śrī-rājā uvāca - the King said; brahman - O brāhmaṇa, Śukadeva; para-udbhave - for the offspring of another; kṛṣṇe - Lord Kṛṣṇa; iyān - so much; premā - love; katham - how; bhavet - can be; yaḥ - which; abhūta-pūrvaḥ - unprecedented; tokeṣu - for the children; sva-udbhaveṣu - their own offspring; api - even; kathyatām - please explain.

King Parīkṣit said: O brāhmaṇa, how could the cowherd women have developed for Kṛṣṇa, someone else’s son, such unprecedented pure love — love they never felt even for their own children? Please explain this.