Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 10.90.1-7

sri-suka uvaca

sukham sva-puryam nivasan

dvarakayam sriyah patih

sarva-sampat-samriddhayam

jushtayam vrishni-pungavaih

stribhis cottama-veshabhir

nava-yauvana-kantibhih

kandukadibhir harmyeshu

kridantibhis tadid-dyubhih

nityam sankula-margayam

mada-cyudbhir matan-gajaih

sv-alankritair bhatair asvai

rathais ca kanakojjvalaih

udyanopavanadhyayam

pushpita-druma-rajishu

nirvisad-bhringa-vihagair

naditayam samantatah

reme shodasa-sahasra-

patninam eka-vallabhah

tavad vicitra-rupo 'sau

tad-geheshu maharddhishu

protphullotpala-kahlara-

kumudambhoja-renubhih

vasitamala-toyeshu

kujad-dvija-kuleshu ca

vijahara vigahyambho

hradinishu mahodayah

kuca-kunkuma-liptangah

parirabdhas ca yoshitam

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca -- Sukadeva Gosvami said; sukham -- happily; sva -- in His own; puryam -- city; nivasan -- residing; dvarakayam -- in Dvaraka; sriyah -- of the goddess of fortune; patih -- the master; sarva -- all; sampat -- in opulent features; samriddhayam -- which was rich; jushtayam -- populated; vrishni-pungavaih -- by the most prominent of the Vrishnis; stribhih -- by women; ca -- and; uttama -- excellent; veshabhih -- whose dress; nava -- new; yauvana -- of youth; kantibhih -- whose beauty; kanduka-adibhih -- with balls and other toys; harmyeshu -- on the rooftops; kridantibhih -- playing; tadit -- of lightning; dyubhih -- whose effulgence; nityam -- always; sankula -- crowded; margayam -- whose roads; mada-cyudbhih -- exuding mada; matam -- intoxicated; gajaih -- with elephants; su -- well; alankritaih -- ornamented; bhataih -- with foot-soldiers; asvaih -- horses; rathaih -- chariots; ca -- and; kanaka -- with gold; ujjvalaih -- brilliant; udyana -- with gardens; upavana -- and parks; adhyayam -- endowed; pushpita -- flowering; druma -- of trees; rajishu -- which had rows; nirvisat -- entering (therein); bhringa -- by bees; vihagaih -- and birds; naditayam -- filled with sound; samantatah -- on all sides; reme -- He enjoyed; shodasa -- sixteen; sahasra -- thousand; patninam -- of wives; eka -- the only; vallabhah -- beloved; tavat -- that many; vicitra -- variegated; rupah -- having personal forms; asau -- He; tat -- their; geheshu -- in the residences; maha-riddhishu -- richly furnished; protphulla -- blooming; utpala -- of water lilies; kahlara -- white lotuses; kumuda -- night-blooming lotuses; ambhoja -- and day-blooming lotuses; renubhih -- by the pollen; vasita -- made aromatic; amala -- pure; toyeshu -- in bodies of water; kujat -- cooing; dvija -- of birds; kuleshu -- where there were flocks; ca -- and; vijahara -- He sported; vigahya -- diving; ambhah -- into the water; hradinishu -- in rivers; maha-udayah -- the all-powerful Lord; kuca -- from their breasts; kunkuma -- by the red cosmetic powder; lipta -- smeared; angah -- His body; parirabdhah -- embraced; ca -- and; yoshitam -- by the women.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: The master of the goddess of fortune resided happily in His capital city, Dvaraka, which was endowed with all opulences and populated by the most eminent Vrishnis and their gorgeously dressed wives. When these beautiful women in the bloom of youth would play on the city's rooftops with balls and other toys, they shone like flashing lightning. The main streets of the city were always crowded with intoxicated elephants exuding mada, and also with cavalry, richly adorned infantrymen, and soldiers riding chariots brilliantly decorated with gold. Gracing the city were many gardens and parks with rows of flowering trees, where bees and birds would gather, filling all directions with their songs.

Lord Krishna was the sole beloved of His sixteen thousand wives. Expanding Himself into that many forms, He enjoyed with each of His queens in her own richly furnished residence. On the grounds of these palaces were clear ponds fragrant with the pollen of blooming utpala, kahlara, kumuda and ambhoja lotuses and filled with flocks of cooing birds. The almighty Lord would enter those ponds, and also various rivers, and enjoy sporting in the water while His wives embraced Him, leaving the red kunkuma from their breasts smeared on His body.

PURPORT

One rule of poetic composition practiced by Vaishnava authors is madhurena samapayet: "A literary work should conclude in a mood of special sweetness." Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, the most tasteful narrator of transcendental topics, has accordingly included in this last chapter of the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam a description of Lord Krishna's water sports in the attractive setting of Dvaraka, followed by the rapturous prayers of the Lord's queens.

<<< >>>

Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari