गङ्गां च मनसि ध्यात्वा दिमीशं तं महेश्वरम् । प्रजगामोद्धवश्चैव दृष्ट्वा मङ्गलमूचकम्
Meditating on Gaṅgā in his mind, and on the lord Maheśvara, Uddhava proceeded, seeing auspicious signs.
शुश्राव दुंदुभिं घण्टानादं शङ्खध्वनिं तथा । हरिशब्दं च संगीतं शुश्राव मङ्गलध्वनिम्
He heard the sound of drums, bells, and conch shells, as well as the chanting of Hari's name and auspicious music.
पतिपुत्रवतीं साध्वीं प्रदीपं माल्यदर्पणम् । परिबूर्णतमं कुम्भं दधिलाजफलानि च
He saw a virtuous woman with husband and son, a lamp, garlands, a mirror, a fully filled pot, and offerings of yogurt, rice, and fruits.
दूर्वाङ्कुरं शुक्लधान्यं रजतं काञ्चनं मधु । ब्राह्मणानां समूहं च कृष्णसारं वृषं घृतम्
He saw sprigs of dūrvā grass, white grains, silver, gold, honey, a group of brāhmaṇas, a black antelope, a bull, and clarified butter.
सद्योमांसं गजेन्द्रं च नृपेन्द्रं श्वेतघोटकम् । पताकां नकुलं चाषं शुक्लं पुष्पं च चन्दनम्
He saw fresh meat, a great elephant, a king, a white horse, banners, a mongoose, a myna bird, white flowers, and sandalwood.
दृष्ट्वैवं पथि कल्याणं प्राप वृन्दावनं वनम् । ददर्श पुरतो वृक्षं भाण्डीरे वटमक्षयम्
Seeing such auspicious signs along the path, he reached the forest of Vṛndāvana and saw before him the imperishable banyan tree at Bhāṇḍīra.
स्निग्धपर्ण रक्तवर्ण पुण्यदं तीर्थमीप्सितम् । सुवेषान्बालकांश्चैव रत्नभूषणभूषितान्
He saw its tender leaves, red in color, the sacred and desired pilgrimage site, and boys adorned with jewels and ornaments.
वदतो बलकृष्णेति रुदतश्च शुचाऽन्वितान् । तानाश्वास्य ययौ दूरं प्रविश्य नगरं मुदा
He saw them calling out 'Bala Kṛṣṇa,' and some weeping in sorrow; comforting them, he went further, entering the city with joy.
ददर्श नन्दशिबिरं रचितं विश्वकर्मणा । मणिरत्नविनिर्माणं मुक्तामाणिक्यहीरकैः
He saw Nanda's camp, constructed by Viśvakarma, made of jewels and gems, adorned with pearls, rubies, and diamonds.
परिच्छन्नं मनोरम्यं सद्रत्नकलशान्वितम् । द्वारं चित्रं विचित्राढ्यं दृष्ट्वा च प्रविवेश सः
It was enclosed, delightful, furnished with vessels of precious stones; seeing the ornate and splendid gate, he entered.
अवरुह्य रथात्तूर्ण तस्थौ तत्प्राङ्गणे मुदा । यशोदा रोहिणी शीघ्रं पप्रच्छ कुशलं परम्
Quickly descending from the chariot, she stood joyfully in that courtyard; Yaśodā promptly and respectfully asked Rohiṇī about their well-being.
आसनं च जलं गां च मधुपर्कं ददौ मुदा । क्व नन्दः क्व बलः कृष्णः सत्यं तत्कथयोद्धव
With delight, she offered a seat, water, a cow, and the traditional welcoming gift; then asked, 'Where is Nanda? Where are Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa? Tell me truly, O Uddhava.'
उद्धवः कथयामास सर्व भद्रं क्रमेण च । सार्धं च बलकृष्णाभ्यां नन्दः सानन्दपूर्वकम्
Uddhava recounted everything in order, assuring their safety; and said that Nanda, together with Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, was well and joyful.
आयास्यति विलम्बेन कृष्णोपनयनावधि । युष्माकं कुशलं तत्वं विज्ञाय विधिपूर्वकम्
He will come after some delay, at the time of Kṛṣṇa's sacred thread ceremony; having learned of your well-being and circumstances, he will come as prescribed.
अहं यास्यामि मथुरां यशोदे शृणु सांप्रतम् । श्रृत्वा मङ्गलवार्ता च यशोदा रोहिणी मुदा
Now, I must go to Mathurā, O Yaśodā, listen; hearing these auspicious tidings, Yaśodā and Rohiṇī rejoiced.
ब्राह्मणाय ददौ रत्नं सुवर्णं वस्त्रमीप्सितम् । उद्धवं भोजयामास मिष्टान्नं च सुधोपमम्
She gave the brāhmaṇa precious gems, gold, and fine garments as desired; she served Uddhava delicious food, surpassing even nectar.
मणिश्रेष्ठं च रत्नं च ददौ तस्मै च हीरकम् । वाद्यं च वादयामास भद्रं नानाविधं तथा
She gave him the finest jewels, gems, and a diamond; music of various kinds was played, bringing joy.
ब्रह्मणान्भोजयामास कारयामास मङ्गलम् । वेदाश्च पाठयामास परमानन्दपूर्वकम्
She had the brāhmaṇas fed and arranged auspicious ceremonies; the Vedas were recited with supreme joy.
शंकरं पूजयामास विप्रद्वारा परं विभूम् । नानोपहारैर्नैवेद्यैः पुष्पधूपप्रदीपकैः
She worshipped Śaṃkara, the supreme Lord, through the brāhmaṇas, with various offerings, food, flowers, incense, and lamps.
चन्दनैर्वस्त्रताम्बूलैर्मधुगव्यघृतादिभिः । भवानीं पूजयामास श्रीवृन्दारण्यदेवताम्
With sandalwood, garments, betel leaves, honey, milk, ghee, and more, she worshipped Bhavānī, the goddess of sacred Vṛndāvana.
षोडशोपचारैर्द्रव्यैर्बलिभिर्विविधैर्मुने । महिषाणां शते शुद्धं छागालानां सहस्रकम्
With sixteen kinds of offerings and various gifts, O sage, she gave a hundred pure buffaloes and a thousand goats.
मेषाणामयुतं शुद्धं युक्तमादाय पञ्चकम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यः स्वर्णशतं धेनुनां च शतं तथा
She gave ten thousand pure sheep, yoked in fives, a hundred pieces of gold, and a hundred cows to the brāhmaṇas.
प्रददौ दक्षिणां तूर्ण कृष्णकल्याणहेतवे । उद्धवं पूजयामास सादरं च पुनः पुनः
She quickly gave these gifts as offerings for Kṛṣṇa's welfare; she honored Uddhava again and again with great respect.
समाश्वास्य यशोदां च रोहिणीं गोपबालकान् । वृद्धान्गोपालिकाः सर्वाः प्रययू रासमण्डलम्
After comforting Yaśodā, Rohiṇī, the cowherd boys, and all the elder cowherd women, they all went to the circle of the rāsa dance.
ददर्श रासं रुचिरं चन्द्रमण्डलवर्तुलम् । श्रीरामकदलीस्तम्भशतकैरुपशोभितम्
She saw the beautiful rāsa, round like the disk of the moon, adorned with hundreds of pillars of banana and plantain trees.
युक्तैश्च स्निग्धवसनैश्चन्दनानां च पल्लवैः । पट्टसूत्रनिबद्धैश्च श्रीयुक्तमाल्यजालकैः
It was decorated with soft garments, fresh sandalwood leaves, and garlands bound with silk threads, resplendent with wealth.
दधिलाजफलैः पट्टैः पुष्पैर्दूर्वाङ्कुरैरपि । चन्दनागुरुकस्तूरीकुङ्कुमैः परिसंस्कृतम्
It was adorned with yogurt, puffed rice, fruits, silk cloths, flowers, blades of sacred grass, and perfumed with sandal, aloe, musk, and saffron.
वेष्टितं सक्षितं यत्नाद्गोपिकानां त्रिकोटिभिः । त्रिलक्षैः सुन्दरै रम्यैः संसक्तं रतिमन्दिरैः
It was carefully enclosed and protected by three crores of gopīs, three hundred thousand beautiful and charming ones, joined together in pleasure pavilions.
लक्षगोपैः परिवृतं कृष्णागमनशङ्कितैः । यमुनां दक्षिणां कृत्वा प्रययौ मालतीवनम्
Surrounded by a hundred thousand cowherds, who were anxious about Krishna's arrival, he crossed to the southern bank of the Yamuna and went to the Mālatī grove.
चन्दनानां चम्पकानां यूथिकानां तथैव च । केतकीमाधवीनां च वनं कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम्
He circumambulated the grove of sandalwood, campaka, yūthikā, ketakī, and mādhavī flowers.