Bhagavata Purana

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.

एतत् ईशनमीशस्य प्रकृतिस्थोऽपि तद्‍गुणैः । न युज्यते सदाऽत्मस्थैः यथा बुद्धिस्तदाश्रया

This is the sovereignty of the Lord: though he dwells in nature, he is never bound by its qualities, just as the intelligence of one who takes refuge in him is not affected by those qualities.

तं मेनिरेऽबला मूढाः स्त्रैणं चानुव्रतं रहः । अप्रमाणविदो भर्तुः ईश्वरं मतयो यथा

Foolish women, not knowing the measure of their Lord, thought of him as their own man, devoted to them in private, just as ordinary minds mistake the Lord for something limited.

वृषायमाणौ नर्दन्तौ युयुधाते परस्परम् । अनुकृत्य रुतैर्जन्तून् चेरतुः प्राकृतौ यथा

The two, roaring and bellowing like bulls in rut, imitated the cries of animals and played together, as if they were ordinary beings.

कदाचिद् यमुनातीरे वत्सान् चारयतोः स्वकैः । वयस्यैः कृष्णबलयोः जिघांसुर्दैत्य आगमत्

Once, while Krishna and Balarama were tending their calves with their friends on the bank of the Yamuna, a demon came, intent on killing them.