SB 10.50.52 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

द‍ृश्यते यत्र हि त्वाष्ट्रं विज्ञानं शिल्पनैपुणम् । रथ्याचत्वरवीथीभिर्यथावास्तु विनिर्मितम् ॥ ५० ॥ सुरद्रुमलतोद्यानविचित्रोपवनान्वितम् । हेमश‍ृङ्गैर्दिविस्पृग्भि: स्फटिकाट्टालगोपुरै: ॥ ५१ ॥ राजतारकुटै: कोष्ठैर्हेमकुम्भैरलङ्कृतै: । रत्नकूतैर्गृहैर्हेमैर्महामारकत स्थलै: ॥ ५२ ॥ वास्तोष्पतीनां च गृहैर्वल्ल‍भीभिश्च निर्मितम् । चातुर्वर्ण्यजनाकीर्णं यदुदेवगृहोल्ल‍सत् ॥ ५३ ॥

Verse text

dṛśyate yatra hi tvāṣṭraṁ vijṣānaṁ śilpa-naipuṇam rathyā-catvara-vīthībhir yathā-vāstu vinirmitam sura-druma-latodyāna- vicitropavanānvitam hema-śṛṅgair divi-spṛgbhiḥ sphaṭikāṭṭāla-gopuraiḥ rājatārakuṭaiḥ koṣṭhair hema-kumbhair alaṅkṛtaiḥ ratna-kūtair gṛhair hemair mahā-mārakata-sthalaiḥ vāstoṣpatīnāṁ ca gṛhair vallabhībhiś ca nirmitam cātur-varṇya-janākīrṇaṁ yadu-deva-gṛhollasat

Synonyms

dṛśyate — was seen ; yatra — wherein ; hi — indeed ; tvāṣṭram — of Tvaṣṭā (Viśvakarmā), the architect of the demigods ; vijṣānam — the scientific knowledge ; śilpa — in architecture ; naipuṇam — the expertise ; rathyā — with main avenues ; catvara — courtyards ; vīthībhiḥ — and commercial roads ; yathā — vāstu — on ample plots of land ; vinirmitam — constructed ; sura — of the demigods ; druma — having trees ; latā — and creepers ; udyāna — gardens ; vicitra — splendid ; upavana — and parks ; anvitam — containing ; hema — gold ; śṛṅgaiḥ — having peaks ; divi — the sky ; spṛgbhiḥ — touching ; sphaṭikā — of crystal quartz ; aṭṭāla — having upper levels ; gopuraiḥ — with gateways ; rājata — of silver ; ārakuṭaiḥ — and brass ; koṣṭhaiḥ — with treasury buildings, warehouses and stables ; hema — gold ; kumbhaiḥ — by pots ; alaṅkṛtaiḥ — decorated ; ratna — jeweled ; kūtaiḥ — having peaks ; gṛhaiḥ — with houses ; hemaiḥ — of gold ; mahā — mārakata — with precious emeralds ; sthalaiḥ — having floors ; vāstoḥ — of the households ; patīnām — belonging to the presiding deities ; ca — and ; gṛhaiḥ — with temples ; vallabhībhiḥ — with watchtowers ; ca — and ; nirmitam — constructed ; cātuḥ — varṇya — of the four occupational orders ; jana — with people ; ākīrṇam — filled ; yadu — deva — of the Lord of the Yadus, Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; gṛha — by the residences ; ullasat — beautified .

Translation

In the construction of that city could be seen the full scientific knowledge and architectural skill of Viśvakarmā. There were wide avenues, commercial roads and courtyards laid out on ample plots of land; there were splendid parks, and also gardens stocked with trees and creepers from the heavenly planets. The gateway towers were topped with golden turrets touching the sky, and their upper levels were fashioned of crystal quartz. The gold-covered houses were adorned in front with golden pots and on top with jeweled roofs, and their floors were inlaid with precious emeralds. Beside the houses stood treasury buildings, warehouses, and stables for fine horses, all built of silver and brass. Each residence had a watchtower, and also a temple for its household deity. Filled with citizens of all four social orders, the city was especially beautified by the palaces of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the Yadus.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

In the construction of that city could be seen the full scientific knowledge and architectural skill of Viśvakarmā. There were wide avenues, commercial roads and courtyards laid out on ample plots of land; there were splendid parks, and also gardens stocked with trees and creepers from the heavenly planets. The gateway towers were topped with golden turrets touching the sky, and their upper levels were fashioned of crystal quartz. The gold-covered houses were adorned in front with golden pots and on top with jeweled roofs, and their floors were inlaid with precious emeralds. Beside the houses stood treasury buildings, warehouses, and stables for fine horses, all built of silver and brass. Each residence had a watchtower, and also a temple for its household deity. Filled with citizens of all four social orders, the city was especially beautified by the palaces of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the Yadus. KB 10.50.50-53 It was certainly wonderful and was planned and constructed by Viśvakarmā. No ordinary architect could construct such a fort within the sea, but an architect like Viśvakarmā, who is considered to be the engineer among the demigods, can execute such wonderful craftsmanship anywhere in the universe. If huge planets can float in weightlessness in outer space by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, surely the architectural construction of a fort covering ninety-six square miles within the sea was not very wonderful. It is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that this new, well-constructed city, developed within the sea, had regular planned roads, streets and lanes. There were also well-planned parks and gardens filled with plants known as kalpa-vṛkṣas, or desire trees. These desire trees are not like the ordinary trees of the material world; the desire trees are found in the spiritual world. By Kṛṣṇa’s supreme will, everything is possible, so such desire trees were planted in Dvārakā, the city constructed by Kṛṣṇa. The city was also filled with many palaces and gopuras, or big gates. These gopuras are still found in some of the larger temples. They are very high and constructed with fine artistic skill. Such palaces and gates held golden waterpots (kalaśas). These waterpots on the gates or on the palaces are considered auspicious signs. Almost all the palaces were skyscrapers. In each and every house there were underground rooms containing big golden and silver pots for stocking grain. And there were many golden waterpots within the rooms. The bedrooms were all bedecked with jewels, and the floors were mosaic pavements of marakata jewels. The Viṣṇu Deity, worshiped by the descendants of Yadu, was installed in each house in the city. The residential quarters were so arranged that the different castes—brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras—had their respective quarters. It appears from this that the caste system mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā existed even at that time. In the center of the city was a residence made specifically for King Ugrasena. This was the most dazzling of all the houses.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the state highways ( rathyāḥ ) were in front and the secondary roads ( vīthyaḥ ) behind, and between them were courtyards ( catvarāṇi ). Within these courtyards were surrounding walls, and within the walls stood golden residences, atop which shone crystal watchtowers crowned with golden pots. Thus the buildings were multistoried. The word vāstu indicates that the houses and buildings were constructed on ample plots of land, with plenty of room for green areas.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

In that city was seen the knowledge of Visvakarma, manifest as his skill in architecture. This is described in three and half verses. It was constructed with main roads, side roads, yards and houses not extending beyond their designated areas. There were stables of silver, brass and iron, and houses with gold kalasas and spires of rubies and other jewels. It had temples (vastospatinam grha) and towers (valabhi). The city became especially beautiful with the residences of Krsna (yadudeva).

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

These verses show the astonishing objects in the city. For certain one could see there the knowledge and skill of craftsmanship of Viśvakarmā. It reached its height in this city since he attained the highest abilities by the mercy of the Lord. The buildings such as stables are described (koṣṭhaiḥ) with their ornaments. The udyānas had mainly flowers and the upavanas had mainly fruit. Āra-kuṭaiḥ means brass and iron. The city was filled with people of the four varṇas. Yadu-deva refers to Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Vasudeva, Ugrasena and others. The living quarters should be understood as follows. It was surrounded by the sea. To create obstacles there were then moats. Then interior to this there was seawater bordered by land on the four sides of the city for recreation. Then there were the fortress walls. On the corners and between as well there were jeweled turrets with gold peaks on which were gold spheres with flags. There were gates in the four directions. On top of the gates there were rooms with clear crystal walls for looking outside. Within the fort there were areas containing flower gardens and orchards as well as wells and water tanks. Within the area of gardens there were temples. Within that area there were stables, grain storehouses etc. Then interior to that in the east there were houses of brāhmaṇas. In the west were houses for śūdras. In the north were houses for vaiśyas and in the south were houses for kṣatriyas. In the center, facing the Sudharmā hall, were the houses of Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Vasudeva and Ugrasena. The houses had emerald floors and on top were turrets with gold pots shining brilliantly. Beginning from the hall there were roads radiating outwards with side roads.