Śrī-Śrī-Gaura-Govinda-Līlāmṛta Guṭikā 14

Vṛṣabhānupura’s enchanting beauty during Śrī Rādhārāṇī’s stay in Varṣāṇā is unforgettable and beyond description. Brahmā himself is present in the form of a mountain. Atop that mountain sits a beautiful house surrounded on four sides by a golden wall inlaid with gems and jewels. Each of the house’s four gates have eight panels studded with diamonds. On the eastern side, the luster of the tall lion gate illuminates all directions. Its top is adorned with a golden pot, a cord for securing the gate, some flags and pennants. A slightly curved path goes from the eastern gate to the western gate and a straight path goes from the northern gate to the southern. The house has been divided into four sections with a total of thirty rooms decorated with gems and jewels. There are eleven rooms in the northeast section: Śrīdāma’s sitting room is in the northeast part of that and to the south of that is his bedroom. To the south of that is a sitting room for his friends. To the west of Śrīdāma’s sitting room is Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja’s sitting room and to the south of that is his bejeweled bedroom. Each of its four corners is beautified by receptacles for jewels adorned with garlands along with golden pots, flags and pennants. To the south of that is Vṛṣabhānu Bābā’s dining room and to the south of that is the sūrya-mandira. To the west of that is a kitchen containing stoves, tables, a well and so on. To the north of that is a storeroom and to the north of that is Kīrtidā Mātā’s bedroom. To the north of that is a room for the nurses, servants and so on. Altogether there are eleven rooms in this section. Then, there are seven more rooms in the southeast section: In the northeast part of that is Śrī Nanda Mahārāja’s room and to the south of that is Śrī Baladeva’s room. To the south of that is Rohiṇī Mātā’s room and to the west of that is Yaśodā Mātā’s bedroom. To the north of that is Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s room. To the west of that is Śrī Rādhā’s dining room and to the south of that is her sitting room. When Śrī Nanda Mahārāja and his group come to Śrī Rādhā’s birthday celebration, they stay in this room. There are eight rooms in the southwest section: Anaṅga Mañjarī’s bedroom is in the northeast part of that. To the south of that is a bedroom for Lalitā and the other sakhīs. To the south of that is Śrī Rādhā’s bedroom. The courtyard outside her bedroom is beautified by crystal pillars with a bejeweled swing bound by golden chains to a golden rod. In a jeweled room above her bedroom (candraśālikā), Śrīmatī sits on a gem-studded throne and watches for Śrī Kṛṣṇa in joyful love. To the south of that is a storage room for milk products. To the west of that is a sweets-kitchen that contains stoves, tables, a well and so on. In the northwest, there is a section containing four rooms: In the southeast corner of that section is a room for the yūtheśvarīs (group leaders). To the north of that is a candraśālā. Adjacent to that are separate rooms for Āyāna and Durmada, where they stay when visiting. To the west of that is an aviary and to the south of that are the tooth-brushing and bathing platforms for Rādhā and Anaṅga Mañjarī. In total there are thirty rooms in four sections.

In accord with the order of Śrī Gurudevī and as a follower of Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī, the sādhaka-dāsī cleaned Śrī Rādhā’s room and courtyard with a golden broom and scented water. She then placed golden pots with scented water and soft, fragrant soil in the appropriate places for Śrī Rādhā’s and Śrī Anaṅga Mañjarī’s morning duties. On the tooth-brushing platforms she placed soft mango-leaf cups, fragrant tooth powder, golden tongue scrapers, scented water in golden pots, towels and golden basins. On each of their bathing platforms she placed fragrant Nārāyaṇa oil, perfumes, bathing clothes and scented bath water. In the dressing and decorating pavilion she placed blue clothing, catuḥsama (sandalwood, aloeswood, saffron and musk), sandalwood paste, saffron, camphor, red lac, vermilion and so on in separate golden boxes. She also prepared jeweled necklaces, jeweled rings and bracelets, golden combs, jeweled mirrors, incense and aguru, incense holders and so on. In the dining room she placed seats, golden plates, drinking cups and scented water in the appropriate locations. She prepared seats and so on in the sitting room, which has four doors and eight windows adorned with sapphires and emeralds. Śrī Rādhā’s eight-jewel-studded sofa sits in the middle of the room. On it, the sādhaka-dāsī placed cushions, bolsters and round pillows. On eight sides, she placed golden four-legged stools for the aṣṭa-sakhīs. On other small golden tables she placed bowls of camphor, sandalwood, saffron and tāmbūla, golden pots, cāmaras and fans.