SB 5.24.9 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.24.9

येषु महाराज मयेन मायाविना विनिर्मिता: पुरो नानामणिप्रवरप्रवेकविरचितविचित्रभवनप्राकारगोपुरसभाचैत्यचत्वरायतनादिभिर्नागासुरमिथुनपारावतशुकसारिकाकीर्णकृत्रिमभूमिभिर्विवरेश्वरगृहोत्तमै: समलङ्कृताश्चकासति ॥ ९ ॥

yeṣu mahārāja mayena māyāvinā vinirmitāḥ puro nānā-maṇi-pravara-praveka-viracita-vicitra-bhavana-prākāra-gopura-sabhā-caitya-catvarāyatanādibhir nāgāsura-mithuna-pārāvata-śuka-sārikākīrṇa-kṛtrima-bhūmibhir vivareśvara-gṛhottamaiḥ samalaṅkṛtāś cakāsati.

[yeshu mahaaraaja mayena maayaavinaa vinirmitaah puro naanaa-mani-pravara-praveka-virachita-vichitra-bhavana-praakaara-gopura-sabhaa-chaitya-chatvaraayatanaadibhir naagaasura-mithuna-paaraavata-shuka-saarikaakeerna-kritrima-bhoomibhir vivareshvara-grihottamaih samalankritaash chakaasati.]

Word-for-word

yeṣu — in those lower planetary systems mahā-rāja — O my dear King mayena — by the demon named Maya māyā-vinā — possessing advanced knowledge in the construction of material comforts vinirmitāḥ — constructed puraḥ — cities nānā-maṇi-pravara — of valuable gems praveka — with excellent viracita — constructed vicitra — wonderful bhavana — houses prākāra — walls gopura — gates sabhā — legislative meeting rooms caitya — temples catvara — schools āyatana-ādibhiḥ — with hotels or recreation halls and so on nāga — of living entities with snakelike bodies asura — of demons, or godless persons mithuna — by couples pārāvata — pigeons śuka — parrots sārikā — mynas ākīrṇa — crowded kṛtrima — artificial bhūmibhiḥ — possessing areas vivara-īśvara — of the leaders of the planets gṛha-uttamaiḥ — with first-class houses samalaṅkṛtāḥ — decorated cakāsati — shine magnificently.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

yeṣu

in those lower planetary systems

mahā-rāja

O my dear King

mayena

by the demon named Maya

māyā-vinā

possessing advanced knowledge in the construction of material comforts

vinirmitāḥ

constructed

puraḥ

cities

nānā-maṇi-pravara

of valuable gems

praveka

with excellent

viracita

constructed

vicitra

wonderful

bhavana

houses

prākāra

walls

gopura

gates

sabhā

legislative meeting rooms

caitya

temples

catvara

schools

āyatana-ādibhiḥ

with hotels or recreation halls and so on

nāga

of living entities with snakelike bodies

asura

of demons, or godless persons

mithuna

by couples

pārāvata

pigeons

śuka

parrots

sārikā

mynas

ākīrṇa

crowded

kṛtrima

artificial

bhūmibhiḥ

possessing areas

vivara-īśvara

of the leaders of the planets

gṛha-uttamaiḥ

with first-class houses

samalaṅkṛtāḥ

decorated

cakāsati

shine magnificently.

My dear King, in the imitation heavens known as bila-svarga there is a great demon named Maya Dānava, who is an expert artist and architect. He has constructed many brilliantly decorated cities. There are many wonderful houses, walls, gates, assembly houses, temples, yards and temple compounds, as well as many hotels serving as residential quarters for foreigners. The houses for the leaders of these planets are constructed with the most valuable jewels, and they are always crowded with living entities known as Nāgas and Asuras, as well as many pigeons, parrots and similar birds. All in all, these imitation heavenly cities are most beautifully situated and attractively decorated.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

O King! The demon named Maya, who is an expert artist and architect, has constructed cities, decorated with the finest houses of the leaders, having artificial areas crowded with couples of pigeons, parrots, mynas, Nāgas and demons, with wondrous houses, walls, gates, assembly houses, temples, yards and resting places made of the finest jewels. In these lower planets there are cities, decorated with the fine houses of the leaders, which have houses, walls etc. made of the best jewels, and with artificial land areas crowded with couples of pigeons, demons and Nāgas. Instead of nāgāsura, nānāsvah is found. Then it means “with couples of pigeons making sounds.”

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Personal Guidance

Maya Dānava, expert architect of illusion, builds dazzling cities — illusion is highly engineered and looks magnificent. Don't assume that whatever is beautifully built is therefore real or good. Trained illusion outperforms naive truth.

Reflection Questions

What expertly built illusion in my own world have I been mistaking for solid reality?
Where am I impressed by the sophistication of what should actually concern me?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io