dadarśa—He sawtam—that (city)sphāṭika—of crystaltuṅga—highgopura—whose main gatesdvārām—and household gatesbṛhat—immensehema—goldkapāṭa—whose doorstoraṇām—and ornamental archestāmra—of copperāra—and brasskoṣṭhām—whose storehousesparikhā—with its canalsdurāsadām—inviolableudyāna—with public gardensramya—attractiveupavana—and parksupaśobhitam—beautifiedsauvarṇa—goldśṛṅgāṭaka—with crosswaysharmya—mansionsniṣkuṭaiḥ—and pleasure gardensśreṇī—of guildssabhābhiḥ—with the assembly hallsbhavanaiḥ—and with housesupaskṛtām—ornamentedvaidūrya—with vaidūrya gemsvajra—diamondsamala—crystal quartznīla—sapphiresvidrumaiḥ—and coralmuktā—with pearlsharidbhiḥ—and emeraldsvalabhīṣu—on the wood panels decorating the rafters in front of the housesvediṣu—on columned balconiesjuṣṭeṣu—bedeckedjāla - āmukha—of lattice windowsrandhra—in the openingskuṭṭimeṣu—and on gem-studded floorsāviṣṭa—sittingpārāvata—with the pet dovesbarhi—and the peacocksnāditām—resoundingsaṁsikta—sprinkled with waterrathyā—with royal avenuesāpaṇa—commercial streetsmārga—other roadscatvarām—and courtyardsprakīrṇa—scatteredmālya—with flower garlandsaṅkura—new sproutslāja—parched grainstaṇḍulām—and riceāpūrṇa—fullkumbhaiḥ—with potsdadhi—with yogurtcandana—and sandalwood pasteukṣitaiḥ—smearedprasūna—with flower petalsdīpa - āvalibhiḥ—and rows of lampssa - pallavaiḥ—with leavessa - vṛnda—with bunches of flowersrambhā—with trunks of banana treeskramukaiḥ—and trunks of betel-nut treessa - ketubhiḥ—with flagssu - alaṅkṛta—nicely decorateddvāra—with doorsgṛhām—whose housessa - paṭṭikaiḥ—with ribbons .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dadarśa tāṁ sphāṭika-tuṇga-gopura-
dadarśa
He saw
tam
that (city)
sphāṭika
of crystal
tuṅga
high
gopura
whose main gates
dvārāṁ bṛhad-dhema-kapāṭa-toraṇām
dvārām
and household gates
bṛhat
immense
hema
gold
kapāṭa
whose doors
toraṇām
and ornamental arches
tāmrāra-koṣṭhāṁ parikhā-durāsadām
tāmra
of copper
āra
and brass
koṣṭhām
whose storehouses
parikhā
with its canals
durāsadām
inviolable
udyāna-ramyopavanopaśobhitām
udyāna
with public gardens
ramya
attractive
sauvarṇa-śṛṅgāṭaka-harmya-niṣkuṭaiḥ
śreṇī-sabhābhir bhavanair upaskṛtām
upavana
and parks
upaśobhitam
beautified
vaidūrya-vajrāmala-nīla-vidrumair
muktā-haridbhir valabhīṣu vediṣu
juṣṭeṣu jālāmukha-randhra-kuṭṭimeṣv
āviṣṭa-pārāvata-barhi-nāditām
saṁsikta-rathyāpaṇa-mārga-catvarāṁ
sauvarṇa
gold
śṛṅgāṭaka
with crossways
prakīrṇa-mālyāṅkura-lāja-taṇḍulām
āpūrṇa-kumbhair dadhi-candanokṣitaiḥ
harmya
mansions
niṣkuṭaiḥ
and pleasure gardens
śreṇī
of guilds
prasūna-dīpāvalibhiḥ sa-pallavaiḥ
sabhābhiḥ
with the assembly halls
sa-vṛnda-rambhā-kramukaiḥ sa-ketubhiḥ
bhavanaiḥ
and with houses
upaskṛtām
ornamented
sv-alaṅkṛta-dvāra-gṛhāṁ sa-paṭṭikaiḥ
vaidūrya
with vaidūrya gems
vajra
diamonds
amala
crystal quartz
nīla
sapphires
vidrumaiḥ
and coral
muktā
with pearls
haridbhiḥ
and emeralds
valabhīṣu
on the wood panels decorating the rafters in front of the houses
vediṣu
on columned balconies
juṣṭeṣu
bedecked
jāla - āmukha
of lattice windows
randhra
in the openings
kuṭṭimeṣu
and on gem-studded floors
āviṣṭa
sitting
pārāvata
with the pet doves
barhi
and the peacocks
nāditām
resounding
saṁsikta
sprinkled with water
rathyā
with royal avenues
āpaṇa
commercial streets
mārga
other roads
catvarām
and courtyards
prakīrṇa
scattered
mālya
with flower garlands
aṅkura
new sprouts
lāja
parched grains
taṇḍulām
and rice
āpūrṇa
full
kumbhaiḥ
with pots
dadhi
with yogurt
candana
and sandalwood paste
ukṣitaiḥ
smeared
prasūna
with flower petals
dīpa - āvalibhiḥ
and rows of lamps
sa - pallavaiḥ
with leaves
sa - vṛnda
with bunches of flowers
rambhā
with trunks of banana trees
kramukaiḥ
and trunks of betel-nut trees
sa - ketubhiḥ
with flags
su - alaṅkṛta
nicely decorated
dvāra
with doors
gṛhām
whose houses
sa - paṭṭikaiḥ
with ribbons .
Important Words
gopura—main gates
From go (cow) + pura (city) — originally the gate through which cows passed. The standard South Asian temple-city term. Mathurā's gopuras are crystal and gold — but the real gopura today is the body of Kṛṣṇa walking through them.
upavana—public parks, groves
upa + vana — near-forest, grove. The same word used for Nanda Mahārāja's encampment in verse 8 — but here the upavanas are inside the city, ornamental and royal. Vraja's wild groves vs Mathurā's manicured ones: two registers of bhāva, one word.
saṁsikta-rathyā—sprinkled royal avenues
Compound: saṁ + sikta (well-sprinkled) + rathyā (chariot-road). The streets watered to settle dust before a royal procession. Mathurā prepares for Kṛṣṇa with the protocol of a state visit — without knowing He is here as the avatāra of yuga-shift.
āpūrṇa-kumbhaiḥ—with full pots
Compound: ā-pūrṇa (completely full) + kumbha (pot). Pūrṇa-kalaśa at every doorway — the universal Indic auspicious sign. Gauḍīyas note: the city greets Kṛṣṇa as if for Lakṣmī's arrival; aiśvarya recognizes its own source before the conscious mind does.
dadhi-candana—yogurt and sandalwood paste
Compound: dadhi (curd) + candana (sandalwood). The two substances smeared on welcome-pots. Dadhi is Yaśodā's offering substance in 10.6-9; candana is the gopīs' anointing substance — Vraja's two emblems already greeting Him at Mathurā's threshold.
The Lord saw Mathurā, with its tall gates and household entrances made of crystal, its immense archways and main doors of gold, its granaries and other storehouses of copper and brass, and its impregnable moats. Beautifying the city were pleasant gardens and parks. The main intersections were fashioned of gold, and there were mansions with private pleasure gardens, along with guildhalls and many other buildings. Mathurā resounded with the calls of peacocks and pet turtledoves, who sat in the small openings of the lattice windows and on the gem-studded floors, and also on the columned balconies and on the ornate rafters in front of the houses. These balconies and rafters were adorned with vaidūrya stones, diamonds, crystal quartz, sapphires, coral, pearls and emeralds. All the royal avenues and commercial streets were sprinkled with water, as were the side roads and courtyards, and flower garlands, newly grown sprouts, parched grains and rice had been scattered about everywhere. Gracing the houses’ doorways were elaborately decorated pots filled with water, which were bedecked with mango leaves, smeared with yogurt and sandalwood paste, and encircled by flower petals and ribbons. Near the pots were flags, rows of lamps, bunches of flowers and the trunks of banana and betel-nut trees.
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives this description of the elaborately decorated pots: “On either side of each doorway, above the scattered rice, is a pot. Encircling each pot are flower petals, on its neck are ribbons and in its mouth are leaves of mango and other trees. Above each pot, on a gold plate, are rows of lamps. A trunk of a banana tree stands on either side of each pot, and a betel-nut tree trunk stands in front and also behind. Flags lean against the pots.”
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The Lord saw Mathurā, with its tall gates and household entrances made of crystal, its immense archways and main doors of gold, its granaries and other storehouses of copper and brass, and its impregnable moats. Beautifying the city were pleasant gardens and parks. The main intersections were fashioned of gold, and there were mansions with private pleasure gardens, along with guildhalls and many other buildings. Mathurā resounded with the calls of peacocks and pet turtledoves, who sat in the small openings of the lattice windows and on the gem-studded floors, and also on the columned balconies and on the ornate rafters in front of the houses. These balconies and rafters were adorned with vaidūrya stones, diamonds, crystal quartz, sapphires, coral, pearls and emeralds. All the royal avenues and commercial streets were sprinkled with water, as were the side roads and courtyards, and flower garlands, newly grown sprouts, parched grains and rice had been scattered about everywhere. Gracing the houses' doorways were elaborately decorated pots filled with water, which were bedecked with mango leaves, smeared with yogurt and sandalwood paste, and encircled by flower petals and ribbons. Near the pots were flags, rows of lamps, bunches of flowers and the trunks of banana and betel-nut trees.
Commentary
Four verses describe the city. The tall towers and gates as well as the gates of the houses were made of crystal. The door panels and outer doors were made of gold. The storerooms for grains (kostha) were made of brass and copper. Surrounded by moats, the city was difficult to enter.
The intersections were made of gold. There were mansions with large gardens and buildings for the different craftsmen to meet, as well as other dwellings. The rafters were inlaid with vaidurya and other jewels. The buildings echoed with the cries of the doves and peacocks which sat on the rafters, floors and balconies. According to Ksiraswami, valabhi refers to the peak of the roof, and according to Halayudha it refers to the roof. According to Trikanda it refers to the top storey of a building. In any case it refers to the top part of the building. Vedi refers to a terrace in front of a building surrounded by bricks for relaxing. The windows had lattices to let in fresh air. The floors (kuttima) were paved with mosaics of precious stones. There were main roads and lanes, lines of shops and courtyards.
Krsna saw the houses with doors decorated with full water pots decorated with flowers smeared with yogurt and sandalwood paste and five other auspicious elements, flags, cloth, lamps, mango leaves, and banana and betel nut trees hanging with fruits. The pots were placed in the following manner: on both sides of the door on piles of raw rice the pots were placed. Around the pots were spread various flowers. Silk cloth was wrapped around the neck of the pots, and mango leaves placed in the mouths of the pots. Lamps on gold trays were places over this. On either side of each pot were banana trees. In front and behind each pot was a betel nut tree. The flags were leaning on the pots.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
The city is described in four verses. First is natural beauty is described. Āra means brass. The city is said to have moats since the east and west sides were bordered by the Yamunā. The gardens (udyāna) were filled with fruits and the upanavas were mainly growing flowers. The grove where the cowherds left their carts was outside the city and a natural forest, not produced by humans. The groves were attractive. Koṣṭām can refer to the walls of the fort. The city was decorated with groves and the pleasantness of gardens. The order of the excellent is the gardens, then the groves, the moats, treasuries and the entrance gates and other doors made of gold.
According to Kṣīrasvāmī vallabhi means the support of a roof, a cross beam or the crest of a roof. Halayudha says that vallabhi means a roof of a house. It also refers to a stone ridge covering a house made of brick. Trikāṇḍaśeṣa says that vallabhi means a room at the top of a house. Māgha-kāvya says yasyām asevanta namadvalīkāḥ samaṁ vadhūbhir valabhīr yuvāṇaḥ: there the young men enjoyed with their wives the sloping roofs with turrets. (Śiśupāla-vadha3.53)
Vedī refers to a yard surrounded by bricks. The houses resounded with peacocks and doves which were sitting (āviṣṭa) in yards and on rooftops in an impassioned condition. Kaṁsa had arranged special decorations to publicize the festival of the bow among the citizens, or there were daily decorations made by the citizens to make the city festive at all times. The decorations indicated the auspicious entrance of Kṛṣṇa into the city. The roads were sprinkled with water in order to keep the dust down, and made fragrant with perfumed water. Sprouted barley and other grains were scattered about. All the decorations were arranged wherever possible.
There were pots filled with pure water (āpūrṇa). The doors of the houses were decorated nicely (su) with yogurts and other ingredients. In Śrīdhara Svāmī’s commentary the word can in toraṇam ca means decorations over the doors were also made of gold.
His Grace Pankajanghri Prabhu· 2012-08-06· English
Personal Guidance
Analogy
Mathurā is dressed like a bride at a wedding — crystal gates, gold doors, pearls on the lintels, yogurt-smeared pots at every threshold. The city has decorated itself for a guest it does not yet know is its judge.