अहो सनाथा भवता स्म यद्वयं त्रैविष्टपानामपि दूरदर्शनम् । प्रेमस्मित स्निग्ध निरीक्षणाननं पश्येम रूपं तव सर्वसौभगम्
Ah, we are truly blessed by you, for even the gods of heaven rarely behold what we see: your face, radiant with loving smiles and glances, and your form, adorned with all auspiciousness.
यर्ह्यम्बुजाक्षापससार भो भवान् कुरून् मधून् वाथ सुहृद् दिदृक्षया । तत्राब्दकोटिप्रतिमः क्षणो भवेद् रविं विनाक्ष्णोरिव नस्तवाच्युत
O lotus-eyed one, whenever you departed for the Kurus or the Madhus, wishing to see your friends, each moment became as long as millions of ages, like eyes bereft of the sun, O Acyuta.
इति चोदीरिता वाचः प्रजानां भक्तवत्सलः । शृण्वानोऽनुग्रहं दृष्ट्या वितन्वन् प्राविशत्पुरम्
Thus, as the people spoke these words, the Lord, ever affectionate to his devotees, listening and bestowing his gracious glance, entered the city.
मधुभोजदशार्हार्ह कुकुरान्धक वृष्णिभिः । आत्मतुल्य बलैर्गुप्तां नागैर्भोगवतीमिव
Protected by the Madhus, Bhojas, Dasharhas, Kukuras, Andhakas, and Vrishnis, whose strength was equal to his own, he made the city secure, like the serpents guard Bhogavati.
सर्वर्तु सर्वविभव पुण्यवृक्षलताश्रमैः । उद्यानोपवनारामैः वृत पद्माकर श्रियम्
In every season, with all prosperity, surrounded by auspicious trees, creepers, and hermitages, gardens, parks, and lotus ponds, the city shone with splendor.
गोपुरद्वारमार्गेषु कृतकौतुक तोरणाम् । चित्रध्वजपताकाग्रैः अन्तः प्रतिहतातपाम्
At the gates, doorways, and roads, festive arches were constructed, adorned with colorful flags and banners, and within, the sunlight was kept at bay.
सम्मार्जित महामार्ग रथ्यापणक चत्वराम् । सिक्तां गन्धजलैरुप्तां फलपुष्पाक्षताङ्कुरैः
The grand avenues, streets, markets, and squares were swept clean, sprinkled with fragrant water, and decorated with fruits, flowers, and grains.
द्वारि द्वारि गृहाणां च दध्यक्षत फलेक्षुभिः । अलङ्कृतां पूर्णकुम्भैः बलिभिः धूपदीपकैः
At the doors of each house, with yogurt, grains, fruits, and sugarcane, they were adorned with full pots, offerings, incense, and lamps.
निशम्य प्रेष्ठमायान्तं वसुदेवो महामनाः । अक्रूरश्चोग्रसेनश्च रामश्चाद्भुतविक्रमः
Hearing that their beloved was arriving, Vasudeva, noble-minded, Akrura, Ugrasena, and Rama of wondrous prowess,
प्रद्युम्नः चारुदेष्णश्च साम्बो जाम्बवतीसुतः । प्रहर्षवेग उच्छशित शयनासन भोजनाः
Pradyumna, Charudeshna, Samba, son of Jambavati, all, overwhelmed with joy, abandoned their beds, seats, and meals.
वारणेन्द्रं पुरस्कृत्य ब्राह्मणैः ससुमङ्गलैः । शङ्खतूर्य निनादेन ब्रह्मघोषेण चादृताः । प्रत्युज्जग्मू रथैर्हृष्टाः प्रणयागत साध्वसाः
Placing the lordly elephant at the front, accompanied by Brahmins chanting auspicious hymns, with the sound of conch shells and trumpets, honored by the chanting of Vedic hymns, they joyfully approached with chariots, moved by affection and awe.
वारमुख्याश्च शतशो यानैः तत् दर्शनोत्सुकाः । लसत्कुण्डल निर्भात कपोल वदनश्रियः
Hundreds of leading elephants, eager for his sight, with shining earrings, radiant cheeks, and faces, enhanced the splendor.
नटनर्तकगन्धर्वाः सूत मागध वन्दिनः । गायन्ति चोत्तमश्लोक चरितानि अद्भुतानि च
Dancers, actors, Gandharvas, bards, Magadhas, and singers sang the wondrous deeds and stories of the illustrious one.
भगवान् तत्र बन्धूनां पौराणां अनुवर्तिनाम् । यथाविधि उपसङ्गम्य सर्वेषां मानमादधे
The Blessed Lord, among his relatives and the citizens who followed him, approached each according to custom and honored them all.
प्रह्वाभिवादन आश्लेष करस्पर्श स्मितेक्षणैः । आश्वास्य चाश्वपाकेभ्यो वरैश्च अभिमतैर्विभुः
With humble greetings, embraces, hand-touch, and smiling glances, he comforted those who had been away, and granted desired boons to others.
स्वयं च गुरुभिर्विप्रैः सदारैः स्थविरैरपि । आशीर्भिः युज्यमानोऽन्यैः वन्दिभिश्चाविशत् पुरम्
He himself, with elders, priests, wives, and aged relatives, received blessings from others and entered the city, accompanied by singers.
राजमार्गं गते कृष्णे द्वारकायाः कुलस्त्रियः । हर्म्याण्यारुरुहुर्विप्र तदीक्षण महोत्सवाः
As Krishna proceeded along the royal road of Dvaraka, the noble women of the city ascended their mansions, eager for the great festival of his sight.
नित्यं निरीक्षमाणानां यदपि द्वारकौकसाम् । न वितृप्यन्ति हि दृशः श्रियो धामाङ्गमच्युतम्
Though the residents of Dvaraka gazed upon him constantly, their eyes were never satisfied, for he is the abode of fortune and the source of beauty.
श्रियो निवासो यस्योरः पानपात्रं मुखं दृशाम् । बाहवो लोकपालानां सारङ्गाणां पदाम्बुजम्
His chest is the dwelling place of fortune, his face the drinking vessel for the eyes, his arms the guardians of the world, and his lotus feet the refuge of the virtuous.
सितातपत्रव्यजनैः उपस्कृतः नवर्षैः अभिवर्षितः पथि । पिशङ्गवासा वनमालया बभौ यथार्कोडुप चाप वैद्युतैः
Adorned with white parasols and fans, showered with fresh flowers along the path, wearing yellow garments and a forest garland, he shone like the sun surrounded by clouds, a rainbow, and lightning.
प्रविष्टस्तु गृहं पित्रोः परिष्वक्तः स्वमातृभिः । ववन्दे शिरसा सप्त देवकीप्रमुखा मुदा
Entering his parents' house, embraced by his mothers, he bowed his head joyfully to Devaki and the other seven.
ताः पुत्रमङ्कं आरोप्य स्नेहस्नुत पयोधराः । हर्षविह्वलितात्मानः सिषिचुः नेत्रजैर्जलैः
Those women, with breasts wet from affection, lifted their son onto their laps and, overwhelmed with joy, bathed him with tears from their eyes.
अथाविशत् स्वभवनं सर्वकाममनुत्तमम् । प्रासादा यत्र पत्नीनां सहस्राणि च षोडश
Then he entered his own unsurpassed palace, fulfilling every desire, where there were sixteen thousand mansions of his wives.
पत्न्यः पतिं प्रोष्य गृहानुपागतं क्य सञ्जात मनोमहोत्सवाः । उत्तस्थुरारात् सहसासनाशयात् व्रतैः व्रीडित लोचनाननाः
His wives, after being separated from their husband and now seeing him return home, rose at once from their seats and beds, their hearts filled with festival-like joy, their faces and eyes cast down in modesty due to their vows.
तं आत्मजैः दृष्टिभिरन्तरात्मना दुरन्तभावाः परिरेभिरे पतिम् । निरुद्धमप्यास्रवदम्बु नेत्रयोः विलज्जतीनां भृगुवर्य वैक्लवात्
Though their feelings were difficult to restrain, those noble ladies of the Bhṛgu line embraced their husband with their children, gazing at him with inner longing; even as they tried to hold back, tears flowed from their eyes out of bashful emotion.
यद्यप्यसौ पार्श्वगतो रहोगतः तथापि तस्याङ्घ्रियुगं नवं नवम् । पदे पदे का विरमेत तत्पदात् चलापि यच्छ्रीर्न जहाति कर्हिचित्
Even though he was right beside them in private, at every step his pair of feet appeared ever new to them; which woman could ever cease from his feet, when even the restless goddess of fortune never abandons them?
एवं नृपाणां क्षितिभारजन्मनां अक्षौहिणीभिः परिवृत्ततेजसाम् । विधाय वैरं श्वसनो यथानलं मिथो वधेनोपरतो निरायुधः
In this way, after causing enmity among the kings—who were born as the burden of the earth and whose power was turned against each other with armies—he, like the wind extinguishing fire, brought about their mutual destruction and then stood apart, weaponless.
स एष नरलोकेऽस्मिन् अवतीर्णः स्वमायया । रेमे स्त्रीरत्नकूटस्थो भगवान् प्राकृतो यथा
He, the Lord, descended into this world of men by his own power and, surrounded by the choicest of women, enjoyed himself as if he were an ordinary man.
उद्दामभाव पिशुनामल वल्गुहास । व्रीडावलोकनिहतो मदनोऽपि यासाम् ॥ सम्मुह्य चापमजहात् प्रमदोत्तमास्ता । यस्येन्द्रियं विमथितुं कुहकैर्न शेकुः
Even Cupid, struck down by their passionate glances, bashful smiles, and sidelong looks, became bewildered and put aside his bow; yet those foremost women, with all their charms, could not disturb his senses with their wiles.
तमयं मन्यते लोको ह्यसङ्गमपि सङ्गिनम् । आत्मौपम्येन मनुजं व्यापृण्वानं यतोऽबुधः
People, being ignorant, consider him attached even though he is unattached, because they judge a man by their own standard, seeing him engaged in worldly affairs.