Śrīmad Bhāgavatam|Canto 10 Chapter 90

Summary of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Glories

VERSE 10.90.1-7

śrī-śuka uvāca

sukhaṁ sva-puryāṁ nivasan
dvārakāyāṁ śriyaḥ patiḥ
sarva-sampat-samṛddhāyāṁ
juṣṭāyāṁ vṛṣṇi-puṅgavaiḥ

strībhiś cottama-veṣābhir
nava-yauvana-kāntibhiḥ
kandukādibhir harmyeṣu
krīḍantībhis taḍid-dyubhiḥ

nityaṁ saṅkula-mārgāyāṁ                                            
mada-cyudbhir mataṅ-gajaiḥ
sv-alaṅkṛtair bhaṭair aśvai
rathaiś ca kanakojjvalaiḥ

udyānopavanāḍhyāyāṁ
puṣpita-druma-rājiṣu
nirviśad-bhṛṅga-vihagair
nāditāyāṁ samantataḥ

reme ṣoḍaśa-sāhasra-
patnīnāṁ eka-vallabhaḥ
tāvad vicitra-rūpo ’sau
tad-geheṣu maharddhiṣu

protphullotpala-kahlāra-
kumudāmbhoja-reṇubhiḥ
vāsitāmala-toyeṣu
kūjad-dvija-kuleṣu ca

vijahāra vigāhyāmbho
hradinīṣu mahodayaḥ
kuca-kuṅkuma-liptāṅgaḥ
parirabdhaś ca yoṣitām

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; sukham — happily; sva — in His own; puryām — city; nivasan — residing; dvārakāyām — in Dvārakā; śriyaḥ — of the goddess of fortune; patiḥ — the master; sarva — all; sampat — in opulent features; samṛddhāyām — which was rich; juṣṭāyām — populated; vṛṣṇi-puṅgavaiḥ — by the most prominent of the Vṛṣṇis; strībhiḥ — by women; ca — and; uttama — excellent; veṣābhiḥ — whose dress; nava — new; yauvana — of youth; kāntibhiḥ — whose beauty; kanduka-ādibhiḥ — with balls and other toys; harmyeṣu — on the rooftops; krīḍantībhiḥ — playing; taḍit — of lightning; dyubhiḥ — whose effulgence; nityam — always; saṅkula — crowded; mārgāyām — whose roads; mada-cyudbhiḥ — exuding mada; matam — intoxicated; gajaiḥ — with elephants; su — well; alaṅkṛtaiḥ — ornamented; bhaṭaiḥ — with foot-soldiers; aśvaiḥ — horses; rathaiḥ — chariots; ca — and; kanaka — with gold; ujjvalaiḥ — brilliant; udyāna — with gardens; upavana — and parks; āḍhyāyām — endowed; puṣpita — flowering; druma — of trees; rājiṣu — which had rows; nirviśat — entering (therein); bhṛṅga — by bees; vihagaiḥ — and birds; nāditāyām — filled with sound; samantataḥ — on all sides; reme — He enjoyed; ṣoḍaśa — sixteen; sāhasra — thousand; patnīnām — of wives; eka — the only; vallabhaḥ — beloved; tāvat — that many; vicitra — variegated; rūpaḥ — having personal forms; asau — He; tat — their; geheṣu — in the residences; mahā-ṛddhiṣu — richly furnished; protphulla — blooming; utpala — of water lilies; kahlāra — white lotuses; kumuda — night-blooming lotuses; ambhoja — and day-blooming lotuses; reṇubhiḥ — by the pollen; vāsita — made aromatic; amala — pure; toyeṣu — in bodies of water; kūjat — cooing; dvija — of birds; kuleṣu — where there were flocks; ca — and; vijahāra — He sported; vigāhya — diving; ambhaḥ — into the water; hradinīṣu — in rivers; mahā-udayaḥ — the all-powerful Lord; kuca — from their breasts; kuṅkuma — by the red cosmetic powder; lipta — smeared; aṅgaḥ — His body; parirabdhaḥ — embraced; ca — and; yoṣitām — by the women.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvamī said: The master of the goddess of fortune resided happily in His capital city, Dvārakā, which was endowed with all opulences and populated by the most eminent Vṛṣṇis 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.

VERSE 10.90.8-9

upagīyamāno gandharvair
mṛdaṅga-paṇavānakān
vādayadbhir mudā vīṇāṁ
sūta-māgadha-vandibhiḥ

sicyamāno ’cyutas tābhir
hasantībhiḥ sma recakaiḥ
pratiṣiñcan vicikrīḍe
yakṣībhir yakṣa-rāḍ iva

SYNONYMS

upagīyamānaḥ — being glorified by song; gandharvaiḥ — by Gandharvas; mṛdaṅga-paṇava-ānakān — mṛdaṅga, paṇava and ānaka drums; vādayadbhiḥ — who were playing; mudā — joyfully; vīṇām — vīṇas; sūta-māgadha-vandibhiḥ — by Sūta, Māgadha and Vandi reciters; sicyamānaḥ — being squirted with water; acyutaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; tābhiḥ — by them (His wives); hasantībhiḥ — who were laughing; sma — indeed; recakaiḥ — with syringes; pratiṣiñcan — squirting back at them; vicikrīḍe — He sported; yakṣībhiḥ — with Yakṣī nymphs; yakṣa-rāṭ — the lord of the Yakṣas (Kuvera); iva — like.

TRANSLATION

As Gandharvas joyfully sang His praises to the accompaniment of mṛdaṅga, paṇava and ānaka drums, and as professional reciters known as Sūtas, Māgadhas and Vandīs played vīṇās and recited poems praising Him, Lord Kṛṣṇa would play with His wives in the water. Laughing, the queens would squirt water on Him with syringes, and He would squirt them back. Thus Kṛṣṇa would sport with His queens in the same way that the lord of the Yakṣas sports with the Yakṣī nymphs.

VERSE 10.90.10

tāḥ klinna-vastra-vivṛtoru-kuca-pradeśāḥ
siñcantya uddhṛta-bṛhat-kavara-prasūnāḥ
kāntaṁ sma recaka-jihīrṣayayopaguhya
jāta-smarotsmaya-lasad-vadanā virejuḥ

SYNONYMS

tāḥ — they (Lord Kṛṣṇa’s queens); klinna — wet; vastra — whose clothes; vivṛta — revealed; ūru — thighs; kuca — of their breasts; pradeśāḥ — the area; siñcantyaḥ — sprinkling; uddhṛta — scattered; bṛhat — large; kavara — from the braids of their hair; prasūnāḥ — whose flowers; kāntam — their consort; sma — indeed; recaka — His syringe; jihīrṣayayā — with the desire of taking away; upaguhya — embracing; jāta — arisen; smara — of feelings of lust; utsmaya — with wide smiles; lasad — glowing; vadanāḥ — whose faces; virejuḥ — they appeared resplendent.

TRANSLATION

Under the drenched clothing of the queens, their thighs and breasts would become visible. The flowers tied in their large braids would scatter as they sprayed water on their consort, and on the plea of trying to take away His syringe, they would embrace Him. By His touch their lusty feelings would increase, causing their faces to beam with smiles. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa’s queens shone with resplendent beauty.

VERSE 10.90.11

kṛṣṇas tu tat-stana-viṣajjita-kuṅkuma-srak
krīḍābhiṣaṅga-dhuta-kuntala-vṛnda-bandhaḥ
siñcan muhur yuvatibhiḥ pratiṣicyamāno
reme kareṇubhir ivebha-patiḥ parītaḥ

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; tu — and; tat — their; stana — from the breasts; viṣajjita — becoming attached; kuṅkuma — the kuṅkuma powder; srak — on whose flower garland; krīḍā — in the sport; abhiṣaṅga — due to His absorption; dhuta — shaken; kuntala — of the locks of hair; vṛnda — of the mass; bandhaḥ — the arrangement; siñcan — sprinkling; muhuḥ — repeatedly; yuvatibhiḥ — by the young women; pratiṣicyamānaḥ — being sprinkled in return; reme — He enjoyed; kareṇubhiḥ — by she-elephants; iva — as; ibha-patiḥ — the king of elephants; parītaḥ — surrounded.

TRANSLATION

Lord Kṛṣṇa’s flower garland would become smeared with kuṅkuma from their breasts, and His abundant locks of hair would become disheveled as a result of His absorption in the game. As the Lord repeatedly sprayed His young consorts and they sprayed Him in turn, He enjoyed Himself like the king of elephants enjoying in the company of his bevy of she-elephants.

VERSE 10.90.12

naṭānāṁ nartakīnāṁ ca
gīta-vādyopajīvinām
krīḍālaṅkāra-vāsāṁsi
kṛṣṇo ’dāt tasya ca striyaḥ

SYNONYMS

naṭānām — to the male performers; nartakīnām — the female performers; ca — and; gīta — by singing; vādya — and playing musical instruments; upajīvinām — who earned their livelihoods; krīḍā — from His sports; alaṅkāra — the ornaments; vāsāṁsi — and garments; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; adāt — gave; tasya — His; ca — and; striyaḥ — wives.

TRANSLATION

Afterward, Lord Kṛṣṇa and His wives would give the ornaments and clothing they had worn during their water sports to the male and female performers, who earned their livelihood from singing and from playing instrumental music.

VERSE 10.90.13

kṛṣṇasyaivaṁ viharato
gaty-ālāpekṣita-smitaiḥ
narma-kṣveli-pariṣvaṅgaiḥ
strīṇāṁ kila hṛtā dhiyaḥ

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇasya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; evam — thus; viharataḥ — who was sporting; gati — by the movements; ālāpa — conversing; īkṣita — glancing; smitaiḥ — and smiling; narma — by the jokes; kṣveli — playful exchanges; pariṣvaṅgaiḥ — and embraces; strīṇām — of the wives; kila — indeed; hṛtāḥ — stolen; dhiyaḥ — the hearts.

TRANSLATION

In this way Lord Kṛṣṇa would sport with His queens, totally captivating their hearts with His gestures, talks, glances and smiles, and also with His jokes, playful exchanges and embraces.

VERSE 10.90.14

ūcur mukundaika-dhiyo
gira unmatta-vaj jaḍam
cintayantyo ’ravindākṣaṁ
tāni me gadataḥ śṛṇu

SYNONYMS

ūcuḥ — they spoke; mukunda — upon Lord Kṛṣṇa; eka — exclusively; dhiyaḥ — whose minds; giraḥ — words; unmatta — crazed persons; vat — as; jaḍam — stunned; cintayantyaḥ — thinking; aravinda-akṣam — about the lotus-eyed Lord; tāni — these (words); me — from me; gadataḥ — who am telling; śṛṇu — please hear.

TRANSLATION

The queens would become stunned in ecstatic trance, their minds absorbed in Kṛṣṇa alone. Then, thinking of their lotus-eyed Lord, they would speak as if insane. Please hear these words from me as I relate them.

VERSE 10.90.15

mahiṣya ūcuḥ

kurari vilapasi tvaṁ vīta-nidrā na śeṣe
svapiti jagati rātryām īśvaro gupta-bodhaḥ
vayam iva sakhi kaccid gāḍha-nirviddha-cetā
nalina-nayana-hāsodāra-līlekṣitena

SYNONYMS

mahiṣyaḥ ūcuḥ — the queens said; kurari — O kurarī bird (female osprey); vilapasi — are lamenting; tvam — you; vīta — deprived; nidrā — of sleep; na śeṣe — you cannot rest; svapiti — is sleeping; jagati — (somewhere) in the world; rātryām — during the night; īśvaraḥ — the Supreme Lord; gupta — hidden; bodhaḥ — whose whereabouts; vayam — we; iva — just as; sakhi — O friend; kaccit — whether; gāḍha — deeply; nirviddha — pierced; cetāḥ — whose heart; nalina — (like) a lotus; nayana — whose eyes; hāsa — smiling; udāra — liberal; līlā — playful; īkṣitena — by the glance.

TRANSLATION

The queens said: O kurarī bird, you are lamenting. Now it is night, and somewhere in this world the Supreme Lord is asleep in a hidden place. But you are wide awake, O friend, unable to fall asleep. Is it that, like us, you have had your heart pierced to the core by the lotus-eyed Lord’s munificent, playful smiling glances?

VERSE 10.90.16

netre nimīlayasi naktam adṛṣṭa-bandhus
tvaṁ roravīṣi karuṇaṁ bata cakravāki
dāsyaṁ gata vayam ivācyuta-pāda-juṣṭāṁ
kiṁ vā srajaṁ spṛhayase kavareṇa voḍhum

SYNONYMS

netre — your eyes; nimīlayasi — you keep closed; naktam — during the night; adṛṣṭa — not seen; bandhuḥ — whose beloved; tvam — you; roravīṣi — are crying; karuṇam — pitifully; bata — alas; cakravāki — O cakravākī (female crane); dāsyam — servitude; gatā — attained; vayam iva — like us; acyuta — of Kṛṣṇa; pāda — by the feet; juṣṭām — honored; kim — perhaps; — or; srajam — the flower garland; spṛhayase — you desire; kavareṇa — in the braid of your hair; voḍhum — to carry.

TRANSLATION

Poor cakravākī, even after closing your eyes, you continue to cry pitifully through the night for your unseen mate. Or is it that, like us, you have become the servant of Acyuta and hanker to wear in your braided hair the garland He has blessed with the touch of His feet?

VERSE 10.90.17

bho bhoḥ sadā niṣṭanase udanvann
alabdha-nidro ’dhigata-prajāgaraḥ
kim vā mukundāpahṛtātma-lāñchanaḥ
prāptāṁ daśāṁ tvaṁ ca gato duratyayām

SYNONYMS

bhoḥ — dear; bhoḥ — dear; sadā — always; niṣṭanase — you are making a loud sound; udanvan — O ocean; alabdha — not obtaining; nidraḥ — sleep; adhigata — experiencing; prajāgaraḥ — insomnia; kim — or else, perhaps; mukunda — by Kṛṣṇa; apahṛta — taken away; ātma — personal; lāñchanaḥ — marks; prāptām — obtained (by us); daśām — the condition; tvam — you; ca — also; gataḥ — have reached; duratyayām — impossible to become freed from.

TRANSLATION

Dear ocean, you are always roaring, not sleeping at night. Are you suffering insomnia? Or is it that, as with us, Mukunda has taken your insignias and you are hopeless of retrieving them?

VERSE 10.90.18

tvaṁ yakṣmaṇā balavatāsi gṛhīta indo
kṣīṇas tamo na nija-dīdhitibhiḥ kṣiṇoṣi
kaccin mukunda-gaditāni yathā vayaṁ tvaṁ
vismṛtya bhoḥ sthagita-gīr upalakṣyase naḥ

SYNONYMS

tvam — you; yakṣmaṇā — by consumption; bala-vatā — powerful; asi — are; gṛhītaḥ — seized; indo — O moon; kṣīṇaḥ — emaciated; tamaḥ — darkness; na — not; nija — your; dīdhitibhiḥ — with the rays; kṣiṇoṣi — you destroy; kaccit — whether; mukunda-gaditāni — the statements made by Mukunda; yathā — like; vayam — us; tvam — you; vismṛtya — forgetting; bhoḥ — dear one; sthagita — stunned; gīḥ — whose speech; upalakṣyase — you appear; naḥ — to us.

TRANSLATION

My dear moon, having contracted a severe case of tuberculosis, you have become so emaciated that you fail to dispel the darkness with your rays. Or is it that you appear dumbstruck because, like us, you cannot remember the encouraging promises Mukunda once made to you?

VERSE 10.90.19

kiṁ nv ācaritam asmābhir
malayānila te ’priyam
govindāpāṅga-nirbhinne
hṛdīrayasi naḥ smaram

SYNONYMS

kim — what; nu — indeed; ācaritam — action done; asmābhiḥ — by us; malaya — of the Malaya mountain range; anila — O wind; te — to you; apriyam — displeasing; govinda — of Kṛṣṇa; apāṅga — by the sidelong glances; nirbhinne — which has been shattered; hṛdi — in the hearts; īrayasi — you are inspiring; naḥ — our; smaram — lust.

TRANSLATION

O Malayan breeze, what have we done to displease you, so that you stir up lust in our hearts, which have already been shattered by Govinda’s sidelong glances?

VERSE 10.90.20

megha śrīmaṁs tvam asi dayito yādavendrasya nūnaṁ
śrīvatsāṅkaṁ vayam iva bhavān dhyāyati prema-baddhaḥ
aty-utkaṇṭhaḥ śavala-hṛdayo ’smad-vidho bāṣpa-dhārāḥ
smṛtvā smṛtvā visṛjasi muhur duḥkha-das tat-prasaṅgaḥ

SYNONYMS

megha — O cloud; śrī-man — O honored one; tvam — you; asi — are; dayitaḥ — dear friend; yādava-indrasya — of the chief of the Yādavas; nūnam — certainly; śrīvatsa-aṅkam — upon the one who bears (on His chest) the special mark known as Śrīvatsa; vayam — we; iva — just as; bhavān — your good self; dhyāyati — meditate; prema — by pure love; baddhaḥ — bound; ati — extremely; utkaṇṭhaḥ — eager; śavala — distraught; hṛdayaḥ — whose heart; asmat — as our (hearts); vidhaḥ — in the same manner; bāṣpa — of tears; dhārāḥ — torrents; smṛtvā smṛtvā — repeatedly remembering; visṛjasi — you release; muhuḥ — again and again; duḥkha — misery; daḥ — giving; tat — with Him; prasaṅgaḥ — association.

TRANSLATION

O revered cloud, you are indeed very dear to the chief of the Yādavas, who bears the mark of Śrīvatsa. Like us, you are bound to Him by love and are meditating upon Him. Your heart is distraught with great eagerness, as our hearts are, and as you remember Him again and again you shed a torrent of tears. Association with Kṛṣṇa brings such misery!

VERSE 10.90.21

priya-rāva-padāni bhāṣase
mṛta-sañjīvikayānayā girā
karavāṇi kim adya te priyaṁ
vada me valgita-kaṇṭha kokila

SYNONYMS

priya — dear; rāva — of him whose sounds; padāni — the vibrations; bhāṣase — you are uttering; mṛta — the dead; sañjīvikayā — which brings back to life; anayā — in this; girā — voice; karavāṇi — I should do; kim — what; adya — today; te — for you; priyam — pleasing; vada — please tell; me — me; valgita — sweetened (by these sounds); kaṇṭha — O you whose throat; kokila — O cuckoo.

TRANSLATION

O sweet-throated cuckoo, in a voice that could revive the dead you are vibrating the same sounds we once heard from our beloved, the most pleasing of speakers. Please tell me what I can do today to please you.

VERSE 10.90.22

na calasi na vadasy udāra-buddhe
kṣiti-dhara cintayase mahāntam artham
api bata vasudeva-nandanāṅghriṁ
vayam iva kāmayase stanair vidhartum

SYNONYMS

na calasi — you do not move; na vadasi — you do not speak; udāra — magnanimous; buddhe — whose intelligence; kṣiti-dhara — O mountain; cintayase — you are thinking; mahāntam — great; artham — about a matter; api bata — perhaps; vasudeva-nandana — of the darling son of Vasudeva; aṅghrim — the feet; vayam — we; iva — just as; kāmayase — you desire; stanaiḥ — on your breasts (peaks); vidhartum — to hold.

TRANSLATION

O magnanimous mountain, you neither move nor speak. You must be pondering some matter of great importance. Or do you, like us, desire to hold on your breasts the feet of Vasudeva’s darling son?

VERSE 10.90.23

śuṣyad-dhradāḥ karaśitā bata sindhu-patnyaḥ
sampraty apāsta-kamala-śriya iṣṭa-bhartuḥ
yadvad vayaṁ madhu-pateḥ praṇayāvalokam
aprāpya muṣṭa-hṛdayāḥ puru-karśitāḥ sma

SYNONYMS

śuṣyat — drying up; hradāḥ — whose lakes; karaśitāḥ — shriveled up; bata — alas; sindhu — of the ocean; patnyaḥ — O wives; samprati — now; apāsta — lost; kamala — of lotuses; śrīyaḥ — whose opulence; iṣṭa — beloved; bhartuḥ — of the husband; yadvat — just as; vayam — we; madhu-pateḥ — of Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of Madhu; praṇaya — loving; avalokam — the glance; aprāpya — not obtaining; muṣṭa — cheated; hṛdayāḥ — whose hearts; puru — thoroughly; karśitāḥ — emaciated; sma — we have become.

TRANSLATION

O rivers, wives of the ocean, your pools have now dried up. Alas, you have shriveled to nothing, and your wealth of lotuses has vanished. Are you, then, like us, who are withering away because of not receiving the affectionate glance of our dear husband, the Lord of Madhu, who has cheated our hearts?

VERSE 10.90.24

haṁsa svāgatam āsyatāṁ piba payo brūhy aṅga śaureḥ kathāṁ
dūtaṁ tvāṁ nu vidāma kaccid ajitaḥ svasty āsta uktaṁ purā
kiṁ vā naś cala-sauhṛdaḥ smarati taṁ kasmād bhajāmo vayaṁ
kṣaudrālāpaya kāma-daṁ śriyam ṛte saivaika-niṣṭhā striyām

SYNONYMS

haṁsa — O swan; su-āgatam — welcome; āsyatām — please come and sit down; piba — please drink; payaḥ — milk; brūhi — tell us; aṅga — dear one; śaureḥ — of Śauri; kathām — news; dūtam — messenger; tvām — you; nu — indeed; vidāma — we recognize; kaccit — whether; ajitaḥ — the unconquerable one; svasti — well; āste — is; uktam — spoken; purā — long ago; kim — whether; — or; naḥ — to us; cala — fickle; sauhṛdaḥ — whose friendship; smarati — He remembers; tam — Him; kasmāt — for what reason; bhajāmaḥ — should worship; vayam — we; kṣaudra — O servant of Him who is petty; ālāpaya — tell Him to come; kāma — desire; dam — who bestows; śriyam — the goddess of fortune; ṛte — without; — she; eva — alone; eka-niṣṭhā — exclusively devoted; striyām — among women.

TRANSLATION

Welcome, swan. Please sit here and drink some milk. Give us some news of the descendant of Śūra, dear one. We know you are His messenger. Is that invincible Lord doing well, and does that unreliable friend of ours still remember the words He spoke to us long ago? Why should we go and worship Him? O servant of a petty master, go tell Him who fulfills our desires to come here without the goddess of fortune. Is she the only woman exclusively devoted to Him?

VERSE 10.90.25

śrī-śuka uvāca

itīdṛśena bhāvena
kṛṣṇe yogeśvareśvare
kriyamāṇena mādhavyo
lebhire paramāṁ gatim

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — speaking thus; īdṛśena — with such; bhāvena — ecstatic love; kṛṣṇe — for Kṛṣṇa; yoga-īśvara — of masters of yoga; īśvare — the master; kriyamāṇena — behaving; mādhavyaḥ — the wives of Lord Mādhava; lebhire — they attained; paramām — ultimate; gatim — the goal.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: By thus speaking and acting with such ecstatic love for Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of all masters of mystic yoga, His loving wives attained the ultimate goal of life.

VERSE 10.90.26

śruta-mātro ’pi yaḥ strīṇāṁ
prasahyākarṣate manaḥ
uru-gāyoru-gīto vā
paśyantīnāṁ ca kiṁ punaḥ

SYNONYMS

śruta — heard about; mātraḥ — merely; api — even; yaḥ — who (Lord Kṛṣṇa); strīṇām — of women; prasahya — by force; ākarṣate — attracts; manaḥ — the minds; uru — numerous; gāya — by songs; uru — in numerous ways; gītaḥ — sung about; — on the other hand; paśyantīnām — of those women who see him; ca — and; kim — what; punaḥ — more.

TRANSLATION

The Lord, whom countless songs glorify in countless ways, forcibly attracts the minds of all women who simply hear about Him. What to speak, then, of those women who see Him directly?

VERSE 10.90.27

yāḥ samparyacaran premṇā
pāda-saṁvāhanādibhiḥ
jagad-guruṁ bhartṛ-buddhyā
tāsāṁ kim varṇyate tapaḥ

SYNONYMS

yāḥ — who; samparyacaran — perfectly served; premṇā — with pure love; pāda — His feet; saṁvāhana — by massaging; ādibhiḥ — and so forth; jagat — of the universe; gurum — the spiritual master; bhartṛ — as their husband; buddhyā — with the attitude; tāsām — of them; kim — how; varṇyate — can be described; tapaḥ — the austere penances.

TRANSLATION

And how could one possibly describe the great austerities that had been performed by the women who perfectly served Him, the spiritual master of the universe, in pure ecstatic love? Thinking of Him as their husband, they rendered such intimate services as massaging His feet.

VERSE 10.90.28

evaṁ vedoditaṁ dharmam
anutiṣṭhan satāṁ gatiḥ
gṛhaṁ dharmārtha-kāmānāṁ
muhuś cādarśayat padam

SYNONYMS

evam — in this manner; veda — by the Vedas; uditam — spoken; dharmam — the principles of religion; anutiṣṭhan — executing; satām — of saintly devotees; gatiḥ — the goal; gṛham — one’s home; dharma — of religiosity; artha — economic development; kāmānām — and sense gratification; muhuḥ — repeatedly; ca — and; ādarśayat — He demonstrated; padam — as the place.

TRANSLATION

Thus observing the principles of duty enunciated in the Vedas, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the goal of the saintly devotees, repeatedly demonstrated how one can achieve at home the objectives of religiosity, economic development and regulated sense gratification.

VERSE 10.90.29

āsthitasya paraṁ dharmaṁ
kṛṣṇasya gṛha-medhinām
āsan ṣoḍaśa-sāhasraṁ
mahiṣyaś ca śatādhikam

SYNONYMS

āsthitasya — who was situated in; param — the highest; dharmam — religious principles; kṛṣṇasya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; gṛha-medhinām — of those in the household order of life; āsan — there were; ṣoḍaśa — sixteen; sāhasram — thousand; mahiṣyaḥ — queens; ca — and; śata — one hundred; adhikam — plus.

TRANSLATION

While fulfilling the highest standards of religious householder life, Lord Kṛṣṇa maintained more than 16,100 wives.

VERSE 10.90.30

tāsāṁ strī-ratna-bhūtānām
aṣṭau yāḥ prāg udāhṛtāḥ
rukmiṇī-pramukhā rājaṁs
tat-putrāś cānupūrvaśaḥ

SYNONYMS

tāsām — among them; strī — of women; ratna — gems; bhūtānām — who were; aṣṭau — eight; yāḥ — who; prāk — previously; udāhṛtāḥ — described; rukmiṇī-pramukhāḥ — headed by Rukmiṇī; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); tat — their; putrāḥ — sons; ca — also; anupūrvaśaḥ — in consecutive order.

TRANSLATION

Among these jewellike women were eight principal queens, headed by Rukmiṇī. I have already described them one after another, O King, along with their sons.

VERSE 10.90.31

ekaikasyāṁ daśa daśa
kṛṣṇo ’jījanad ātmajān
yāvatya ātmano bhāryā
amogha-gatir īśvaraḥ

SYNONYMS

eka-ekasyām — in each one of them; daśa daśa — ten each; kṛṣṇaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; ajījanat — begot; ātma-jān — sons; yāvatyaḥ — as many as; ātmanaḥ — His; bhāryāḥ — wives; amogha — never frustrated; gatiḥ — whose effort; īśvaraḥ — the Supreme Lord.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose endeavor never fails, begot ten sons in each of His many wives.

VERSE 10.90.32

teṣām uddāma-vīryāṇām
aṣṭā-daśa mahā-rathāḥ
āsann udāra-yaśasas
teṣāṁ nāmāni me śṛṇu

SYNONYMS

teṣām — of these (sons); uddāma — unlimited; vīryāṇām — whose prowess; aṣṭā-daśa — eighteen; mahā-rathāḥ — mahā-rathas, the highest class of chariot warriors; āsan — were; udāra — widespread; yaśasaḥ — whose fame; teṣām — their; nāmāni — names; me — from me; śṛṇu — hear.

TRANSLATION

Among these sons, all possessing unlimited valor, eighteen were mahā-rathas of great renown. Now hear their names from me.

VERSE 10.90.33-34

pradyumnaś cāniruddhaś ca
dīptimān bhānur eva ca
sāmbo madhur bṛhadbhānuś
citrabhānur vṛko ’ruṇaḥ

puṣkaro vedabāhuś ca
śrutadevaḥ sunandanaḥ
citrabāhur virūpaś ca
kavir nyagrodha eva ca

SYNONYMS

pradyumnaḥ — Pradyumna; ca — and; aniruddhaḥ — Aniruddha; ca — and; dīptimān bhānuḥ — Dīptimān and Bhānu; eva ca — also; sāmbaḥ madhuḥ bṛhat-bhānuḥ — Sāmba, Madhu and Bṛhadbhānu; citra-bhānuḥ vṛkaḥ aruṇaḥ — Citrabhānu, Vṛka and Aruṇa; puṣkaraḥ veda-bāhuḥ ca — Puṣkara and Vedabāhu; śrutadevaḥ sunandanaḥ — Śrutadeva and Sunandana; citra-bāhuḥ virūpaḥ ca — Citrabāhu and Virūpa; kaviḥ nyagrodhaḥ — Kavi and Nyagrodha; eva ca — also.

TRANSLATION

They were Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Dīptimān, Bhānu, Sāmba, Madhu, Bṛhadbhānu, Citrabhānu, Vṛka, Aruṇa, Puṣkara, Vedabāhu, Śrutadeva, Sunandana, Citrabāhu, Virūpa, Kavi and Nyagrodha.

VERSE 10.90.35

eteṣām api rājendra
tanu-jānāṁ madhu-dviṣaḥ
pradyumna āsīt prathamaḥ
pitṛ-vad rukmiṇī-sutaḥ

SYNONYMS

eteṣām — of these; api — and; rāja-indra — O most eminent of kings; tanu-jānām — sons; madhu-dviṣaḥ — of Kṛṣṇa, enemy of the demon Madhu; pradyumnaḥ — Pradyumna; āsīt — was; prathamaḥ — first; pitṛvat — just like His father; rukmiṇī-sutaḥ — son of Rukmiṇī.

TRANSLATION

O best of kings, of these sons begotten by Lord Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Madhu, the most prominent was Rukmiṇī’s son Pradyumna. He was just like His father.

VERSE 10.90.36

sa rukmiṇo duhitaram
upayeme mahā-rathaḥ
tasyāṁ tato ’niruddho ’bhūt
nāgāyata-balānvitaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — He (Pradyumna); rukmiṇaḥ — of Rukmī (the oldest brother of Rukmiṇī); duhitaram — the daughter, Rukmavatī; upayeme — married; mahā-rathaḥ — the great chariot warrior; tasyām — in her; tataḥ — then; aniruddhaḥ — Aniruddha; abhūt — was born; nāga — of elephants; ayuta — ten thousand; bala — with the strength; anvitaḥ — endowed.

TRANSLATION

The great warrior Pradyumna married Rukmī’s daughter [Rukmavatī], who gave birth to Aniruddha. He was as strong as ten thousand elephants.

VERSE 10.90.37

sa cāpi rukmiṇaḥ pautrīṁ
dauhitro jagṛhe tataḥ
vajras tasyābhavad yas tu
mauṣalād avaśeṣitaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he (Aniruddha); ca — and; api — furthermore; rukmiṇaḥ — of Rukmī; pautrīm — the granddaughter, Rocanā; dauhitraḥ — (Rukmī’s) daughter’s son; jagṛhe — took; tataḥ — then; vajraḥ — Vajra; tasya — as his son; abhavat — took birth; yaḥ — who; tu — but; mauṣalāt — after the pastime in which the Yadus slaughtered each other with iron clubs; avaśeṣitaḥ — remained.

TRANSLATION

Rukmī’s daughter’s son [Aniruddha] married Rukmī’s son’s daughter [Rocana]. From her was born Vajra, who would remain among the few survivors of the Yadus’ battle with clubs.

VERSE 10.90.38

pratibāhur abhūt tasmāt
subāhus tasya cātmajaḥ
subāhoḥ śāntaseno ’bhūc
chatasenas tu tat-sutaḥ

SYNONYMS

prati-bāhuḥ — Pratibāhu; abhūt — came; tasmāt — from him (Vajra); subāhuḥ — Subāhu; tasya — his; ca — and; ātma-jaḥ — son; su-bāhoḥ — from Subāhu; śānta-senaḥ — Śāntasena; abhūt — came; śata-senaḥ — Śatasena; tu — and; tat — his (Śāntasena’s); sutaḥ — son.

TRANSLATION

From Vajra came Pratibāhu, whose son was Subāhu. Subāhu’s son was Śāntasena, from whom Śatasena was born.

VERSE 10.90.39

na hy etasmin kule jātā
adhanā abahu-prajāḥ
alpāyuṣo ’lpa-vīryāś ca
abrahmaṇyāś ca jajñire

SYNONYMS

na — not; hi — indeed; etasmin — in this; kule — family; jātāḥ — appearing; adhanaḥ — poor; a-bahu — not having many; prajāḥ — children; alpa-āyuṣaḥ — short-lived; alpa — small; vīryāḥ — whose prowess; ca — and; abrahmaṇyāḥ — not devoted to the brahminical class; ca — and; jajñire — were born.

TRANSLATION

No one born in this family was poor in wealth or progeny, short-lived, weak or neglectful of brahminical culture.

VERSE 10.90.40

yadu-vaṁśa-prasūtānāṁ
puṁsāṁ vikhyāta-karmaṇām
saṅkhyā na śakyate kartum
api varṣāyutair nṛpa

SYNONYMS

yadu-vaṁśa — in the Yadu dynasty; prasūtānām — of those who were born; puṁsām — men; vikhyāta — famous; karmaṇām — whose deeds; saṅkhyā — the counting; na śakyate — cannot; kartum — be done; api — even; varṣa — in years; ayutaiḥ — tens of thousands; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit).

TRANSLATION

The Yadu dynasty produced innumerable great men of famous deeds. Even in tens of thousands of years, O King, one could never count them all.

VERSE 10.90.41

tisraḥ koṭyaḥ sahasrāṇām
aṣṭāśīti-śatāni ca
āsan yadu-kulācāryāḥ
kumārāṇām iti śrutam

SYNONYMS

tisraḥ — three; koṭyaḥ — (times) ten million; sahasrāṇām — thousand; aṣṭā-aśīti — eighty-eight; śatāni — hundreds; ca — and; āsan — were; yadu-kula — of the Yadu family; ācāryāḥ — teachers; kumārāṇām — for the children; iti — thus; śrutam — has been heard.

TRANSLATION

I have heard from authoritative sources that the Yadu family employed 38,800,000 teachers just to educate their children.

VERSE 10.90.42

saṅkhyānaṁ yādavānāṁ kaḥ
kariṣyati mahātmanām
yatrāyutānām ayuta-
lakṣeṇāste sa āhukaḥ

SYNONYMS

saṅkhyānam — the counting; yādavānām — of the Yādavas; kaḥ — who; kariṣyati — can do; mahā-ātmanām — of the great personalities; yatra — among whom; ayutānām — of tens of thousands; ayuta — (times) ten thousand; lakṣeṇa — with (three) hundred thousand (persons); āste — was present; saḥ — he; āhukaḥ — Ugrasena.

TRANSLATION

Who can count all the great Yādavas, when among them King Ugrasena alone was accompanied by an entourage of thirty trillion attendants?

VERSE 10.90.43

devāsurāhava-hatā
daiteyā ye su-dāruṇāḥ
te cotpannā manuṣyeṣu
prajā dṛptā babādhire

SYNONYMS

deva-asura — among the demigods and demons; āhava — in wars; hatāḥ — killed; daiteyāḥ — demons; ye — who; su — very; dāruṇāḥ — ferocious; te — they; ca — and; utpannāḥ — arose; manuṣyeṣu — among human beings; prajāḥ — the populace; dṛptāḥ — arrogant; babādhire — they troubled.

TRANSLATION

The savage descendants of Diti who had been killed in past ages in battles between the demigods and demons took birth among human beings and arrogantly harassed the general populace.

VERSE 10.90.44

tan-nigrahāya hariṇā
proktā devā yadoḥ kule
avatīrṇāḥ kula-śataṁ
teṣām ekādhikaṁ nṛpa

SYNONYMS

tat — of them; nigrahāya — for the subduing; hariṇā — by Lord Kṛṣṇa; proktāḥ — told; devāḥ — the demigods; yadoḥ — of Yadu; kule — in the family; avatīrṇāḥ — descended; kula — of clans; śatam — one hundred; teṣām — their; eka-adhikam — plus one; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit).

TRANSLATION

To subdue these demons, Lord Hari told the demigods to descend into the dynasty of Yadu. They comprised 101 clans, O King.

VERSE 10.90.45

teṣāṁ pramāṇaṁ bhagavān
prabhutvenābhavad dhariḥ
ye cānuvartinas tasya
vavṛdhuḥ sarva-yādavāḥ

SYNONYMS

teṣām — for them; pramāṇam — authority; bhagavān — Lord Kṛṣṇa; prabhutvena — on account of His being the Supreme Personality of Godhead; abhavat — was; hariḥ — Lord Hari; ye — they who; ca — and; anuvartinaḥ — personal associates; tasya — His; vavṛdhuḥ — prospered; sarva — all; yādavāḥ — the Yādavas.

TRANSLATION

Because Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Yādavas accepted Him as their ultimate authority. And among them, all those who were His intimate associates especially flourished.

VERSE 10.90.46

śayyāsanāṭanālāpa-
krīḍā-snānādi-karmasu
na viduḥ santam ātmānaṁ
vṛṣṇayaḥ kṛṣṇa-cetasaḥ

SYNONYMS

śayyā — of sleeping; āsana — sitting; aṭana — walking; ālāpa — conversing; krīḍa — playing; snāna — bathing; ādi — and so on; karmasu — in the activities; na viduḥ — they were not aware of; santam — present; ātmānam — their own selves; vṛṣṇayaḥ — the Vṛṣṇis; kṛṣṇa — (absorbed) in Kṛṣṇa; cetasaḥ — whose minds.

TRANSLATION

The Vṛṣṇis were so absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness that they forgot their own bodies while sleeping, sitting, walking, conversing, playing, bathing and so on.

VERSE 10.90.47

tīrthaṁ cakre nṛponaṁ yad ajani yaduṣu svaḥ-sarit pāda-śaucaṁ
vidviṭ-snigdhāḥ svarūpaṁ yayur ajita-para śrīr yad-arthe ’nya-yatnaḥ
yan-nāmāmaṅgala-ghnaṁ śrutam atha gaditaṁ yat-kṛto gotra-dharmaḥ
kṛṣṇasyaitan na citraṁ kṣiti-bhara-haraṇaṁ kāla-cakrāyudhasya

SYNONYMS

tīrtham — sacred place of pilgrimage; cakre — made; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit); ūnam — lesser; yat — which (glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa); ajani — He took birth; yaduṣu — among the Yadus; svaḥ — of heaven; sarit — the river; pāda — whose feet; śaucam — (the water) which washes; vidviṭ — enemies; snigdhāḥ — and loved ones; svarūpam — whose personal form; yayuḥ — attained; ajita — who is undefeated; parā — and supremely perfect; śrīḥ — the goddess of fortune; yat — whose; arthe — for the sake; anya — of others; yatnaḥ — endeavor; yat — whose; nāma — name; amaṅgala — inauspiciousness; ghnam — which destroys; śrutam — heard; atha — or else; gaditam — chanted; yat — by whom; kṛtaḥ — created; gotra — among the lines of descent (of various sages); dharmaḥ — the religious principles; kṛṣṇasya — for Lord Kṛṣṇa; etat — this; na — not; citram — wonderful; kṣiti — the earth’s; bhara — of the burden; haraṇam — the removal; kāla — of time; cakra — the wheel; āyudhasya — whose weapon.

TRANSLATION

The heavenly Ganges is a holy place of pilgrimage because her waters wash Lord Kṛṣṇa’s feet. But when the Lord descended among the Yadus, His glories eclipsed the Ganges as a holy place. Both those who hated Kṛṣṇa and those who loved Him attained eternal forms like His in the spiritual world. The unattainable and supremely self-satisfied goddess of fortune, for the sake of whose favor everyone else struggles, belongs to Him alone. His name destroys all inauspiciousness when heard or chanted. He alone has set forth the principles of the various disciplic successions of sages. What wonder is it that He, whose personal weapon is the wheel of time, relieved the burden of the earth?

VERSE 10.90.48

jayati jana-nivāso devakī-janma-vādo
yadu-vara-pariṣat svair dorbhir asyann adharmam
sthira-cara-vṛjina-ghnaḥ su-smita-śrī-mukhena
vraja-pura-vanitānāṁ vardhayan kāma-devam

SYNONYMS

jayati — eternally lives gloriously; jana-nivāsaḥ — He who lives among human beings like the members of the Yadu dynasty and is the ultimate resort of all living entities; devakī-janma-vādaḥ — known as the son of Devakī (No one can actually become the father or mother of the Supreme Personality of GodheadTherefore devakī-janma-vada means that He is known as the son of DevakīSimilarly, He is also known as the son of mother Yaśodā, Vasudeva and Nanda Mahārāja); yadu-vara-pariṣat — served by the members of the Yadu dynasty or the cowherd men of Vṛndāvana (all of whom are constant associates of the Supreme Lord and are the Lord’s eternal servants); svaiḥ dorbhiḥ — by His own arms, or by His devotees like Arjuna who are just like His own arms; asyan — killing; adharmam — demons or the impious; sthira-cara-vṛjina-ghnaḥ — the destroyer of all the ill fortune of all living entities, moving and not moving; su-smita — always smiling; śrī-mukhena — by His beautiful face; vraja-pura-vanitānām — of the damsels of Vṛndāvana; vardhayan — increasing; kāma-devam — the lusty desires.

TRANSLATION

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is He who is known as jana-nivāsa, the ultimate resort of all living entities, and who is also known as Devakīnandana or Yaśodā-nandana, the son of Devakī and Yaśodā. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty, and with His mighty arms He kills everything inauspicious, as well as every man who is impious. By His presence He destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and inert. His blissful smiling face always increases the lusty desires of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana. May He be all glorious and happy!

VERSE 10.90.49

itthaṁ parasya nija-vartma-rirakṣayātta-
līlā-tanos tad-anurūpa-viḍambanāni
karmāṇi karma-kaṣaṇāni yadūttamasya
śrūyād amuṣya padayor anuvṛttim icchan

SYNONYMS

ittham — (described) in this manner; parasya — of the Supreme; nija — His own; vartma — path (of devotional service); rirakṣayā — with the desire of protecting; ātta — who has assumed; līlā — for pastimes; tanoḥ — various personal forms; tat — to each of these; anurūpa — suitable; viḍambanāni — imitating; karmāṇi — activities; karma — the reactions of material work; kaṣaṇāni — which destroy; yadu-uttamasya — of the best of the Yadus; śrūyāt — one should hear; amuṣya — His; padayoḥ — of the feet; anuvṛttim — the privilege of following; icchan — desiring.

TRANSLATION

To protect the principles of devotional service to Himself, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the best of the Yadus, accepts the pastime forms that have been glorified here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. One who desires to faithfully serve His lotus feet should hear of the activities He performs in each of these incarnations — activities that suitably imitate those of the forms He assumes. Hearing narrations of these pastimes destroys the reactions to fruitive work.

VERSE 10.90.50

martyas tayānusavam edhitayā mukunda
śrīmat-kathā-śravaṇa-kīrtana-cintayaiti
tad dhāma dustara-kṛtānta-javāpavargaṁ
grāmād vanaṁ kṣiti-bhujo ’pi yayur yad-arthāḥ

SYNONYMS

martyaḥ — a mortal; tayā — by such; anusavam — constantly; edhitayā — increasing; mukunda — about Lord Kṛṣṇa; śrīmat — beautiful; kathā — of the topics; śravaṇa — by hearing; kīrtana — chanting; cintayā — and meditating; eti — goes; tat — His; dhāma — to the abode; dustara — unavoidable; kṛta-anta — of death; java — of the force; apavargam — the place of cessation; grāmāt — from one’s mundane home; vanam — to the forest; kṣiti-bhujaḥ — kings (like Priyavrata); api — even; yayuḥ — went; yat — whom; arthāḥ — for the sake of obtaining.

TRANSLATION

By regularly hearing, chanting and meditating on the beautiful topics of Lord Mukunda with ever-increasing sincerity, a mortal being will attain the divine kingdom of the Lord, where the inviolable power of death holds no sway. For this purpose, many persons, including great kings, abandoned their mundane homes and took to the forest.