SB 10.53.8 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

पुरं सम्मृष्टसंसिक्तमार्गरथ्याचतुष्पथम् । चित्रध्वजपताकाभिस्तोरणै: समलङ्कृतम् ॥ ८ ॥ स्रग्गन्धमाल्याभरणैर्विरजोऽम्बरभूषितै: । जुष्टं स्‍त्रीपुरुषै: श्रीमद्गृहैरगुरुधूपितै: ॥ ९ ॥

Verse text

puraṁ sammṛṣṭa-saṁsikta- mārga-rathyā-catuṣpatham citra-dhvaja-patākābhis toraṇaiḥ samalaṅkṛtam srag-gandha-mālyābharaṇair virajo-’mbara-bhūṣitaiḥ juṣṭaṁ strī-puruṣaiḥ śrīmad- gṛhair aguru-dhūpitaiḥ

Synonyms

puram — the city ; sammṛṣṭa — thoroughly cleaned ; saṁsikta — and sprinkled abundantly with water ; mārga — the main avenues ; rathyā — commercial roads ; catuḥ — patham — and intersections ; citra — variegated ; dhvaja — on flagpoles ; patākābhiḥ — with banners ; toraṇaiḥ — and archways ; samalaṅkṛtam — decorated ; srak — with jeweled necklaces ; gandha — fragrant substances such as sandalwood paste ; mālya — flower garlands ; ābharaṇaiḥ — and other ornaments ; virajaḥ — spotless ; ambara — in clothing ; bhūṣitaiḥ — who were arrayed ; juṣṭam — containing ; strī — women ; puruṣaiḥ — and men ; śrī — mat — opulent ; gṛhaiḥ — homes ; aguru — dhūpitaiḥ — aromatic with aguru incense .

Translation

The king had the main avenues, commercial roads and intersections thoroughly cleaned and then sprinkled with water, and he also had the city decorated with triumphant archways and multicolored banners on poles. The men and women of the city, arrayed in spotless raiment and anointed with fragrant sandalwood paste, wore precious necklaces, flower garlands and jeweled ornaments, and their opulent homes were filled with the aroma of aguru.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

The king had the main avenues, commercial roads and intersections thoroughly cleaned and then sprinkled with water, and he also had the city decorated with triumphant archways and multicolored banners on poles. The men and women of the city, arrayed in spotless raiment and anointed with fragrant sandalwood paste, wore precious necklaces, flower garlands and jeweled ornaments, and their opulent homes were filled with the aroma of aguru. KB 10.53.8-9 Water was sprinkled all over the streets, and the city was cleansed very nicely. Since India is situated in the tropical zone, the atmosphere is always dry. Dust always accumulates on the streets and roads, so they must be sprinkled with water at least once a day, and in big cities like Calcutta twice a day. The roads of Kuṇḍina were arrayed with colored flags and festoons, and gates were constructed at particular crossings. The whole city was decorated very nicely. The beauty of the city was enhanced by the inhabitants, both men and women, who were dressed in fresh, washed clothes and decorated with sandalwood pulp, pearl necklaces and flower garlands. Incense burned everywhere, and fragrances like aguru scented the air.

Purport

When earthen roads are sprinkled with water, the dust settles down and the road becomes smooth and firm. King Bhīṣmaka thoroughly prepared for the great wedding, setting the scene for Lord Kṛṣṇa’s triumphant abduction of beautiful Rukmiṇī-devī.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

The men and women had spotless clothing, necklaces, scents and garlands.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Marga refers to regular roads and rathyā refers to streets with shops. Virajāmbara is also seen. There were resident men and women as well as men and women who came from other places for the festive wedding. The king arranged for (verb from previous sentence) the houses to be furnished with aguru incense and decorated with canopies and other ornaments (śrīmad).

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

The roads were cleansed of dust (saṁmṛṣṭa) and thoroughly sprinkled with fragrant water (saṁsikta). Margas are broad roads and rathyas are small roads. The arches were always ornamented, but now more than ever (samalaṅkṛtam). The cloth was free of all dust (viraja or virajas). The king made the city to be endowed with houses which were ornamented with canopies, cāmaras, mirrors, and festoons (śrīmat). The descriptive terms for the people can be applied to the houses as well. Or the city was endowed with houses freshly decorated by women invited for the wedding. Or he made the city beautiful (śrīmat) with houses.