॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ एकादशोऽध्यायः ॥
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Discourse XI
Right royal reception of Śrī Kṛṣṇa at Dwārakā (Preamble)
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सूत उवाच ।
आनर्तान् स उपव्रज्य स्वृद्धाञ्जनपदान् स्वकान् ।
दध्मौ दरवरं तेषां विषादं शमयन्निव ॥ १॥
स उच्चकाशे धवलोदरो दरो-
ऽप्युरुक्रमस्याधरशोणशोणिमा ।
दाध्मायमानः करकञ्जसम्पुटे
यथाब्जखण्डे कलहंस उत्स्वनः ॥ २॥
तमुपश्रुत्य निनदं जगद्भयभयावहम् ।
प्रत्युद्ययुः प्रजाः सर्वा भर्तृदर्शनलालसाः ॥ ३॥
तत्रोपनीतबलयो रवेर्दीपमिवादृताः ।
आत्मारामं पूर्णकामं निजलाभेन नित्यदा ॥ ४॥
प्रीत्युत्फुल्लमुखाः प्रोचुर्हर्षगद्गदया गिरा ।
पितरं सर्वसुहृदमवितारमिवार्भकाः ॥ ५॥
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Sūta continued : Reaching His highly prosperous territory of Ānarta, Śrī Kṛṣṇa blew His great conch (Pāñcajanya) to soothe as it were the grief of His people (caused by His long absence). (1)
Being thus blown, the conch, with its white bulb turned red on account of its contact with the rosy lips of the almighty Lord, shone resplendent in His lotus palms like a loudly singing swan perched on a pair of red lotuses. (2)
Hearing that (familiar) blast, which scared away the terror of the world, the entire population (of Dwārakā) sallied forth to meet him, longing to see their lord. (3)
They respectfully brought their presents to the Lord—who rejoiced in His own Self and was ever perfect in His own inherent bliss—even as one would offer lights to the sun-god (the ultimate source of all light); and, their countenance beaming with joy, they addressed Him, the friend and protector of all, in a voice choked with delight, even as children would speak to their father :—(4-5) (1-5)
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नताः स्म ते नाथ सदाङ्घ्रिपङ्कजं
विरिञ्चवैरिञ्च्यसुरेन्द्रवन्दितम् ।
परायणं क्षेममिहेच्छतां परं
न यत्र कालः प्रभवेत्परः प्रभुः ॥ ६॥
भवाय नस्त्वं भव विश्वभावन
त्वमेव माताथ सुहृत्पतिः पिता ।
त्वं सद्गुरुर्नः परमं च दैवतं
यस्यानुवृत्त्या कृतिनो बभूविम ॥ ७॥
अहो सनाथा भवता स्म यद्वयं
त्रैविष्टपानामपि दूरदर्शनम् ।
प्रेमस्मितस्निग्धनिरीक्षणाननं
पश्येम रूपं तव सर्वसौभगम् ॥ ८॥
यर्ह्यम्बुजाक्षापससार भो भवान्
कुरून् मधून् वाथ सुहृद्दिदृक्षया ।
तत्राब्दकोटिप्रतिमः क्षणो भवे-
द्रविं विनाक्ष्णोरिव नस्तवाच्युत ॥ ९॥
(कथं वयं नाथ चिरोषिते त्वयि
प्रसन्नदृष्ट्याखिलतापशोषणम् ।
जीवेम ते सुन्दरहासशोभित-
मपश्यमाना वदनं मनोहरम् ॥)
इति चोदीरिता वाचः प्रजानां भक्तवत्सलः ।
शृण्वानोऽनुग्रहं दृष्ट्या वितन्वन् प्राविशत्पुरीम् ॥ १०॥
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"O Lord, we ever bow down before Your lotus-feet, adored even by Brahmā (the Creator), Lord Śiva (Brahmā's son) and Indra (the ruler of the gods), the supreme resort of those aspiring for the highest bliss (final beatitude) and beyond the realm of Kāla (the Time-Spirit), the supreme Ruler (of all created beings). (6)
Be pleased to promote our happiness, O Creator of the universe; for You are our mother and disinterested friend, our lord and father; nay, You are our true preceptor and supreme Deity; we have become blessed by serving You. (7)
Oh, how fortunate are we in having You as our lord, since we behold Your lovely form, the abode of all charms, and Your countenance with its loving smiles and affectionate looks, a rare sight even for the gods residing in heaven ! (8)
Whenever, O Lord with lotus eyes, You depart for Hastināpura (the capital of the Kurus) or to Mathurā (the capital of the Madhus) to see Your friends and relations, every moment that passes without You appears to us as long as a myriad years; and we feel as miserable as eyes without the sun, O Acyuta". (9)
Hearing the words (of praise) uttered by the people (of Dwārakā), the Lord, who is so fond of His devotees, entered the city, extending His grace to all through His looks. (10) (6-10)
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मधुभोजदशार्हार्हकुकुरान्धकवृष्णिभिः ।
आत्मतुल्यबलैर्गुप्तां नागैर्भोगवतीमिव ॥ ११॥
सर्वर्तुसर्वविभवपुण्यवृक्षलताश्रमैः ।
उद्यानोपवनारामैर्वृतपद्माकरश्रियम् ॥ १२॥
गोपुरद्वारमार्गेषु कृतकौतुकतोरणाम् ।
चित्रध्वजपताकाग्रैरन्तः प्रतिहतातपाम् ॥ १३॥
सम्मार्जितमहामार्गरथ्यापणकचत्वराम् ।
सिक्तां गन्धजलैरुप्तां फलपुष्पाक्षताङ्कुरैः ॥ १४॥
द्वारि द्वारि गृहाणां च दध्यक्षतफलेक्षुभिः ।
अलङ्कृतां पूर्णकुम्भैर्बलिभिर्धूपदीपकैः ॥ १५॥
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Even as the city of Bhogavati (the capital of the region of Pātāla) is guarded by the Nāgas (a race of serpents, that are capable of assuming any shape they like), the city of Dwārakā was protected by the Madhus, the Bhojas, the Daśārhas, the Arhas, the Kukuras, the Andhakas and the Vṛṣṇis—branches of the Yādava race, who were their own equals in strength (were equalled by none). (11)
It was adorned with lotus-lakes that were surrounded by orchards, gardens and parks full of sacred trees and arbours rich in all the products of every season. (12)
The gates of the city and the palaces as well as the thoroughfares were adorned with festoons as a mark of festivity. The city was further decorated with flags and banners of various shapes and designs, the fluttering ends of which intercepted the sun here and there. (13)
Its highways, streets, bazars and quadrangles had been thoroughly cleaned and sprinkled with scented water and were strewn with fruits, flowers, unbroken rice and sprouts (that had been rained on the Lord as something auspicious). (14)
The entrance of every house in the city was adorned with curds, unbroken rice, fruits and sugar-cane, pitchers full of water, offering, incense and lights. (15) (11-15)
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निशम्य प्रेष्ठमायान्तं वसुदेवो महामनाः ।
अक्रूरश्चोग्रसेनश्च रामश्चाद्भुतविक्रमः ॥ १६॥
प्रद्युम्नश्चारुदेष्णश्च साम्बो जाम्बवतीसुतः ।
प्रहर्षवेगोच्छ्वसितशयनासनभोजनाः ॥ १७॥
वारणेन्द्रं पुरस्कृत्य ब्राह्मणैः ससुमङ्गलैः ।
शङ्खतूर्यनिनादेन ब्रह्मघोषेण चादृताः ।
प्रत्युज्जग्मू रथैर्हृष्टाः प्रणयागतसाध्वसाः ॥ १८॥
वारमुख्याश्च शतशो यानैस्तद्दर्शनोत्सुकाः ।
लसत्कुण्डलनिर्भातकपोलवदनश्रियः ॥ १९॥
नटनर्तकगन्धर्वाः सूतमागधवन्दिनः ।
गायन्ति चोत्तमश्लोकचरितान्यद्भुतानि च ॥ २०॥
भगवांस्तत्र बन्धूनां पौराणामनुवर्तिनाम् ।
यथाविध्युपसङ्गम्य सर्वेषां मानमादधे ॥ २१॥
प्रह्वाभिवादनाश्लेषकरस्पर्शस्मितेक्षणैः ।
आश्वास्य चाश्वपाकेभ्यो वरैश्चाभिमतैर्विभुः ॥ २२॥
स्वयं च गुरुभिर्विप्रैः सदारैः स्थविरैरपि ।
आशीर्भिर्युज्यमानोऽन्यैर्वन्दिभिश्चाविशत्पुरम् ॥ २३॥
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The noble-minded Vasudeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa's father) and Akrūra (Vasudeva's cousin) and king Ugrasena (Śrī Kṛṣṇa's maternal granduncle) and Śrī Rāma (Balarāma, Śrī Kṛṣṇa's elder brother) of marvellous prowess, and Pradyumna and Cārudeṣṇa (Rukmiṇī's sons) and Sāmba, Jāmbavatī's son, in transport of joy, quitted their beds and seats and even meals on hearing of the return of their most beloved Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (16-17)
Excited with emotion and full of joy and esteem, they placed a lordly elephant at their head (to serve as a good omen); and accompanied with Brāhmaṇas reciting benedictory hymns and equipped with articles of good omen, they mounted their chariots and sallied forth to meet the Lord, amidst the blast of conchs and trumpets and the chanting of Vedic hymns. (18)
The chief among the courteans, whose faces looked very charming with their cheeks irradiated by splendid earrings, proceeded in their hundreds in palanquins, eager to have a look at Him. (19)
Even so actors, dancers and songsters as well as panegyrists, bards and minstrels glorified the wonderful exploits of the Lord of excellent renown. (20)
The Lord on that occasion met His kinsmen and attendants as well as the citizens in the appropriate manner and showed His consideration to all. (21)
Gratifying them all down to the pariah by bowing down His head, greeting in respectful terms, clasping to the bosom, pressing the hand of and greeting with smiles and endearing looks, and granting them boons of their choice, and Himself blessed by His elders, the Brāhmaṇas and their wives, the aged folk and others, including the panegyrists, the almighty Lord entered the city. (22-23) (16-23)
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राजमार्गं गते कृष्णे द्वारकायाः कुलस्त्रियः ।
हर्म्याण्यारुरुहुर्विप्राः तदीक्षणमहोत्सवाः ॥ २४॥
नित्यं निरीक्षमाणानां यदपि द्वारकौकसाम् ।
न वितृप्यन्ति हि दृशः श्रियो धामाङ्गमच्युतम् ॥ २६॥ (नैव तृप्यन्ति)
श्रियो निवासो यस्योरः पानपात्रं मुखं दृशाम् ।
बाहवो लोकपालानां सारङ्गाणां पदाम्बुजम् ॥ २६॥
सितातपत्रव्यजनैरुपस्कृतः
प्रसूनवर्षैरभिवर्षितः पथि ।
पिशङ्गवासा वनमालया बभौ
घनो यथार्कोडुपचापवैद्युतैः ॥ २७॥
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As Śrī Kṛṣṇa was passing along the main road, the women of respectful families of Dvārakā went up to the top of their mansions, O Śaunaka, to enjoy the grand feast of His sight. (24)
The bosom of Lord Acyuta (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) is the abode of Śrī (the goddess of prosperity); His countenance, a cup of nectar for all eyes to drink from; His arms, the habitat of the guardians of the different worlds (who ever reside in them); His lotus-like feet, the home of the bee-like devotees; nay, each of His limbs is an embodiment of elegance. That is why the eyes of the residents of Dwārakā knew no satiety, even though they beheld Him everyday. (25-26)
With the white umbrella spread over His head and a pair of chowries waving on both sides and flowers raining all round, the Lord, who was clad in yellow robes and adorned with His garland of sylvan flowers, shone on the road like a cloud with the sun shining overhead, a pair of moons moving in a circle about it, stars scattered all round and a rainbow and flashes of lightning illuminating it. (27) (24-27)
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प्रविष्टस्तु गृहं पित्रोः परिष्वक्तः स्वमातृभिः ।
ववन्दे शिरसा सप्त देवकीप्रमुखा मुदा ॥ २८॥
ताः पुत्रमङ्कमारोप्य स्नेहस्नुतपयोधराः ।
हर्षविह्वलितात्मानः सिषिचुर्नेत्रजैर्जलैः ॥ २९॥
अथाविशत्स्वभवनं सर्वकाममनुत्तमम् ।
प्रासादा यत्र पत्नीनां सहस्राणि च षोडश ॥ ३०॥
पत्न्यः पतिं प्रोष्य गृहानुपागतं
विलोक्य सञ्जातमनोमहोत्सवाः ।
उत्तस्थुरारात्सहसाऽऽसनाशया-
त्साकं व्रतैर्व्रीडितलोचनाननाः ॥ ३१॥
तमात्मजैर्दृष्टिभिरन्तरात्मना
दुरन्तभावाः परिरेभिरे पतिम् ।
निरुद्धमप्यास्रवदम्बुनेत्रयो-
र्विलज्जतीनां भृगुवर्य वैक्लवात् ॥ ३२॥
यद्यप्यसौ पार्श्वगतो रहोगत-
स्तथापि तस्याङ्घ्रियुगं नवं नवम् ।
पदे पदे का विरमेत तत्पदा-
च्चलापि यच्छ्रीर्न जहाति कर्हिचित् ॥ ३३॥
एवं नृपाणां क्षितिभारजन्मना-
मक्षौहिणीभिः परिवृत्ततेजसाम् ।
विधाय वैरं श्वसनो यथानलं
मिथो वधेनोपरतो निरायुधः ॥ ३४॥
स एष नरलोकेऽस्मिन्नवतीर्णः स्वमायया ।
रेमे स्त्रीरत्नकूटस्थो भगवान् प्राकृतो यथा ॥ ३५॥
उद्दामभावपिशुनामलवल्गुहास-
व्रीडावलोकनिहतो मदनोऽपि यासाम् ।
सम्मुह्य तापमजहात्प्रमदोत्तमास्ता
यस्येन्द्रियं विमथितुं कुहकैर्न शेकुः ॥ ३६॥
तमयं मन्यते लोको ह्यसङ्गमपि सङ्गिनम् ।
आत्मौपम्येन मनुजं व्यापृण्वानं यतोऽबुधः ॥ ३७॥
एतदीशनमीशस्य प्रकृतिस्थोऽपि तद्गुणैः ।
न युज्यते सदाऽऽत्मस्थैर्यथा बुद्धिस्तदाश्रया ॥ ३८॥
तं मेनिरेऽबला मूढाः स्त्रैणं चानुव्रतं रहः ।
अप्रमाणविदो भर्तुरीश्वरं मतयो यथा ॥ ३९॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
प्रथमस्कन्धे नैमिषीयोपाख्याने श्रीकृष्णद्वारकाप्रवेशो
नामैकादशोऽध्यायः ॥ १.११॥
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First of all He entered the palace of His parents (Devakī and Vasudeva) and gladly bowed His head to all His seven mothers, Devakī and others, who in their turn clasped Him to their bosom. (28)
As they placed their son in their lap, milk flowed from their breasts (even in their old age) due to their affection for Him; and beside themselves with joy, they bathed Him in tears. (29)
He next entered His own palace, unsurpassed by any other, which was equipped with all that could be desired and had a separate mansion for each of His consorts, sixteen thousands and odd in number. (30)
The ladies felt overjoyed at heart to behold from a distance their lord, who had returned home after a long absence; and, with bashful eyes and faces, they quickly abandoned their seats as well as their thought of Him (not that He was present before them in person) as also the vows of austerity (that they had taken during the absence of their lord). (31)
Full of infinite love, they embraced their Lord, first mentally, then by their sight and lastly by their body as well through their babes (under the pretext of offering the babes for His embrace or in the person of the babes themselves according to the maxim that it is the father himself who is born in the shape of his son—आत्मा वै जायते पुत्रः). The tears which they had so far kept within the corners of their eyes out of their bashful nature now trickled down, in spite of themselves, O Śaunaka (foremost of the Bhṛgus), since they could no longer control their emotion. (32)
Although He (ever) remained by their side and that too in their private chamber, His feet appeared to them as full of fresher charm every moment. What woman would cease to love those feet, which even Śrī (the Goddess of Fortune) cannot abandon even for a moment, though noted for Her fickleness ? (33)
Even as the wind burns a whole thicket of bamboos by producing fire (through the abrasion of one bamboo against another), so did Śrī Kṛṣṇa work the mutual destruction (in the shape of the Mahābhārata war) of princes who had proved a burden to the earth since their very birth and grown very powerful in the meantime, by pitting one against another, and in a like manner brought about the extermination of their hosts as well, Himself adhering to His vow of not taking up arms; and (having thus accomplished the object of His descent on earth) He became silent. (34)
It was the same Lord who, having appeared in this mortal world in His own playful way, sported in the midst of thousands of most charming women like a worldly man. (35)
Stung by their guileless and winsome smiles and bashful looks, that bespoke their profound love, even Cupid (the conqueror of the world) fainted and dropped his bow. These jewels among women, however, could not disturb the serenity of His mind by their amorous gestures. (36)
Finding Him actively engaged like themselves, the people, ignorant as they are, look upon Him who is absolutely unattached as a human being full of attachment. (37)
Herein lies the divinity of the almighty Lord that, even though abiding in Prakṛti (Matter), He never gets tainted by the Guṇas (modes) of Prakṛti, just as a mind that has taken refuge in Him is never contaminated by the Guṇas of Prakṛti abiding in it. (38)
Nay, those ignorant ladies (Śrī Kṛṣṇa's consorts) themselves, little knowing His greatness, looked upon Him as a hen-pecked husband, devoted to their service in the private chamber, even as the notions of Aham (I-ness) conceive of God as sharing their own characteristics. (39)
- The Yājñavalkya-Smṛti says :—
(28-39)
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क्रीडां शरीरसंस्कारं समाजोत्सवदर्शनम् ।
हास्यं परगृहे यानं त्यजेत् प्रोषितभर्तृका ॥
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" A woman whose husband is away from her, should give up amusement, decoration of her body, visiting social functions, jesting and calling at another's house."
Thus ends the eleventh discourse entitled "The Entry of Śrī Kṛṣṇa into Dvārakā", forming part of the story relating to the Naimiṣa forest, in Book One of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (Preamble)
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