Riddles of Madhumangal 

Verse 29-32
As the sakhas see Krishna coming, one of them touches his hand, another touches his chador and someone else touches his body. And they surround him and look upon him with loving joy.

Yashomati tells Krishna: "Oh child! Go to the goshala and let the calves drink their mother's milk. Afterwards you can milk them and hurry back for morning bhojan."

Thus Krishna joins with the sakhas and walks to the goshala. But on the way, Madhumangal looks at the sky, blinks his eyes, and recites a pun:

"O Sakha, look! Just as a fisherman throws his net to catch fish, the sun throws the net of its rays to catch the fish-like stars from the sky's ocean. But the stars, being very clever, hide deeper within the ocean."

Tika:
Madhumangal is Krishna's madhura rasa-nayaka and vidushaka (joker). His seva is connected with Krishna's interest in the gopis. As Krishna proceeds towards goshala with the sakhas, many Vraja sundaris come to the roofs of their homes to watch. But due to Balaram's presence, Krishna is unable to look at them to his full satisfaction. 

Although many cowherd boys are present, the inner meaning of Madhu's words can only be understood by the Priya-narma sakhas.* The stars referred to in the verse are the gopis standing on the roof, and Krishna's restless glances are compared to a fisherman's net. Thus, when Krishna tries to catch the minnow-eyed gopa kishori's within the net of his sidelong glances, they cleverly slip out of sight on the rooftops overhead!

Verse 33
The moon is called mriganka because its globe carries the mark of a deer. The newly risen sun is like a leaping tiger, which feeds on deer. Hence, the moon is fleeing over the western horizon in order to save its deer.

Tika:
Madhu's equivocal words continue. After describing the Vraja sundaris in the east, he looks to the west and notices the pretty gopis looking from their windows. And just as Krishna's tiger-like eyes try to devour them, they retreat like frightened deer!

Verse 34
"O Sakha, just look! The lady of the sky has taken off her jewels [the stars] and now, in the course of time, she is delivering the offspring [the moon] she had held in her womb. The cooing of the pigeons re-echo like the sounds of her labor pains!"

Tika:
After looking more closely, Madhumangal changes his opinion, exclaiming: "Na, na, that example won't suffice! The moon didn't hide, rather, just as a new baby suddenly falls from the womb, the moon-faced gopis fell to the ground from the ecstasy of your darshan! The wailing of their voices resembles the sound of a pregnant woman during labor!"

Verse 35
"O Chandra-vadana (moon-faced)! Just observe another amusing scene. As your moon face (and the sun) have defeated the moon, causing it to fade into oblivion, the lotus are smiling!"

Tika:
Madhumangal next points his finger towards the Vraja-padminis (lotus-like young girls of Vraja) standing near a reservoir: "As your moon-face always defeats the beauty of the moon in the sky, surely this is a cause of their joyful smiling!"

Verse 36
Enjoying Madhumangal's amusing comments, the sakhas smile and enter their respective cow pens.