पुरंसम्मृष्टसंसिक्तमार्गरथ्याचतुष्पथम् ।
चित्रध्वजपताकाभिस्तोरणै: समलङ्कृतम् ॥ ८ ॥
स्रग्गन्धमाल्याभरणैर्विरजोऽम्बरभूषितै: ।
जुष्टं स्त्रीपुरुषै: श्रीमद्गृहैरगुरुधूपितै: ॥ ९ ॥
puraṁ sammṛṣṭa-saṁsikta-
[puram sammrishta-samsikta-]
mārga-rathyā-catuṣpatham
[maarga-rathyaa-chatushpatham]
citra-dhvaja-patākābhis
[chitra-dhvaja-pataakaabhis]
toraṇaiḥ samalaṅkṛtam
[toranaih samalankritam]
srag-gandha-mālyābharaṇair
[srag-gandha-maalyaabharanair]
virajo-’mbara-bhūṣitaiḥ
[virajo-’mbara-bhooshitaih]
juṣṭaṁ strī-puruṣaiḥ śrīmad-
[jushtam stree-purushaih shreemad-]
gṛhair aguru-dhūpitaiḥ
[grihair aguru-dhoopitaih]
Word-for-word
puram—the citysammṛṣṭa—thoroughly cleanedsaṁsikta—and sprinkled abundantly with watermārga—the main avenuesrathyā—commercial roadscatuḥ - patham—and intersectionscitra—variegateddhvaja—on flagpolespatākābhiḥ—with bannerstoraṇaiḥ—and archwayssamalaṅkṛtam—decoratedsrak—with jeweled necklacesgandha—fragrant substances such as sandalwood pastemālya—flower garlandsābharaṇaiḥ—and other ornamentsvirajaḥ—spotlessambara—in clothingbhūṣitaiḥ—who were arrayedjuṣṭam—containingstrī—womenpuruṣaiḥ—and menśrī - mat—opulentgṛhaiḥ—homesaguru - dhūpitaiḥ—aromatic with aguru incense .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
puraṁ sammṛṣṭa-saṁsikta-
puram
the city
sammṛṣṭa
thoroughly cleaned
saṁsikta
and sprinkled abundantly with water
mārga-rathyā-catuṣpatham
mārga
the main avenues
rathyā
commercial roads
catuḥ - patham
and intersections
citra-dhvaja-patākābhis
citra
variegated
dhvaja
on flagpoles
patākābhiḥ
with banners
toraṇaiḥ samalaṅkṛtam
toraṇaiḥ
and archways
samalaṅkṛtam
decorated
srag-gandha-mālyābharaṇair
srak
with jeweled necklaces
gandha
fragrant substances such as sandalwood paste
mālya
flower garlands
ābharaṇaiḥ
and other ornaments
virajo-’mbara-bhūṣitaiḥ
virajaḥ
spotless
juṣṭaṁ strī-puruṣaiḥ śrīmad-
ambara
in clothing
bhūṣitaiḥ
who were arrayed
juṣṭam
containing
strī
women
puruṣaiḥ
and men
śrī - mat
opulent
gṛhair aguru-dhūpitaiḥ
gṛhaiḥ
homes
aguru - dhūpitaiḥ
aromatic with aguru incense .
Important Words
toraṇaiḥ—with archways
Instrumental plural of toraṇa. The same ritual archways that mark Rāma's return to Ayodhyā and Kṛṣṇa's arrival in Mathurā (10.41). Vyāsa is signalling: this is one of the great arrivals, even if the city does not yet know whose.
aguru - dhūpitaiḥ—aromatic with aguru incense
Compound: aguru (aloeswood) + dhūpita (incensed). The aroma named in arcana-paddhati for deity worship. The whole city is, in effect, already an arcana-maṇḍapa — and the deity is on His way.
Compound of four standard upacāras of pūjā. Gauḍīyas read the verse as showing that all material opulence rightly directed converges on Kṛṣṇa-pūjā; Bhīṣmaka's city becomes a Vaiṣṇava temple by accident.
The king had the main avenues, commercial roads and intersections thoroughly cleaned and then sprinkled with water, and he also had the city decorated with triumphant archways and multicolored banners on poles. The men and women of the city, arrayed in spotless raiment and anointed with fragrant sandalwood paste, wore precious necklaces, flower garlands and jeweled ornaments, and their opulent homes were filled with the aroma of aguru.
Purport
When earthen roads are sprinkled with water, the dust settles down and the road becomes smooth and firm. King Bhīṣmaka thoroughly prepared for the great wedding, setting the scene for Lord Kṛṣṇa’s triumphant abduction of beautiful Rukmiṇī-devī.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The king had the main avenues, commercial roads and intersections thoroughly cleaned and then sprinkled with water, and he also had the city decorated with triumphant archways and multicolored banners on poles. The men and women of the city, arrayed in spotless raiment and anointed with fragrant sandalwood paste, wore precious necklaces, flower garlands and jeweled ornaments, and their opulent homes were filled with the aroma of aguru.
Commentary
The men and women had spotless clothing, necklaces, scents and garlands.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Marga refers to regular roads and rathyā refers to streets with shops. Virajāmbara is also seen. There were resident men and women as well as men and women who came from other places for the festive wedding. The king arranged for (verb from previous sentence) the houses to be furnished with aguru incense and decorated with canopies and other ornaments (śrīmad).
Śrīdhara Svāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
The roads were cleansed of dust (saṁmṛṣṭa) and thoroughly sprinkled with fragrant water (saṁsikta). Margas are broad roads and rathyas are small roads. The arches were always ornamented, but now more than ever (samalaṅkṛtam).
The cloth was free of all dust (viraja or virajas). The king made the city to be endowed with houses which were ornamented with canopies, cāmaras, mirrors, and festoons (śrīmat). The descriptive terms for the people can be applied to the houses as well. Or the city was endowed with houses freshly decorated by women invited for the wedding. Or he made the city beautiful (śrīmat) with houses.
His Grace Rupeshwar Caitanya Prabhu· 2012-09-04· Telugu
Personal Guidance
Bhīṣmaka has avenues cleaned, sprinkled with water, decorated with triumphant archways and multicolored banners on poles; men and women appear in fresh attire and ornaments. Ceremony makes a bad arrangement look beautiful; preparation can disguise misalignment.
Reflection Questions
Where do you let elaborate preparation distract you from questioning the underlying decision?
What 'sprinkled water and banners' in your life cover a wrong direction?
Analogy
A house decorated for the wrong guest — every garland a small irony. Bhīṣmaka's city shines for Śiśupāla, but the streets will receive Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti often arrives through preparations made by others for other ends; Bhagavān walks into the welcome that was not meant for Him and makes it His own.