Chapter Seven Ayodhya-pura-vasiny-upakhyana The Story of the Ayodhya Women

Srī Narada said: The messenger traveled from Sindhu-deśa to the province of Mathura. Walking by the Yamuna's shore in Vṛndavana, he saw Kṛṣṇa.

In a secluded place, after bowing down before Lord Kṛṣṇa and slowly circumambulating Him, the messenger repeated King Vimala's words.

The messenger said: I offer my respectful obeisances to You, the perfect Supreme Personality of Godhead, who are seen only by the saintly devotees, and who cannot be approcahed by performing even a great host of ordinary pious deeds.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are an ocean of transcendental virtues and who, to protect the cows, brāhmaṇas, demigods, Vedas, saintly devotees, and principles of religion, and to kill the demons headed by Kaṁsa, have taken birth in the Yadu dynasty, even though You are unborn.

Supremely fortunate are the people of Vraja. Fortunate is the family of Your father, King Nanda. Fortunate is the village of Vraja. Fortunate is the forest of Vṛndāvana, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari, is now visible to our eyes.

He who is the life of the gopīs and the gloriously handsome jewel at Rādhā's neck has entered the pathway of my eyes. How can I describe my own good fortune?

Even though You are now pretending to be an ordinary cowherd boy, Your sacred fame, going everywhere, purifies the three worlds, as the perfume musk fills the directions with a sweet fragrance.

As the Supersoul You are the witness that looks into everyone's heart. You know everything. Still, in this secluded place I will repeat King Vimala's confidential message.

In Sindhu-deśa is a city named Srī Campakā, which is glorious as Indra's city, Amarāvatī. Vimala, who is glorious as Indra, is the king of that city. his thoughts are always placed at Your lotus feet.

For Your sake again and again He performs hundreds of yajṣas, gives charity, performs austerities, serves the brāhmaṇas, visits holy places, and chants sacred mantras. Because he is engaged in these spiritual activities, O Lord, please appear before him.

Their large eyes like lotus flowers, his daughters have been long searching for You, their perfect husband. To be eligible to serve Your lotus feet, they have purified their bodies with many vows and austerities.

O Lord of Vraja, please give them your wonderful audience and accept their hands in marriage. Pkease consider what should be done, and then please quickly go and purify Sindhu-deśa with Your presence.

Srī Nārada said: Pleased to hear the messenger's words, Lord Kṛṣṇa went with him to the city of Campakā, traveling there in a single moment.

As King Vimala was performing a great yajṣa filled with the sounds of the Vedas, Lord Kṛṣṇa and the messenger suddenly descended from the sky.

taṁ dṛṣṭvā sahasotthāya vimalaḥ prema-vihvalaḥ papāta caraṇopānte romaṣcī san kṛtāṣjaliḥ śrīvatsa—with Srīvatsa; aṅkam—mark; ghana-syāmam—dark as a monsoon cloud; sundaram—handsome; vana-mālinam—wearing a forest garland; pītāmbaram—dressed in yellow garments; padma-netram—with lotus eyes; yajṣa-vāṭa—to the place of the yajna; āgatam—come; harim—Lord Kṛṣṇa; tam—Him; dṛṣṭvā—seeing; sahasā—at once; utthāya—rising; vimalaḥ—Vimala; prema-vihvalaḥ—overcome with love; papāta—fell down; caraṇa-upante—at the Lord's feet; romaṣcī—the hairs of his body erect with ecstasy; san—being so; kṛtāṣjaliḥ—with folded hands. Seeing handsome, lotus-eyed Lord Kṛṣṇa, dark as a monsoon cloud, dressed in yellow garments, decorated with a forest garland, and marked with Srīvatsa, enter the place of the yaj 24, King Vimala suddenly stood up, his hands respectfully folded and the hairs of his body erect with joy. Then, overwhelmed with love, he fell at the Lord's feet.

taṁ dṛṣṭvā sahasotthāya vimalaḥ prema-vihvalaḥ papāta caraṇopānte romaṣcī san kṛtāṣjaliḥ śrīvatsa—with Srīvatsa; aṅkam—mark; ghana-syāmam—dark as a monsoon cloud; sundaram—handsome; vana-mālinam—wearing a forest garland; pītāmbaram—dressed in yellow garments; padma-netram—with lotus eyes; yajṣa-vāṭa—to the place of the yajna; āgatam—come; harim—Lord Kṛṣṇa; tam—Him; dṛṣṭvā—seeing; sahasā—at once; utthāya—rising; vimalaḥ—Vimala; prema-vihvalaḥ—overcome with love; papāta—fell down; caraṇa-upante—at the Lord's feet; romaṣcī—the hairs of his body erect with ecstasy; san—being so; kṛtāṣjaliḥ—with folded hands. Seeing handsome, lotus-eyed Lord Kṛṣṇa, dark as a monsoon cloud, dressed in yellow garments, decorated with a forest garland, and marked with Srīvatsa, enter the place of the yaj 24, King Vimala suddenly stood up, his hands respectfully folded and the hairs of his body erect with joy. Then, overwhelmed with love, he fell at the Lord's feet.

After offering Him a seat on a throne of gold and jewels, offering prayers, and properly worshiping Him, King Vimala stood before the Lord.

As He glanced at the beautiful girls gazing at Him from the many windows, in a voice like thunder Lord Kṛṣṇa spoke to King Vimala.

The Supreme Lord said: O noble-hearted one, please ask a boon. Ask for whatever is in your heart. the words of Yāj 241)avalkya have brought Me before you.

Srī Vimala said: O Lord of lords, please make my heart a bumblebee always staying at Your lotus feet. I shall never have any desire but this.

Srī Nārada said: After speaking these words, King Vimala gave the Lord all the wealth in his treasury and all his elephants, horses, and chariots. He surrendered to the Lord with all his heart.

O king, after giving his daughters to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the great devotee Vimala bowed down to offer his respectful obeisances.

Then the people shouted, "Jaya! Jaya!" and the demigods in the sky showered flowers.

Then King Vimala attained a spiritual form like Lord Kṛṣṇa's. Glorious as Kāmadeva, and splendid as a hundred suns, the king illuminated the circle of the directions.

As the people looked on, King Vimala and his wives offered respectful obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa, climbed on the back of Garuḍa, and went to the spiritual world of Vaikuṇṭha.

After granting him liberation, Lord Kṛṣṇa took the king's beautiful daughters to the circle of Vraja.

There, in Kāmavana forest, in a splendid palace, Lord Kṛṣṇa's beautiful wives stayed, passing the time by playing games.

Expanding Himself into as many forms as there were wives, and delighting their hearts, Lord Kṛṣṇa was splendidly manifest in the rāsa dance.

As they enjoyed the happiness of the rāsa dance, King Viumala's daughters perspired. Their perspiration became Vimala-kuṇḍa, the best of holy places.

O king of kings, by seeing, drinking, bathing in, or worshiping that sacred lake, a person breaks a host of sins as great as Mount Meru and goes to Goloka.

A person who hears this story of the Ayodhyā women goes to the supreme abode of Goloka, which even the great yogīs cannot attain. .pa