Chapter 41: The Lords' Arrival in Mathurâ

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'While he [Akrûra] was praying withdrew Krishna, the Supreme Lord, having shown His personal form in the water, Himself the way an actor winds up his performance. (2) When he saw that the image had disappeared, emerged he quickly from the water, finished he his ritual duties and went all-surprised to the chariot. (3) Hrisîkes'a asked him: 'Have you seen something miraculous on the earth, in the heavens or in the water? We gather you did!'

(4) S'rî Akrûra said: 'Whatever wonderful things there are out here on the earth, in the sky or in the water, are all in You who comprises everything; what would I not have seen seeing You? (5) Beholding You, the One Person in whom are found all wonders of the earth, the sky and the waters, o Absolute of the Truth, what else would amaze me to see in this world?'

(6) With those words drove the son of Gândinî [Akrûra] the chariot forward in order to take Râma and Krishna to Mathurâ at the end of the day. (7) The people of the villages here and there on the road approaching, were pleased to see the sons of Vasudeva o King, and couldn't take their eyes of Them. (8) Nanda, the gopas and the rest of the inhabitants of Vraja who by then had arrived at a park outside the city, were staying there to wait for Them. (9) Catching up with them said the Supreme Lord, the Master of the Universe, to the humbly smiling Akrûra while taking his hand into His own: (10) 'You go ahead and first enter with the chariot the city and go home while We from our side will alight here and thereafter will see for the city.'

(11) S'rî Akrûra said: 'How can I without the two of You enter Mathurâ, o Master? Don't let me down o Lord, o Caretaker of the Devotees, I'm Your devotee! (12) Please come, let's go with Your elder brother, the gopas and Your friends, and make it so, o Lord of the Beyond, that our house has a master. (13) Please bless with the dust of Your feet the home of us so attached to household rituals and may with that purification my forefathers, the sacrificial fires and the demigods be satisfied. (14) The great king Bali bathing the two feet became glorious [see 8.19] and achieved unequaled power and the destination indeed reserved for the unalloyed devotee. (15) The water washing from Your feet purely spiritual has purified the three worlds and the sons of king Sagara [9.8] who with Lord S'iva taking it on his head [9.9] went to heaven. (16) O God of the Gods, o Master of the Universe about whom one in piety hears and chants, o Best of the Yadus, o Lord Praised in the Verses, o Nârâyana, may there be all homage to You.'

(17) The Supreme Lord said: 'I will come to your house accompanied by My elder brother; when I kill my enemy in the midst of the Yadus [Kamsa] will I grant My well-wishers the satisfaction.'

(18) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus addressed by the Supreme Lord entered he, Akrûra, somewhat disheartened the city to inform Kamsa of the success of his mission and went he home. (19) Later in the afternoon joined by the gopas entered Krishna together with Sankarshana [Râma] Mathurâ to take a look around. (20-23) He saw it with its high main gates and doorways of crystal, its doors of gold and immense archways with copper and brass and with its storehouses and its inviolable moats, beautified by public gardens and attractive parks. The intersections with gold, the mansions with their pleasure gardens, the assembly halls of the guilds and the houses their columned balconies and ornate paneled rafters were bedecked with vaidûrya gems, diamonds, quartz crystals, sapphires, coral, pearls and emeralds. It vibrated of the pet doves and peacocks sitting in the openings of the lattice windows and on the gem-studded floors and on its avenues, streets and courtyards that were sprinkled with water there [for a welcome] were scattered garlands, new sprouts, parched grains and rice. The doorways of the houses were nicely decorated with pots full of yogurt smeared with sandal paste, ribbons and flower petals, rows of lamps, leaves, bunches of flowers, trunks of banana trees and betel-nut trees and flags. (24) As the sons of Vasudeva entered there surrounded by their friends, hurried the women of the city to crowd at the side of the king's road and climbed they also eager for a look on top of their houses, o King. (25) Some had put on their clothes backwards and forgotten one of the pair of their ornaments putting on one earring or one set of ankle bells only; other ladies made up one eye but not the other one. (26) Some had abandoned the meals they were taking or didn't finish in their excitement their massage, their bathing or did, hearing the commotion, get up not finishing their nap or put as mothers aside the infant they were feeding milk. (27) Walking like a bull elephant in rut, stole He boldly with the glances of His lotuslike eyes and game of smiles their minds affording their eyes a festival with His body, that source of pleasure to the Goddess of Fortune. (28) Seeing Him whom they repeatedly had heard about melted their hearts receiving the honor of being sprinkled by the nectar of His glances and broad smiles and embraced they through their eyes within themselves with goose pimples their idol of ecstasy, giving up their endless distress [of missing Him], o subduer of the enemies. (29) Having climbed the rooftops of their mansions showered the attractive women with faces blooming with affection like lotuses Balarâma and Kes'ava with flowers. (30) With yogurt, barleycorns and pots with water, fragrant substances and other items of worship were the Two joyfully at several places worshiped by the twice-born. (31) The women of the city said: 'Oh what great austerity have the gopîs performed indeed constantly seeing these Two, who for the human society are the greatest source of pleasure.'

(32) The elder brother of Gada [Balarâma see 9.24: 46] approached a certain washerman engaged in dyeing and asked him for first class clean garments. (33) 'Please, best man, give the two of Us some suitable clothes; for you when you donate them to the two of us who deserve it, will there be the highest benefit, that suffers no doubt!'

(34) He, requested by the Supreme Lord absolute and full in every way, insolent spoke angered most falsely proud as a servant of the king. (35) 'Isn't it impudent of You, who roam the mountains and the forests, to want to put on garments like these that are the king his things? (36) Get lost You fools, don't beg like this if You want to live, I swear, people as bold as You are by the king's men arrested, killed and looted!''

(37) He who thus humiliated Them raised the anger of the son of Devakî who with the side of one hand hit his head down from his body. (38) When all his assistants fled down the road in all directions and left behind the bundles of clothes, took Acyuta the garments. (39) Throwing away on the ground several of them dressed Krishna and Balarâma Themselves with a set of clothes to Their liking and gave They the rest to the gopas. (40) Next came a weaver who full of love for Them befittingly ornamented Their clothing with pieces of cloth of different colors. (41) Krishna and Râma with each His own specific high quality outfit and nice decorations looked as resplendent as a pair of young elephants, one light and one dark, adorned for a festival. (42) The Supreme Lord pleased with him [the weaver] granted him sârûpya [the beatitude of His likeness, see also mukti] with in this world the same supreme opulence, physical strength, influence, memory and sense-control.

(43) Then went the Two of Them to the house of Sudâmâ ['well-giving'], the garland-maker, who seeing Them stood up and then bowed down putting his head to the ground. (44) With seats for Them he brought water to wash Their feet and hands and presents and such, and performed he for the Two worship with garlands, betel-nut and sandalwood paste. (45) He said: 'Our birth has been worthwhile and the family has been purified, o Master, and with me are my forefathers, the gods and the seers satisfied about Your having arrived. (46) You two indeed, the Ultimate Cause of the Universe, have with Your plenary portions descended here for the protection and the happiness of the world. (47) With You there is, even though reciprocating with those who are of worship, no bias because You in Your vision, as the Soul of the Universe, are equal to all living beings as well-wishing friends. (48) You Two should order me, Your servant, what I should do for You; this indeed is for anyone the greatest blessing: thus to be engaged by You.'