Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.81.28
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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maṇi-stambha-śata
—
with hundreds of jeweled pillars
Compound: maṇi (jewel) + stambha (pillar) + śata (hundred). The numbering — hundreds — refuses any modest reading. Kṛṣṇa's gift to a bhakta who never asked is at the scale of cosmic kings.
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mahā-indra-bhavanam yathā
—
like the palace of great Indra
Compound: mahā (great) + indra (Indra) + bhavana (palace) + yathā (like). Indra's palace is the standard upper bound for opulence in Vedic literature. Bhagavān's gift to His brāhmaṇa friend hits that ceiling — verses 6–7 promised amartya-durlabhāḥ; this is the cash-out.
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prītaḥ
—
pleased
Past participle of √prī (to please, be pleased). The bhakta's emotional state on crossing the new threshold. Gauḍīya note: prīti is the affective register of bhakti — Sudāmā's prīti is not at the pillars but at what they say about the One who set them there.
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tayā yuktaḥ
—
joined with her
tayā (with her) + yukta (joined). He enters the new home with his wife, not alone. The chapter never separates them; Kṛṣṇa's reward is to the household, not to the man.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments that Sudāmā was simply astonished at the sight of his wife. As he wondered, “Who is this demigod’s wife who has approached such a fallen soul as me?” the maidservants informed him, “This is indeed your wife.” At that very moment Sudāmā’s body became young and beautiful, bedecked in fine clothing and jewelry. The word prītaḥ here indicates that these changes gave him considerable pleasure. The famous “Thousand Names of Viṣṇu” hymn of the Mahābhārata immortalizes Sudāmā’s sudden opulence in the following phrase: śrīdāmā-raṅka-bhaktārtha-bhūmy-ānītendra-vaibhavaḥ. “Lord Viṣṇu is also known as He who brought Indra’s opulence to this earth for the benefit of His pitiful devotee Śrīdāmā [Sudāmā].”
Sudama could not recognize his wife. This is described in this verse. Seeing his wife who was like a demigoddess, he became astonished. He fell into an ocean of astonishment thinking "Some goddess is approaching me, so fallen." On being informed by the servants that she was his wife, at that moment, he saw his body become young and beautiful covered with ornaments. Then being pleased (pritah), along with his wife, he entered the house which was like Indra’s. Brhat sahasra nama stotra describes Krsna as one who brought the treasure of Indra to earth for his devotee beggar Sridama.
First he was pleased. Then he went with her. Suddenly his body also became beautiful and suitable for the house. He then entered the house with her.
Moreover he was pleased. He entered the house using his feet (svayam), not by a vehicle which came there.
- What 'old self' might the Lord be quietly renewing in me?
- Where am I noticing the renewal happening?
A homecoming that started at a thatched threshold ends at a hall of gem-pillars rivaling Indra's. The brāhmaṇa walks through doors that did not exist this morning. The chapter's geography is Kṛṣṇa's gesture made architectural.
My note
Source: vedabase.io