The amazingly beautiful śrī-nārāyaṇa-mandira is located in the center. To the east of the mandira is Śrī Nanda Mahārāja’s sitting room. To the east of that is a sitting room for family friends. To the east of that is a candraśālā(1) and to the east of that is the lion gate. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s dining room is to the west of the śrī-nārāyaṇa-mandira, and to the west of that, a storeroom for cutting tools. To the west of that is the sakhīs’ kitchen and to the west of that, the rear entrance. In the northeast corner there is a section with twelve lustrous white rooms. Śrī Rohiṇī Mātā’s bedroom is in the southwest corner of this section. To the east of that is Kīrtidā Mātā’s room and to the east of that is Vṛṣabhānu Bābā’s. To the east of that is Śrīdāma’s room and to the north of that is a room for the dāsīs. Kundalatā’s room is to the west of that and Dhaniṣṭhā’s is to the west of that. To the west of that is a room for nurses and midwives such as Śubhe, Śunde, Bharaṇī, Pibarī and so on. To the north of that is a room for Raṅkana, Taṅkana and other dāsas. To the east of that is another room for the dāsīs. To the east of that is Bhadrā’s room and to the east of that is Candrāvalī’s. In the southeast corner, Śrī Nanda Mahārāja has a section with twelve rooms made of white emeralds. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sitting room is in the southwest corner of this section. To the east of that is a room for Raktaka, Patraka and other dāsas. To the east of that is another room for the dāsīs. To the east of that is Śrī Madhumatī’s room. To the north of that is Pālī’s room and to the west of that is Vimalā Sakhī’s room. To the west of that is the śrī-nṛsimhadeva-mandira. To the west of that is a room for Ambā, Kilimbā and Kṛṣṇa’s other nurses. To the north of that is Śrī Yaśomatī Mātā’s bedroom, adorned with gold and gems. To the east of that is Śrī Nanda Bābā’s bedroom, which is yellow and bedecked with jewels. To the east of that is Śyāmalā Sakhī’s room and to the east of that is Maṅgalā Sakhī’s room. A walkway extends through the middle of the palace from north to south. On the west side of the walkway, in the southwest corner of the palace, there is a section with nine rooms. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s bedroom is on the northeast corner of that section. It is made of yellow emeralds, has three stories and twelve doors. It has binding cords decorated with various jewels and its pinnacle is beautified by a golden pot, a cakra, flags and banners. It is adorned from top to bottom with diamonds, gemstones and pearls. Panels on the doors and windows are made of sapphires studded with different kinds of jewels. The inside of the room is beautified by a multicolored, jewel-fringed canopy, jeweled lamps in the shape of campaka buds, and parrots and mynahs in golden cages. Madhumaṅgala’s quarters are in the eastern side of that room and Jaya and Vijaya have quarters in the northern and southern sides. In the southwest corner of that section, there is a room decorated with diamonds, gemstones, pearls and so on for the mañjarīs and dāsīs. To the east of that is a room for the sakhīs, and to the east of that is a storeroom for jewels. To the north of that is a room with platforms for Kṛṣṇa’s bath, tooth-brushing and dressing. To the west of that is Śrī Rādhā’s bedroom and to the west of that is her dining room. To the north of that is her kitchen and to the east of that is her sitting room. Going east from there brings us back to Kṛṣṇa’s bedroom. In the northwest corner of the palace, Śrī Baladeva has a section with nine rooms made of yellow emeralds. In the southwest corner of that section there is a room for storing milk, and to the east of that is a room where condiments are stored. To the east of that is Baladeva’s bedroom. To the north of that is a room for him to brush his teeth, bathe and get dressed. To the west of that is a room for storing jewels and to the west of that a room for storing curds. To the north of that is a room for storing ghee and to the east of that a room for storing rice. Balarāma’s sitting room is to the east of that, thus making nine rooms. Small walkways sparkle in the radiance from the walls of the palace rooms.
Śrī Rādhā and her sakhīs gazed at the incomparable beauty as they entered the abode of the king of Vraja. Seeing that Śrī Rādhā was lingering, Dhaniṣṭhā walked anxiously in and out of the house. Then she ran and embraced Śrīmatī with great affection, saying, “Why are you so late? I feel miserable when I cannot see you.” Śrīmatī replied in a soft voice, “I am subservient to others.” Dhaniṣṭhā then lovingly took Śrīmatī’s hand and led her to Yaśodā Mātā. Śrīmatī’s beautiful radiance brightened the king’s home. When Yaśomatī Mā saw this radiance, an amazing wave of delight rose in her heart. Anticipating Śrī Rādhā’s arrival, Mā had been looking in that direction and now she got to see her. Seeing Śrī Rādhā’s extraordinarily lovely form, Mā wondered if the presiding deity of all the beauty in the three worlds had perhaps appeared in her home today. When Śrīmatī bowed modestly at Vrajeśvarī Mā’s feet, Mā lovingly lifted her to her chest and repeatedly kissed her, sniffed her head and sprinkled her with tears of affection. In a tender voice, Mā blessed Śrīmatī, saying, “O Moonface! May you live for a hundred years and always come here to please my eyes and mind.” Śrīmatī replied in a voice choked by emotion, “Mā, I am yours.” When Śrīmatī’s sakhīs bowed at Vrajeśvarī’s feet, Mā satisfied them with blessings, embraces and so on. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and her sakhīs looked very beautiful adorned with incomparable flower garlands of motherly love from the vine of vātsalya, the queen of Vraja.
-------------------------
1. A room on the top of a house, an attic
No comments:
Post a Comment