Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.42.13
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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mādhvyā-vāṇyā
—
with sweet words
Instrumental: mādhvī (honey-sweet, feminine) + vāṇī (speech). Gauḍīya note: even the parting words to Kubjā are mādhvī — Kṛṣṇa never leaves a soul in bitterness, even when He must walk on.
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vaṇik-pathaiḥ
—
by the merchants
Compound: vaṇik (trader) + patha (path; collective: those of the merchant-road). Mathurā's economy bows. Gauḍīya note: bhakti includes the gṛhastha trader — sevā of Kṛṣṇa is not the renunciant's monopoly.
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upāyana
—
respectful offerings
From upa + √i + -ana. A formal gift offered to a superior. The Bhāgavata names the offering as upāyana, not dāna — to mark the recipient's exaltedness, not the giver's charity.
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tāmbūla
—
betel nut, pān
Specifically tāmbūla — the after-dinner-mouth-freshener offering. Gauḍīya pūjā preserves tāmbūla-arpaṇa as a distinct sevā limb (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa). Mathurā's traders unknowingly perform it.
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agra-jaḥ
—
His elder brother (Balarāma)
Compound: agra (front, eldest) + ja (born). Balarāma is named via his birth-order. Gauḍīya: the agra-ja is always honored first; the merchants worship Balarāma alongside Kṛṣṇa, modeling the bhakta's twin reverence.
He sent her away with sweet words (madhvya vanya). He was worshiped by various merchants on the road.
The merchants worshiped him with various offerings. Betel nut, garlands, and scents are particularly mentioned because they were offered in abundance. The garlands were made of jewels and pearls. The scents were unguents like sandalwood, mixed with aguru and other special ingredients, with various colors. He was worshipped along with Balarāma and the other boys. They were first worshipped by brāhmaṇas near the Yamunā at the edge of the city. A little further within the city they were now worshipped by vaiśyas. Kṣatriyas generally dwelled in the center of the city and thus their worship of Kṛṣṇa is not mentioned.
He left her with sweet words as described in the last verse, or smiling he said, “I am controlled by you, since you are fully dedicated to me. I will come because of you.” He entered the city. By giving articles on the road, the bhakti and excellence of the merchants is shown. The merchants worshiped him with various offerings. Betel nut, garlands, and scents are particularly mentioned because they were offered in abundance. The garlands were made of jewels and pearls. The scents were unguents like sandalwood, mixed with aguru and other special ingredients, with various colors. He was worshipped along with Balarāma and the other boys. They were first worshipped by brāhmaṇas near the Yamunā at the edge of the city. A little further within the city they were now worshipped by vaiśyas. Kṣatriyas generally dwelled in the center of the city and thus their worship of Kṛṣṇa is not mentioned.
- Where could your daily commerce pause to make small offerings?
- What modest gift could you keep ready for the moment Kṛṣṇa 'walks by'?
A king walking through the bazaar accepts pān and garlands not because He needs them but because the merchants need to give. The roadside worship of Mathurā's traders is a small rehearsal of the city-wide ārati Kṛṣṇa is about to receive.
My note
Source: vedabase.io