭāś cānāmayaṁ sveṣu
prema-gadgadayā girā
kṛṣṇe kamala-patrākṣe
sannyastākhila-rādhasaḥ
gopa — of the cowherds; vṛddhān — the elders; ca — and; vidhi-vat — in accordance with Vedic injunctions; yaviṣṭhaiḥ — by those who were younger; abhivanditaḥ — respectfully greeted; yathā-vayaḥ — according to age; yathā-sakhyam — according to friendship; yathā-sambandham — according to family relationship; ātmanaḥ — with Himself; samupetya — going up to; atha — then; gopālān — the cowherd men; hāsya — with smiles; hasta-graha — taking of their hands; ādibhiḥ — and on; viśrāntam — rested; sukham — comfortably; āsīnam — seated; papracchuḥ — they asked; paryupāgatāḥ — having gathered on all sides; pṛṣṭāḥ — questioned; ca — and; anāmayam — about health; sveṣu — in regard to their dear friends; prema — out of love; gadgadayā — faltering; girā — with voices; kṛṣṇe — for Kṛṣṇa; kamala — of a lotus; patra — (like) petals; akṣe — whose eyes; sannyasta — having dedicated; akhila — all; rādhasaḥ — material possessions.
Lord Balarāma then paid proper respects to the elder cowherd men, and the younger ones all greeted Him respectfully. He met them all with smiles, handshakes and so on, dealing personally with each one according to age, degree of friendship, and family relationship. Then, after resting, the Lord accepted a comfortable seat, and they all gathered around Him. With voices faltering out of love for Him, those cowherds, who had dedicated everything to lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, asked about the health of their dear ones [in Dvārakā], and Balarāma in turn asked about the cowherds’ welfare.