SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 1

Sûta said: "Reaching the border of the land of the Ânartas [the land of the ones free from the unwanted, Dvârakâ], He sounded for the arrival at His own prosperous city His conchshell [the Pâñcajanya] which, evidently, ended the dejection of the inhabitants.

Sûta Gosvâmî said: Upon reaching the border of His most prosperous metropolis, known as the country of the Ânartas [Dvârakâ], the Lord sounded His auspicious conchshell, heralding His arrival and apparently pacifying the dejection of the inhabitants. (Vedabase)

Text 2

The brilliant white of the round form of the conchshell, although reddened by the lips of the Great Adventurer, as it was being loudly sounded in His hands, looked like a swan ducking at the stems of lotusflowers.

The white and fat-boweled conchshell, being gripped by the hand of Lord Krishna and sounded by Him, appeared to be reddened by the touch of His transcendental lips. It seemed that a white swan was playing in the stems of red lotus flowers. (Vedabase)

Text 3

Having heard the sound that is a threat to the ones fearing for a material existence, proceeded all the citizens rapidly in the direction of the sound in order to have the audience with the protector of the devotees they for so long had awaited.

The citizens of Dvârakâ, having heard that sound which threatens fear personified in the material world, began to run towards Him fast, just to have a long desired audience with the Lord, who is the protector of all devotees. (Vedabase)

Text 4-5:

Thereupon they offered their presentation of welcome which could be considered like offering a lamp to the sun relative to the Self-contented One who, by His own potency, was their unrelenting provider. With cheerful, affectionate faces they ecstatically gave gladdened speeches before the Father, the way friends and protégées do for their guardian.

The citizens arrived before the Lord with their respective presentations, offering them to the fully satisfied and self-sufficient one, who, by His own potency, incessantly supplies others. These presentations were like the offering of a lamp to the sun. Yet the citizens began to speak in ecstatic language to receive the Lord, just as wards welcome their guardian and father. (Vedabase)

Text 6

They said: 'We have always bowed down to Your lotus feet like one does with the worship of Brahmâ and His sons and the king of heaven, because You, for the one who desires the supreme welfare in this life, are the Master of Transcendence upon whom the inevitable time has no grip.

The citizens said: O Lord, You are worshiped by all demigods like Brahmâ, the four Sanas and even the King of heaven. You are the ultimate rest for those who are really aspiring to achieve the highest benefit of life. You are the supreme transcendental Lord, and inevitable time cannot exert its influence upon You. (Vedabase)

Text 7

For the sake of our welfare be the Creator of our world and be also our mother, well-wisher, husband, father, Lord and spiritual master; following in the foorsteps of You as our idol and supreme one have we succeeded in our lives.

O creator of the universe, You are our mother, well-wisher, Lord, father, spiritual master and worshipable Deity. By following in Your footsteps we have become successful in every respect. We pray, therefore, that You continue to bless us with Your mercy. (Vedabase)

Text 8

Oh how lucky we are to see Your all-auspicious form, to be again under the protection of Your good Self, because even by the demigods is the sight of Your affectionate, lovingly smiling face rarely seen. and loving smiling face.

Oh, it is our good luck that we have come again today under Your protection by Your presence, for Your Lordship rarely visits even the denizens of heaven. Now it is possible for us to look into Your smiling face, which is full of affectionate glances. We can now see Your transcendental form, full of all auspiciousness. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Whenever, o lotus-eyed One, You leave from here to meet Your friends and relatives among the Kurus [in Hastinâpura] and the people of Mathurâ, o Infallible One, seems each moment to take a million years, and are our eyes as useless as they would be without the sun.

O lotus-eyed Lord, whenever You go away to Mathurâ, Vrindâvana or Hastinâpura to meet Your friends and relatives, every moment of Your absence seems like a million years. O infallible one, at that time our eyes become useless, as if bereft of sun. (Ved a base)

Text 10

How can we, with You being elsewhere, live without the satisfaction of Your glance that vanquishes the miseries of the world; how can we live without seeing your beautiful smiling and decorated, attractive face?'

O master, if You live abroad all the time, then we cannot look at Your attractive face, whose smiles vanquish all our sufferings. How can we exist without Your presence? Upon hearing their speeches, the Lord, who is very kind to the citizens and the devotees, entered the city of Dvârakâ and acknowledged all their greetings by casting His transcendental glance over them. (Vedabase)

Text 11

Like the city of Bhogavatî was protected by the Nâgas, was Dvârakâ protected by the strength of the descendants of Vrishni [Krishna's family], Bhoja, Madhu, Das'ârha, Arha, Kukura, Andhaka etc. [together called the Yadus], who were all as good as Krishna Himself.

As Bhogavatî, the capital of Nâgaloka, is protected by the Nâgas, so was Dvârakâ protected by the descendants of Vrishni--Bhoja, Madhu, Das'ârha, Arha, Kukura, Andhaka, etc.--who were as strong as Lord Krishna. (Vedabase)

Text 12

During all seasons was there the wealth of orchards and flower gardens that with their trees, plants and also with the hermitages that were found there, formed beautiful parks around ponds filled with lotuses which made the city extra beautiful.

The city of Dvârakâpurî was filled with the opulences of all seasons. There were hermitages, orchards, flower gardens, parks and reservoirs of water breeding lotus flowers all over. (Vedabase)

Text 13

The gateway of the city as well as the different roads were decorated with arches and flags which, painted with all the known signs, were casting shadows in the sunshine.

The city gateway, the household doors and festooned arches along the roads were all nicely decorated with festive signs like plantain trees and mango leaves, all to welcome the Lord. Flags, garlands and painted signs and slogans all combined to shade the sunshine. (Vedabase)

Text 14

The lanes, alleys, the marketplace and public meeting places were thoroughly cleansed, sprinkled with scented water and strewn with fruits, flowers and unbroken seeds.

The highways, subways, lanes, markets and public meeting places were all thoroughly cleansed and then moistened with scented water. And to welcome the Lord, fruits, flowers and unbroken seeds were strewn everywhere. (Vedabase)

Text 15

At the door of each residential house there was a display of curd, unbroken fruits, sugar cane, decorations, pots of water and articles for worship like incense and lamps.

In each and every door of the residential houses, auspicious things like curd, unbroken fruits, sugarcane and full waterpots with articles for worship, incense and candles were all displayed. (Vedabase)

Text 16-17:

Hearing that their dearest one was coming home, were His father Vasudeva and the magnanimous Akrûra, Ugrasena, Krishna's superhumanly powerful elder brother Balarâma, Pradyumna, Cârudeshna and Sâmba the son of Jâmbavatî, all by the force of an extreme happiness alerted from their resting, sitting and dining.

On hearing that the most dear Krishna was approaching Dvârakâdhâma, magnanimous Vasudeva, Akrûra, Ugrasena, Balarâma. (the superhumanly powerful), Pradyumna, Cârudeshna and Sâmba the son of Jâmbavatî, all extremely happy, abandoned resting, sitting and dining. (Vedabase)

Text 18

Headed by elephants, with auspicious articles, the sound of conchshells and the glorifying chanting of hymns, hurried they, together with the brâhmins exited in cheerfull expectancy, on their chariots towards Him.

They hastened toward the Lord on chariots with brâhmanas bearing flowers. Before them were elephants, emblems of good fortune. Conchshells and bugles were sounded, and Vedic hymns were chanted. Thus they offered their respects, which were saturated with affection. (Vedabase)

Text 19:

Hundreds of courtesans very anxious to meet Him followed with their vehicles, with dazzling earrings enhancing the beauty of their cheeks.

At the same time, many hundreds of well-known prostitutes began to proceed on various vehicles. They were all very eager to meet the Lord, and their beautiful faces were decorated with dazzling earrings, which enhanced the beauty of their foreheads. (Vedabase)

Text 20

There were entertainers, dancers, singers, historians, genealogists, and learned speakers who spirited sang the praises of the superhuman activities of the Lord.

Expert dramatists, artists, dancers, singers, historians, genealogists and learned speakers all gave their respective contributions, being inspired by the superhuman pastimes of the Lord. Thus they proceeded on and on. (Vedabase)

Text 21

The Supreme Lord approached each of the friends and citizens who came to receive and welcome Him, as it should, with due honor and respect.

Lord Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, approached them and offered due honor and respect to each and every one of the friends, relatives, citizens and all others who came to receive and welcome Him. (Vedabase)

Text 22

He, the Almighty One, with the encouragement of His glancing smile bowed His head, greeting them in words, embracing them and shaking hands with them, down to the lowest as desired giving His benedictions.

The Almighty Lord greeted everyone present by bowing His head, exchanging greetings, embracing, shaking hands, looking and smiling, giving assurances and awarding benedictions, even to the lowest in rank. (Vedabase)

Text 23

Then, accompanied by the esteemed elders and the brahmins and their wives, entered He the city where He was also welcomed with blessings and praises from other admirers.

Then the Lord personally entered the city accompanied by elderly relatives and invalid brâhmanas with their wives, all offering benedictions and singing the glories of the Lord. Others also praised the glories of the Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 24

While passing over the public roads of Dvârakâ, got the ladies of standing on the rooftop of their houses, o learned ones, to feast their eyes on the sight of Him.

When Lord Krishna passed over the public roads, all the ladies from the respectable families of Dvârakâ went up to the roofs of their palaces just to have a look at the Lord. They considered this to be the greatest festival. (Vedabase)

Text 25

Even though it was their habit to look at Him like this, could the inhabitants of Dvârakâ never get enough of the compelling sight of the reservoir of beauty that was the embodiment of the Infallible One.

The inhabitants of Dvârakâ were regularly accustomed to look upon the reservoir of all beauty, the infallible Lord, yet they were never satiated. (Vedabase)

Text 26

In His chest resides the Goddess of Fortune, from the cup of His face are the eyes drinking, by His arms the ruling demigods abide, and His lotus feet are the shelter for the singing and talking devotees.

The Lord's chest is the abode of the goddess of fortune. His moonlike face is the drinking vessel for eyes which hanker after all that is beautiful. His arms are the resting places for the administrative demigods. And His lotus feet are the refuge of pure devotees who never talk or sing of any subject except His Lordship. (Vedabase)

Text 27

Being served by a white parasol, fans and a road covered by a shower of flowers and with His yellow garments and flower garlands, resembled the Lord a cloud surrounded by the sun, the moon, lightening and a rainbow together.

As the Lord passed along the public road of Dvârakâ, His head was protected from the sunshine by a white umbrella. White feathered fans moved in semicircles, and showers of flowers fell upon the road. His yellow garments and garlands of flowers made it appear as if a dark cloud were surrounded simultaneously by sun, moon, lightning and rainbows. (Vedabase)

Text 28

But after entering His parental home was He embraced by His seven mothers [His own mother, the wife of the priest, of the guru and of the king, the cow, the nurse and mother earth] who joyously were headed by Devakî to whom He bowed His head down in obeisance.

After entering the house of His father, He was embraced by the mothers present, and the Lord offered His obeisances unto them by placing His head at their feet. The mothers were headed by Devakî [His real mother]. (Vedabase)

Text 29

After they all had put Him on their laps, got their breasts wet of their affection and delight and the water of the tears that overwhelmed them.

The mothers, after embracing their son, sat Him on their laps. Due to pure affection, milk sprang from their breasts. They were overwhelmed with delight, and the tears from their eyes wetted the Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 30

Thereafter He entered His personal quarters which, inhabited by His wives who numbered over sixteen thousand, offered all that one could wish for.

Thereafter the Lord entered His palaces, which were perfect to the fullest extent. His wives lived in them, and they numbered over sixteen thousand. (Vedabase)

Text 31

Within their minds rejoicing got the ladies, from a distance seeing their husband now returned home, at once up from their seats and meditations with a coyly looking face.

The queens of Lord Krishna rejoiced within their minds to see their husband home after a long period abroad. The queens got up at once from their seats and meditations. As was socially customary, they covered their faces shyly and looked coyly. (Vedabase)

Text 32

At the sight of Him sending their sons, embraced the shy ones Him in their hearts in an insuperable ecstasy first, but, o leader of the Bhrigus, in spite of that choked they up with tears that inadvertently fell like water from their eyes.

The insuperable ecstasy was so strong that the queens, who were shy, first embraced the Lord in the innermost recesses of their hearts. Then they embraced Him visually, and then they sent their sons to embrace Him [which is equal to personal embracing]. But, O chief amongst the Bhrigus, though they tried to restrain their feelings, they inadvertently shed tears. (Vedabase)

Text 33

Although He was ever present at their side, even when they were alone, appeared His feet nevertheless every time completely new to them - after all, who could let go of the feet of the Eternal One that are never abandoned by the goddess of fortune?

Although Lord S'rî Krishna was constantly by their sides, as well as exclusively alone, His feet appeared to them to be newer and newer. The goddess of fortune, although by nature always restless and moving, could not quit the Lord's feet. So what woman can be detached from those feet, having once taken shelter of them? (Vedabase)

Text 34

He without being part of it Himself created the enmity between the rulers who became a burden to the earth, born as they were with their military control over their surroundings. He gave relief by killing them alike the wind that creates fire from the friction between bamboos.

The Lord was pacified after killing those kings who were burdensome to the earth. They were puffed up with their military strength, their horses, elephants, chariots, infantry, etc. He Himself was not a party in the fight. He simply created hostility between the powerful administrators, and they fought amongst themselves. He was like the wind which causes friction between bamboos and so sparks a fire. (Vedabase)

Text 35:

The Supreme Lord, from His own causeless mercy, out of His own appeared among all those who are part of this human world, to enjoy a life, with the worthiest of women, as if it concerned an ordinary worldly affair.

That Supreme Personality of Godhead S'rî Krishna, out of His causeless mercy, appeared on this planet by His internal potency and enjoyed Himself amongst competent women as if He were engaging in mundane affairs. (Vedabase)

Text 36:

Even though they were spotless and exciting with their charming smiles, the way they with their grave expression looking from the corners of their eyes even convinced Cupid to give up his bow, were they, as maddening, first class women, never able to perturb His senses with their magic.

Although the queens' beautiful smiles and furtive glances were all spotless and exciting, and although they could conquer Cupid himself by making him give up his bow in frustration, and although even the tolerant S'iva could fall victim to them, still, despite all their magical feats and attractions, they could not agitate the senses of the Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 37:

Ordinary people seeing how He, in spite of His detachment, is actively engaged, consider in their ignorance Him for that reason a human being full of attachment as affected as they are.

The common materialistic conditioned souls speculate that the Lord is one of them. Out of their ignorance they think that the Lord is affected by matter, although He is unattached. (Vedabase)

Text 38:

Such is the divinity of the Personality of Godhead that He, despite of being in touch with material nature, is never affected by its qualities; and the same is true for the intelligence of the ones situated in the eternal of the Lord who is their refuge.

This is the divinity of the Personality of Godhead: He is not affected by the qualities of material nature, even though He is in contact with them. Similarly, the devotees who have taken shelter of the Lord do not become influenced by the material qualities. (Vedabase)

Text 39:

The women in their simplicity and weakness thought it was true that He would be like someone following who is dominated and isolated by his wife. They were unaware of the glories of their husband, the way the atheists think of Him who do not know Him as the supreme controller."

The simple and delicate women truly thought that Lord S'rî Krishna, their beloved husband, followed them and was dominated by them. They were unaware of the extent of the glories of their husband, as the atheists are unaware of Him as the supreme controller. (Vedabase)