Fourth Sarga
Seeing the Bathing Places, Wells and So Forth of Mathurā Maṇḍala
1
Kṛṣṇa Dāsa continued, "Listen, O ocean of mercy, to the sublime description of Mathurā Maṇḍala. First behold the very beautiful capital of Madhupurī.
2
"Surrounding the city on three sides is an excellent and insumountable wall, and on its eastern side, the daughter of the sun flows southwards.
3
"On the northern and southern sides are two large gates equipped with smaller entrance doors that are composed of jewelled panels. To the southwest lies the king's garden, the embellishments of which are inlaid with many gems.
4
"On the east and north of the city are entrances with jewelled gates. They are replete with bejewelled places for performing fire yajñas. On the northern side of the garden is a dais for the king's throne.
5
"To the northwest of the city lies the prison, and to its south please observe to Your satisfaction the place where baby Kṛṣṇa passed urine.
6-8
"I shall give a description of that incident. O Prabhu, please hear it with attention. Out of fear of Kasa, the magnanimous and noble Vasudeva took the newly born Kṛṣṇa in his arms and walked towards the cowherd settlement of Nanda. As Vasudeva held Śrī Kṛṣṇa to his chest, he became aware that the baby was urinating. In a jubilant mood he quickly climbed upon this rock and set Him down for a moment. O Prabhu, this is the mark of Kṛṣṇa's urine which shines on the top of the rock.
9
"Thus all the people call this place Mūtra-sthānam or the Place of Urine. Please see to the south of this spot the house of Uddhava."
10
Hearing this, the Lord made a thunderous roar. Glancing at Prabhu, the very intelligent and spiritually advanced brāhmaṇa became anxious, and with folded hands addressed Him as follows:
11
"Please hear my words, O Kṛṣṇa! O enactor of divine pleasure-pastimes! O jagadguru! One who remains sober while taking darśana of the holy places can indeed achieve true satisfaction.
12
"Please see the house of the washerman to the east of Uddhava's house, and to the east of the washerman's house You can also see the house of the garland-maker.
13
"To the south of this house is the house of Kubjā, the hunch-backed woman, which was built by Viśvakarma, and to the southwest of Kubjā's house lies the extremely beautiful Raṅga-sthalam, the wrestling arena.
14
"To the southeast of the Raṅga-sthalam lies the splendid house of Vasudeva and to the northwest of it stands the house of Ugrasena, built by Lord Brahmā.
15
"Please see to the south the Deity form of Kṛṣṇa known as Gata-śrama, which means forever free from anxiety." When Śrī Gaura Candra saw that form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, His body became covered with ecstatic pulakas.
16-17
"The twelve extremely effulgent ghaṭṭas or bathing places to the south of the city are known in sequence by these names: Viśrāma, Śrama-śānta, Kasa-khālī, Prayāga, Tindu, Saptarṣi, Mokṣa, Koṭika, Bodhi, Śiva, Gaṇeśa, and Rājatīrtha.
18-19
"Raṅga-bhūmi (the sporting arena), which gives pleasure to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, lies in the southern portion of the city. To its south, please see the well dug by Kasa for the purpose (of throwing) Kṛṣṇa. It is thus known as Kāsa Kūpa or the well of Kasa. To the southwest is a kuṇḍa made by Agastya Muni.
20
"To the north of the city is the kuṇa known as Sapta Samudra or Seven Oceans. See the rock used by Kasa for killing the six sons of Devakī."
21
The Lord laughed upon hearing this, and the brāhmaṇa also laughed and said, "Prabhu, to the north of this spot You may see Bhūteśvara Liṅgam, the form of Lord Śiva, the master of all living beings.
22
"Again behold the Yamunā river, now joined with the Sarasvatī. Here is the Daśāśvamedha Ghaṭṭa, and there is Soma Tīrtha.
23
"Here are the ghaṭṭas named Kaṇṭhābharaṇa and Nāga-tīrtha, also the kuṇas headed by Samyama, where all the holy rivers combined together and surrounded the city."
24
After the Supreme Lord had finished circumambulating Mathurā City, He begged for bhikṣā and happily accepted the prasāda offered to Him in the house of Kṛṣṇa Dāsa.
25
Then while Kṛṣṇa Dāsa served Prabhu's feet, the Lord remembered and spoke of the sweetness of the transcendentally blissful Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Thus ends the Fourth Sarga entitled "Seeing the Bathing Places, Wells and So Forth of Mathurā Maṇḍala," in the Fourth Prakrama of the great poem Śrī Caitanya Carita.