SB 10.86.28 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

श्रान्तानप्यथ तान् दूराज्जनक: स्वगृहागतान् । आनीतेष्वासनाग्र्‍येषु सुखासीनान् महामना: ॥ २७ ॥ प्रवृद्धभक्त्या उद्धर्षहृदयास्राविलेक्षण: । नत्वा तदङ्‍‍घ्रीन् प्रक्षाल्य तदपो लोकपावनी: ॥ २८ ॥ सकुटुम्बो वहन् मूर्ध्ना पूजयां चक्र ईश्वरान् । गन्धमाल्याम्बराकल्पधूपदीपार्घ्यगोवृषै: ॥ २९ ॥

Verse text

śrāntān apy atha tān dūrāj janakaḥ sva-gṛhāgatān ānīteṣv āsanāgryeṣu sukhāsīnān mahā-manāḥ pravṛddha-bhaktyā uddharṣa- hṛdayāsrāvilekṣaṇaḥ natvā tad-aṅghrīn prakṣālya tad-apo loka-pāvanīḥ sa-kuṭumbo vahan mūrdhnā pūjayāṁ cakra īśvarān gandha-mālyāmbarākalpa- dhūpa-dīpārghya-go-vṛṣaiḥ

Synonyms

śrāntān — fatigued ; api — indeed ; atha — then ; tān — them ; dūrāt — from a distance ; janakaḥ — King Bahulāśva, a descendant of Janaka ; sva — to his ; gṛha — home ; āgatān — come ; ānīteṣu — which were brought out ; āsana — on seats ; agryeṣu — excellent ; sukha — comfortably ; āsīnān — seated ; mahā — manāḥ — very intelligent ; pravṛddha — intense ; bhaktyā — with devotion ; ut — dharṣa — overjoyed ; hṛdaya — whose heart ; asra — with tears ; āvila — clouded ; īkṣaṇaḥ — whose eyes ; natvā — bowing down ; tat — their ; aṅghrīn — feet ; prakṣālya — washing ; tat — from that ; apaḥ — the water ; loka — the whole world ; pāvanīḥ — able to purify ; sa — together with ; kuṭumbaḥ — his family ; vahan — carrying ; mūrdhnā — on his head ; pūjayām cakre — he worshiped ; īśvarān — the lords ; gandha — with fragrant (sandalwood) paste ; mālya — flower garlands ; ambara — clothing ; ākalpa — jewelry ; dhūpa — incense ; dīpa — lamps ; arghya — arghya water ; go — cows ; vṛṣaiḥ — and bulls .

Translation

When King Bahulāśva, a descendant of Janaka, saw Lord Kṛṣṇa approaching his house from a distance with the sages, who were somewhat fatigued from the journey, he immediately arranged to have seats of honor brought out for them. After they were all comfortably seated, the wise King, his heart overflowing with joy and his eyes clouded by tears, bowed down to them and washed their feet with intense devotion. Taking the wash water, which could purify the entire world, he sprinkled it on his head and the heads of his family members. Then he worshiped all those great lords by offering them fragrant sandalwood paste, flower garlands, fine clothing and ornaments, incense, lamps, arghya and cows and bulls.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

When King Bahulāśva, a descendant of Janaka, saw Lord Kṛṣṇa approaching his house from a distance with the sages, who were somewhat fatigued from the journey, he immediately arranged to have seats of honor brought out for them. After they were all comfortably seated, the wise King, his heart overflowing with joy and his eyes clouded by tears, bowed down to them and washed their feet with intense devotion. Taking the wash water, which could purify the entire world, he sprinkled it on his head and the heads of his family members. Then he worshiped all those great lords by offering them fragrant sandalwood paste, flower garlands, fine clothing and ornaments, incense, lamps, arghya and cows and bulls. KB 10.86.27-29 Bahulāśva, the King of Videha, was very intelligent and was a perfect gentleman. He was astonished that so many great sages, along with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, were personally present in his home. He knew perfectly well that conditioned souls engaged in worldly affairs cannot be one hundred percent pure whereas the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees are always transcendental to worldly contamination. Therefore, when he found that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, and all the great sages were at his home, he was astonished, and he began to thank Lord Kṛṣṇa for His causeless mercy. Feeling very much obliged and wanting to receive his guests to the best of his ability, he called for nice chairs and cushions, and Lord Kṛṣṇa, along with all the sages, sat down very comfortably. At that time, King Bahulāśva’s mind was very restless, not because of any problems but because of great ecstasy of love and devotion. His heart was filled with love and affection for the Lord and His associates, and his eyes were filled with tears of ecstasy. He washed the feet of his divine guests, and afterward he and his family members sprinkled the water on their own heads. After this, he offered the guests nice flower garlands, sandalwood pulp, incense, new garments, ornaments, lamps, cows and bulls. In a manner just befitting his royal position, he worshiped each one of them in this way.

Purport

Śrīla Prabhupāda comments: “Bahulāśva, the King of Videha, was very intelligent and was a perfect gentleman. He was astonished that so many great sages, along with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, were personally present in his home. He knew perfectly well that conditioned souls engaged in worldly affairs cannot be one-hundred-percent pure whereas the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees are always transcendental to worldly contamination. Therefore, when he found that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and all the great sages were at his home, he was astonished, and he began to thank Lord Krsna for His causeless mercy.” The word īśvara in this verse refers not only to the Supreme Lord but also to the exalted sages in His company; this is confirmed by Ācāryas Śrīdhara Svāmī and Viśvanātha Cakravartī.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Bahulasva’s eyes were filled with tears (asru vileksana). He worshipped Krsna and the sages who were equal to Krsna (isvaran).

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

First the actions of the king are described. His mind was most excellent (mahā-manāḥ) since it was fixed on Kṛṣṇa. His eyes flowed with tears and his heart was joyful. With increasing bhakti, he bowed and washed their feet. He put the water on his head. Go-vṛṣa means bulls. The items are in order of value.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

To describe the Lord’s special instructions to Śrutadeva, first the actions of the king are described, taking the easier matter first. The king’s actions are described in nine verses. Born in Janaka’s dynasty he had all knowledge. His mind was profound (mahāmanāḥ). Thus he worshipped the Lord and sages with great devotion. He put the water on his head. He offered bulls (go-vṛṣaiḥ) or cows and bulls. The items offered are in correct order, except arghya is at the end because he was confused and forgot. Or after lamps, arghya can be offered before eating, for auspiciousness. Cows can be given at the beginning or end.