Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 1: “Creation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Eleven

SB1.11.18

TEXT 18

varanendram puraskrtya

brahmanaih sasumangalaih

sankha-turya-ninadena

brahma-ghosena cadrtah

pratyujjagmu rathair hrstah

pranayagata-sadhvasah

SYNONYMS

varana-indram—elephants on the auspicious mission; puraskrtya—putting in the front; brahmanaih—by the brahmanas; sa-sumangalaih—with all-auspicious signs; sankha—conchshell; turya—bugle; ninadena—by the sound of; brahma-ghosena—by chanting the hymns of the Vedas; ca—and; adrtah—glorified; prati—towards; ujjagmuh—proceeded hurriedly; rathaih—on the chariots; hrstah—in cheerfulness; pranayagata—saturated with affection; sadhvasah—all-respectful.

TRANSLATION

They hastened toward the Lord on chariots with brahmanas 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.

PURPORT

The Vedic way of receiving a great personality creates an atmosphere of respect, which is saturated with affection and veneration for the person received. The auspicious atmosphere of such a reception depends on the paraphernalia described above, including conchshells, flowers, incense, decorated elephants, and the qualified brahmanas reciting verses from the Vedic literatures. Such a program of reception is full of sincerity, on the part of both the receiver and the received.

SB1.11.19

TEXT 19

varamukhyas ca sataso

yanais tad-darsanotsukah

lasat-kundala-nirbhata-

kapola-vadana-sriyah

SYNONYMS

varamukhyah—well-known prostitutes; ca—and; satasah—hundreds of; yanaih—by vehicles; tat-darsana—for meeting Him (Lord Sri Krsna); utsukah—very much anxious; lasat—hanging; kundala—earrings; nirbhata—dazzling; kapola—forehead; vadana—face; sriyah—beauty.

TRANSLATION

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.

PURPORT

We may not hate even the prostitutes if they are devotees of the Lord. Even to date there are many prostitutes in great cities of India who are sincere devotees of the Lord. By tricks of chance one may be obliged to adopt a profession which is not very adorable in society, but that does not hamper one in executing devotional service to the Lord. Devotional service to the Lord is uncheckable in all circumstances. It is understood herewith that even in those days, about five thousand years ago, there were prostitutes in a city like Dvaraka, where Lord Krsna resided. This means that prostitutes are necessary citizens for the proper upkeep of society. The government opens wine shops, but this does not mean that the government encourages the drinking of wine. The idea is that there is a class of men who will drink at any cost, and it has been experienced that prohibition in great cities encouraged illicit smuggling of wine. Similarly, men who are not satisfied at home require such concessions, and if there is no prostitute, then such low men will induce others into prostitution. It is better that prostitutes be available in the marketplace so that the sanctity of society can be maintained. It is better to maintain a class of prostitutes than to encourage prostitutes within society. The real reformation is to enlighten all people to become devotees of the Lord, and that will check all kinds of deteriorating factors of life.

Sri Bilvamangala Thakura, a great acarya of the Visnusvami Vaisnava sect, in his householder life was overly attached to a prostitute who happened to be a devotee of the Lord. One night when the Thakura came to Cintamani’s house in torrents of rain and thunder, Cintamani was astonished to see how the Thakura could come on such a dreadful night after crossing a foaming river which was full of waves. She said to Thakura Bilvamangala that his attraction for the flesh and bone of an insignificant woman like her would be properly utilized if it could be diverted to the devotional service of the Lord to achieve attraction for the transcendental beauty of the Lord. It was a momentous hour for the Thakura, and he took a turn towards spiritual realization by the words of a prostitute. Later on the Thakura accepted the prostitute as his spiritual master, and in several places of his literary works he has glorified the name of Cintamani, who showed him the right path.

In the Bhagavad-gita (9.32) the Lord says, “O son of Prtha, even the low-born candalas and those who are born in a family of unbelievers, and even the prostitutes, shall attain perfection of life if they take shelter of unalloyed devotional service to Me, because in the path of devotional service there are no impediments due to degraded birth and occupation. The path is open for everyone who agrees to follow it.”

It appears that the prostitutes of Dvaraka, who were so eager to meet the Lord, were all His unalloyed devotees, and thus they were all on the path of salvation according to the above version of the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore, the only reformation that is necessary in society is to make an organized effort to turn the citizens into devotees of the Lord, and thus all good qualities of the denizens of heaven will overtake them in their own way. On the other hand, those who are nondevotees have no good qualifications whatsoever, however they may be materially advanced. The difference is that the devotees of the Lord are on the path of liberation, whereas the nondevotees are on the path of further entanglement in material bondage. The criterion of advancement of civilization is whether the people are educated and advanced on the path of salvation.

SB1.11.20

TEXT 20

nata-nartaka-gandharvah

suta-magadha-vandinah

gayanti cottamasloka-

caritany adbhutani ca

SYNONYMS

nata—dramatists; nartaka—dancers; gandharvah—celestial singers; suta—professional historians; magadha—professional genealogists; vandinah—professional learned speakers; gayanti—chant; ca—respectively; uttamasloka—the Supreme Lord; caritani—activities; adbhutani—all superhuman; ca—and.

TRANSLATION

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.

PURPORT

It appears that five thousand years ago the society also needed the services of the dramatists, artists, dancers, singers, historians, genealogists, public speakers, etc. Dancers, singers and dramatic artists mostly hailed from the sudra community, whereas the learned historians, genealogists and public speakers hailed from the brahmana community. All of them belonged to a particular caste, and they became so trained in their respective families. Such dramatists, dancers, singers, historians, genealogists and public speakers would dwell on the subject of the Lord’s superhuman activities in different ages and millenniums, and not on ordinary events. Nor were they in chronological order. All the Puranas are historical facts described only in relation with the Supreme Lord in different ages and times as well as on different planets also. Therefore, we do not find any chronological order. The modern historians, therefore, cannot catch up the link, and thus they unauthoritatively remark that the Puranas are all imaginary stories only.

Even one hundred years ago in India, all dramatic performances were centered around the superhuman activities of the Supreme Lord. The common people would be verily entertained by the performances of dramas, and yatra parties played wonderfully on the superhuman activities of the Lord, and thus even the illiterate agriculturist would be a participant in the knowledge of Vedic literature, despite a considerable lack of academic qualifications. Therefore, expert players in drama, dancers, singers, speakers, etc., are required for the spiritual enlightenment of the common man. The genealogists would give account completely of the descendants of a particular family. Even at the present moment the guides in the pilgrimage sites of India submit a complete account of genealogical tables before a newcomer. This wonderful act sometimes attracts more customers to receive such important information.

SB1.11.21

TEXT 21

bhagavams tatra bandhunam

pauranam anuvartinam

yatha-vidhy upasangamya

sarvesam manam adadhe

SYNONYMS

bhagavan—Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead; tatra—in that place; bandhunam—of the friends; pauranam—of the citizens; anuvartinam—those who approached Him to receive and welcome; yatha-vidhi—as it behooves; upasangamya—going nearer; sarvesam—for each and every one; manam—honor and respects; adadhe—offered.

TRANSLATION

Lord Krsna, 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.

PURPORT

The Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is neither impersonal nor an inert object unable to reciprocate the feelings of His devotees. Here the word yatha-vidhi, or “just as it behooves” is significant. He reciprocates “just as it behooves” with His different types of admirers and devotees. Of course, the pure devotees are of one type only because they have no other object for service but the Lord, and therefore the Lord also reciprocates with such pure devotees just as it behooves, namely, He is always attentive to all the matters of His pure devotees. There are others who designate Him as impersonal, and so the Lord also does not take any personal interest. He satisfies everyone in terms of one’s development of spiritual consciousness, and a sample of such reciprocation is exhibited here with His different welcomers.

SB1.11.22

TEXT 22

prahvabhivadanaslesa-

kara-sparsa-smiteksanaih

asvasya casvapakebhyo

varais cabhimatair vibhuh

SYNONYMS

prahva—by bowing His head; abhivadana—by greeting with words; aslesa—embracing; kara-sparsa—shaking hands; smita-iksanaih—by a glancing smile; asvasya—by encouragement; ca—and; asvapakebhyah—down to the lowest rank of dog-eaters; varaih—by benedictions; ca—also; abhimataih—as desired by; vibhuh—the Almighty.

TRANSLATION

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.

PURPORT

To receive the Lord Sri Krsna there were all grades of population, beginning from Vasudeva, Ugrasena and Gargamuni—the father, grandfather and teacher—down to the prostitutes and candalas, who are accustomed to eat dogs. And every one of them was properly greeted by the Lord in terms of rank and position. As pure living entities, all are the separated parts and parcels of the Lord, and thus no one is alien by His eternal relation. Such pure living entities are graded differently in terms of contamination of the modes of material nature, but the Lord is equally affectionate to all His parts and parcels, despite material gradation. He descends only to recall these materialistic living beings back to His kingdom, and intelligent persons take advantage of this facility offered by the Personality of Godhead to all living beings. No one is rejected by the Lord from the kingdom of God, and it remains with the living being to accept this or not.

SB1.11.23

TEXT 23

svayam ca gurubhir vipraih

sadaraih sthavirair api

asirbhir yujyamano ’nyair

vandibhis cavisat puram

SYNONYMS

svayam—Himself; ca—also; gurubhih—by elderly relatives; vipraih—by the brahmanas; sadaraih—with their wives; sthaviraih—invalid; api—also; asirbhih—by the blessing of; yujyamanah—being praised by; anyaih—by others; vandibhih—admirers; ca—and; avisat—entered; puram—the city.

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

The brahmanas in society were never attentive to banking money for future retired life. When they were old invalids, they used to approach the assembly of the kings, and simply by praising the glorious deeds performed by the kings, along with their wives, they would be provided with all necessities of life. Such brahmanas were not, so to speak, flatterers of the kings, but the kings were actually glorified by their actions, and they were sincerely still more encouraged in pious acts by such brahmanas in a dignified way. Lord Sri Krsna is worthy of all glories, and the praying brahmanas and others were glorified themselves by chanting the glories of the Lord.

SB1.11.24

TEXT 24

raja-margam gate krsne

dvarakayah kula-striyah

harmyany aruruhur vipra

tad-iksana-mahotsavah

SYNONYMS

raja-margam—the public roads; gate—while passing over; krsne—by Lord Krsna; dvarakayah—of the city of Dvaraka; kula-striyah—ladies of the respectable families; harmyani—on the palaces; aruruhuh—got up; vipra—O brahmanas; tat-iksana—just to look upon Him (Krsna); maha-utsavah—accepted as the greatest festival.

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

To have a look at the Lord is a great festive occasion undoubtedly, as it was considered by the metropolitan ladies of Dvaraka. This is still followed by the devout ladies of India. Especially during the days of the Jhulana and Janmastami ceremonies, the ladies of India still throng up in the greatest number at the temple of the Lord, where His transcendental eternal form is worshiped. The transcendental form of the Lord installed in a temple is not different from the Lord personally. Such a form of the Lord is called arca-vigraha, or arca incarnation, and is expanded by the Lord by His internal potency just to facilitate the devotional service of His innumerable devotees who are in the material world. The material senses cannot perceive the spiritual nature of the Lord, and therefore the Lord accepts the arca-vigraha, which is apparently made of material elements like earth, wood and stone but actually there is no material contamination. The Lord being kaivalya (one alone), there is no matter in Him. He is one without a second, and therefore the Almighty Lord can appear in any form without being contaminated by the material conception. Therefore, festivities in the temple of the Lord, as held generally, are like festivals performed during the manifestive days of the Lord of Dvaraka, about five thousand years ago. The authorized acaryas, who know the science perfectly, install such temples of the Lord under regulative principles just to offer facilities to the common man, but persons who are less intelligent, without being conversant with the science, mistake this great attempt to be idol worship and poke their nose into that to which they have no access. Therefore, the ladies or men who observe festivals in the temples of the Lord just to have a look at the transcendental form are a thousand times more glorious than those who are nonbelievers in the transcendental form of the Lord.

It appears from the verse that the inhabitants of Dvaraka were all owners of big palaces. This indicates the prosperity of the city. The ladies got up on the roofs just to have a look at the procession and the Lord. The ladies did not mix with the crowd on the street, and thus their respectability was perfectly observed. There was no artificial equality with the man. Female respectability is preserved more elegantly by keeping the woman separate from the man. The sexes should not mix unrestrictedly.

SB1.11.25

TEXT 25

nityam niriksamananam

yad api dvarakaukasam

na vitrpyanti hi drsah

sriyo dhamangam acyutam

SYNONYMS

nityam—regularly, always; niriksamananam—of those who look at Him; yat—although; api—in spite of; dvaraka-okasam—the inhabitants of Dvaraka; na—never; vitrpyanti—satisfied; hi—exactly; drsah—sight; sriyah—beauties; dhama-angam—the bodily reservoir; acyutam—the infallible.

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

When the ladies of the city of Dvaraka got up on the roofs of their palaces, they never thought that they had previously many times seen the beautiful body of the infallible Lord. This indicates that they had no satiation in desiring to see the Lord. Anything material seen for a number of times ultimately becomes unattractive by the law of satiation. The law of satiation acts materially, but there is no scope for it in the spiritual realm. The word infallible is significant here, because although the Lord has mercifully descended on earth, He is still infallible. The living entities are fallible because when they come in contact with the material world they lack their spiritual identity, and thus the body materially obtained becomes subjected to birth, growth, transformation, situation, deterioration and annihilation under the laws of nature. The Lord’s body is not like that. He descends as He is and is never under the laws of the material modes. His body is the source of everything that be, the reservoir of all beauties beyond our experience. No one, therefore, is satiated by seeing the transcendental body of the Lord because there are always manifestations of newer and newer beauties. The transcendental name, form, qualities, entourage, etc., are all spiritual manifestations, and there is no satiation in chanting the holy name of the Lord, there is no satiation in discussing the qualities of the Lord, and there is no limitation of the entourage of the Lord. He is the source of all and is limitless.

SB1.11.26

TEXT 26

sriyo nivaso yasyorah

pana-patram mukham drsam

bahavo loka-palanam

saranganam padambujam

SYNONYMS

sriyah—of the goddess of fortune; nivasah—residential place; yasya—one whose; urah—chest; pana-patram—the drinking pot; mukham—face; drsam—of eyes; bahavah—the arms; loka-palanam—of the administrative demigods; saranganam—of the devotees who talk and sing of the essence or substance; pada-ambujam—the lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

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.

PURPORT

There are different classes of human beings, all seeking different enjoyments from different objects. There are persons who are seeking after the favor of the goddess of fortune, and for them the Vedic literatures give information that the Lord is always served with all reverence by thousands and thousands of goddesses of fortune at the cintamani-dhama,* the transcendental abode of the Lord where the trees are all desire trees and the buildings are made of touchstone. The Lord Govinda is engaged there in herding the surabhi cows as His natural occupation. These goddesses of fortune can be seen automatically if we are attracted by the bodily features of the Lord. The impersonalists cannot observe such goddesses of fortune because of their dry speculative habit. And those who are artists, overtaken by the beautiful creation, should better see to the beautiful face of the Lord for complete satisfaction. The face of the Lord is the embodiment of beauty. What they call beautiful nature is but His smile, and what they call the sweet songs of the birds are but specimens of the whispering voice of the Lord. There are administrative demigods in charge of departmental service of cosmic management, and there are tiny administrative gods in the state service. They are always afraid of other competitors, but if they take shelter of the arms of the Lord, the Lord can protect them always from the attacks of enemies. A faithful servant of the Lord engaged in the service of administration is the ideal executive head and can well protect the interest of the people in general. Other so-called administrators are symbols of anachronisms leading to the acute distress of the people who are governed by them. The administrators can remain safely under the protection of the arms of the Lord. The essence of everything is the Supreme Lord: He is called the saram. And those who sing and talk about Him are called the sarangas, or the pure devotees. The pure devotees are always hankering after the lotus feet of the Lord. The lotus has a kind of honey which is transcendentally relished by the devotees. They are like the bees who are always after the honey. Srila Rupa Gosvami, the great devotee acarya of the Gaudiya-Vaisnava-sampradaya, has sung a song about this lotus honey, comparing himself to the bee: “O my Lord Krsna, I beg to offer my prayers unto You. My mind is like the bee, and it is after some honey. Kindly, therefore, give my bee-mind a place at Your lotus feet, which are the resources for all transcendental honey. I know that even big demigods like Brahma do not see the rays of the nails of Your lotus feet, even though they are engaged in deep meditation for years together. Still, O infallible one, my ambition is such, for You are very merciful to your surrendered devotees. O Madhava, I know also that I have no genuine devotion for the service of Your lotus feet, but because Your Lordship is inconceivably powerful, You can do what is impossible to be done. Your lotus feet can deride even the nectar of the heavenly kingdom, and therefore I am very much attracted by them. O supreme eternal, please, therefore, let my mind be fixed at Your lotus feet so that eternally I may be able to relish the taste of Your transcendental service.” The devotees are satisfied with being placed at the lotus feet of the Lord and have no ambition to see His all-beautiful face or aspire for the protection of the strong arms of the Lord. They are humble by nature, and the Lord is always leaning towards such humble devotees.

SB1.11.27

TEXT 27

sitatapatra-vyajanair upaskrtah

prasuna-varsair abhivarsitah pathi

pisanga-vasa vana-malaya babhau

ghano yatharkodupa-capa-vaidyutaih

SYNONYMS

sita-atapatra—white umbrella; vyajanaih—with a camara fan; upaskrtah—being served by; prasuna—flowers; varsaih—by the showers; abhivarsitah—thus being covered; pathi—on the road; pisanga-vasah—by the yellow garments; vana-malaya—by the flower garlands; babhau—thus it became; ghanah—cloud; yatha—as if; arka—the sun; udupa—the moon; capa—the rainbow; vaidyutaih—by the lightning.

TRANSLATION

As the Lord passed along the public road of Dvaraka, 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.

PURPORT

The sun, moon, rainbow and lightning do not appear in the sky simultaneously. When there is sun, the moonlight becomes insignificant, and if there are clouds and a rainbow, there is no manifestation of lightning. The Lord’s bodily hue is just like a new monsoon cloud. He is compared herein to the cloud. The white umbrella over His head is compared to the sun. The movement of the bunch-hair fan of flukes is compared to the moon. The showers of flowers are compared to the stars. His yellow garments are compared to the rainbow. So all these activities of the firmament, being impossible simultaneous factors, cannot be adjusted by comparison. The adjustment is possible only when we think of the inconceivable potency of the Lord. The Lord is all-powerful, and in His presence anything impossible can be made possible by His inconceivable energy. But the situation created at the time of His passing on the roads of Dvaraka was beautiful and could not be compared to anything besides the description of natural phenomena.

SB1.11.28

TEXT 28

pravistas tu grham pitroh

parisvaktah sva-matrbhih

vavande sirasa sapta

devaki-pramukha muda

SYNONYMS

pravistah—after entering; tu—but; grham—houses; pitroh—of the father; parisvaktah—embraced; sva-matrbhih—by His own mothers; vavande—offered obeisances; sirasa—His head; sapta—seven; devaki—Devaki; pramukha—headed by; muda—gladly.

TRANSLATION

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 Devaki [His real mother].

PURPORT

It appears that Vasudeva, the father of Lord Krsna, had completely separate residential quarters where he lived with his eighteen wives, out of whom Srimati Devaki is the real mother of Lord Krsna. But in spite of this, all other stepmothers were equally affectionate to Him, as will be evident from the following verse. Lord Krsna also did not distinguish His real mother from His stepmothers, and He equally offered His obeisances unto all the wives of Vasudeva present on the occasion. According to scriptures also, there are seven mothers: (1) the real mother, (2) the wife of the spiritual master, (3) the wife of a brahmana, (4) the wife of the king, (5) the cow, (6) the nurse, and (7) the earth. All of them are mothers. Even by this injunction of the sastras, the stepmother, who is the wife of the father, is also as good as the mother because the father is also one of the spiritual masters. Lord Krsna, the Lord of the universe, plays the part of an ideal son just to teach others how to treat their stepmothers.

SB1.11.29

TEXT 29

tah putram ankam aropya

sneha-snuta-payodharah

harsa-vihvalitatmanah

sisicur netrajair jalaih

SYNONYMS

tah—all of them; putram—the son; ankam—the lap; aropya—having placed on; sneha-snuta—moistened by affection; payodharah—breasts filled up; harsa—delight; vihvalita-atmanah—overwhelmed by; sisicuh—wet; netrajaih—from the eyes; jalaih—water.

TRANSLATION

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.

PURPORT

When Lord Krsna was at Vrndavana even the cows would become moistened by affection towards Him, and He would draw milk from the nipples of every affectionate living being, so what to speak of the stepmothers who were already as good as His own mother.

SB1.11.30

TEXT 30

athavisat sva-bhavanam

sarva-kamam anuttamam

prasada yatra patninam

sahasrani ca sodasa

SYNONYMS

atha—thereafter; avisat—entered; sva-bhavanam—personal palaces; sarva—all; kamam—desires; anuttamam—perfect to the fullest extent; prasadah—palaces; yatra—where; patninam—of the wives numbering; sahasrani—thousands; ca—over and above; sodasa—sixteen.

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

Lord Krsna had 16,108 wives, and for each and every one of them there was a fully equipped palace complete with necessary compounds and gardens. Full description of these palaces is given in the Tenth Canto. All the palaces were made of the best marble stone. They were illuminated by jewels and decorated by curtains and carpets of velvet and silk, nicely bedecked and embroidered with gold lace. The Personality of Godhead means one who is full with all power, all energy, all opulences, all beauties, all knowledge and all renunciation. Therefore, in the palaces of the Lord there was nothing wanting for fulfilling all desires of the Lord. The Lord is unlimited, and therefore His desires are also unlimited, and the supply is also unlimited. Everything being unlimited, it is concisely described here as sama-kamam, or full with all desirable equipment.

SB1.11.31

TEXT 31

patnyah patim prosya grhanupagatam

vilokya sanjata-mano-mahotsavah

uttasthur arat sahasasanasayat

sakam vratair vridita-locanananah

SYNONYMS

patnyah—the ladies (wives of Lord Sri Krsna); patim—husband; prosya—who was away from home; grha-anupagatam—now returned home; vilokya—thus seeing; sanjata—having developed; manah-maha-utsavah—a sense of joyful ceremony within the mind; uttasthuh—got up; arat—from a distance; sahasa—all of a sudden; asana—from the seats; asayat—from the state of meditation; sakam—along with; vrataih—the vow; vridita—looking coyly; locana—eyes; ananah—with such faces.

TRANSLATION

The queens of Lord Sri Krsna 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 about coyly.

PURPORT

As mentioned above, the Lord entered His home palaces occupied by 16,108 queens. This means that the Lord at once expanded Himself in as many plenary expansions as there were queens and palaces and entered in each and every one of them simultaneously and separately. Here is another manifestation of the feature of His internal potency. He can expand Himself in as many forms of spiritual identity as He desires, even though He is one without a second. It is confirmed by the Sruti-mantra that the Absolute is one alone, and yet He becomes many as soon as He so desires. These manifold expansions of the Supreme Lord are manifested as plenary and separated portions. The separated portions are representations of His energy, and the plenary portions are manifestations of His Personality. Thus the Personality of Godhead manifested Himself in 16,108 plenary expansions and simultaneously entered into each and every one of the palaces of the queens. This is called vaibhava, or the transcendental potency of the Lord. And because He can do so, He is also known as Yogesvara. Ordinarily, a yogi or mystic living being is able to expand himself at utmost to tenfold expansions of his body, but the Lord can do so to the extent of as many thousands or infinitely, as He likes. Unbelievers become astonished to learn that Lord Krsna married more than 16,000 queens because they think of Lord Krsna as one of them and measure the potency of the Lord by their own limited potency. One should know, therefore, that the Lord is never on the level of the living beings, who are but expansions of His marginal potency, and one should never equalize the potent and the potency, although there is very little difference of quality between the potent and the potency. The queens were also expansions of His internal potency, and thus the potent and potencies are perpetually exchanging transcendental pleasures, known as pastimes of the Lord. One should not, therefore, become astonished to learn that the Lord married so many wives. On the contrary, one should affirm that even if the Lord marries sixteen thousand million wives, He is not completely manifesting His unlimited and inexhaustible potency. He married only 16,000 wives and entered in each and every one of the different palaces just to impress in the history of the human beings on the surface of the earth that the Lord is never equal to or less than any human being, however powerful he may be. No one, therefore, is either equal to or greater than the Lord. The Lord is always great in all respects. “God is great” is eternal truth.

Therefore, as soon as the queens saw from a distance their husband, who was away from home for long periods due to the Battle of Kuruksetra, they all arose from the slumber of meditation and prepared to receive their most beloved. According to Yajnavalkya’s religious injunctions, a woman whose husband is away from home should not take part in any social functions, should not decorate her body, should not laugh and should not go to any relative’s house in any circumstance. This is the vow of the ladies whose husbands are away from home. At the same time, it is also enjoined that a wife should never present herself before the husband in an unclean state. She must decorate herself with ornaments and good dress and should always be present before the husband in a happy and joyous mood. The queens of Lord Krsna were all in meditation, thinking of the Lord’s absence, and were always meditating upon Him. The Lord’s devotees cannot live for a moment without meditating on the Lord, and what to speak of the queens, who were all goddesses of fortune incarnated as queens in the pastimes of the Lord at Dvaraka. They can never be separated from the Lord, either by presence or by trance. The gopis at Vrndavana could not forget the Lord when the Lord was away in the forest cow herding. When the Lord boy Krsna was absent from the village, the gopis at home used to worry about Him traversing the rough ground with His soft lotus feet. By thinking thus, they were sometimes overwhelmed in trance and mortified in the heart. Such is the condition of the pure associates of the Lord. They are always in trance, and so the queens also were in trance during the absence of the Lord. Presently, having seen the Lord from a distance, they at once gave up all their engagements, including the vows of women as described above. According to Sri Visvanatha Carkavarti Thakura, there was a regular psychological reaction on the occasion. First of all, rising from their seats, although they wanted to see their husband, they were deterred because of feminine shyness. But due to strong ecstasy, they overcame that stage of weakness and became caught up with the idea of embracing the Lord, and this thought factually made them unconscious of their surrounding environment. This prime state of ecstasy annihilated all other formalities and social conventions, and thus they escaped all stumbling blocks on the path of meeting the Lord. And that is the perfect stage of meeting the Lord of the soul, Sri Krsna.

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