saṁsikta—sprinkled with watervartma—whose roadskariṇām—of elephantsmada—of the liquid exuding from their foreheadsgandha—fragranttoyaiḥ—with the watercitra—colorfuldhvajaiḥ—with flagskanaka—goldentoraṇa—with gatewayspūrṇa - kumbhaiḥ—and full waterpotsmṛṣṭa—decoratedātmabhiḥ—whose bodiesnava—newdukūla—with fine garmentsvibhūṣaṇa—ornamentssrak—flower garlandsgandhaiḥ—and aromatic sandalwood pastenṛbhiḥ—with menyuvatibhiḥ—with young womenca—alsovirājamānam—resplendentuddīpta—litdīpa—with lampsbalibhiḥ—and offerings of tributeprati—eachsadma—homejāla—from the holes of latticed windowsniryāta—driftingdhūpa—with incense smokeruciram—attractivevilasat—wavingpatākam—with bannersmūrdhanya—on the roofshema—goldkalaśaiḥ—with domesrajata—of silveruru—largeśṛṅgaiḥ—with platformsjuṣṭam—adorneddadarśa—He sawbhavanaiḥ—with homeskuru - rāja—of the King of the Kurusdhāma—the domain .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
saṁsikta-vartma kariṇāṁ mada-gandha-toyaiś
saṁsikta
sprinkled with water
vartma
whose roads
kariṇām
of elephants
mada
of the liquid exuding from their foreheads
gandha
fragrant
toyaiḥ
with the water
citra-dhvajaiḥ kanaka-toraṇa-pūrṇa-kumbhaiḥ
citra
colorful
dhvajaiḥ
with flags
kanaka
golden
toraṇa
with gateways
pūrṇa - kumbhaiḥ
and full waterpots
mṛṣṭātmabhir nava-dukūla-vibhūṣaṇa-srag-
mṛṣṭa
decorated
ātmabhiḥ
whose bodies
nava
new
dukūla
with fine garments
vibhūṣaṇa
ornaments
srak
flower garlands
gandhair nṛbhir yuvatibhiś ca virājamānam
gandhaiḥ
and aromatic sandalwood paste
nṛbhiḥ
with men
yuvatibhiḥ
with young women
ca
also
virājamānam
resplendent
uddīpta-dīpa-balibhiḥ prati-sadma jāla
uddīpta
lit
dīpa
with lamps
balibhiḥ
and offerings of tribute
prati
each
sadma
home
jāla
from the holes of latticed windows
niryāta-dhūpa-ruciraṁ vilasat-patākam
niryāta
drifting
dhūpa
with incense smoke
ruciram
attractive
vilasat
waving
patākam
with banners
mūrdhanya-hema-kalaśai rajatoru-śṛṅgair
mūrdhanya
on the roofs
hema
gold
kalaśaiḥ
with domes
rajata
of silver
juṣṭaṁ dadarśa bhavanaiḥ kuru-rāja-dhāma
uru
large
śṛṅgaiḥ
with platforms
juṣṭam
adorned
dadarśa
He saw
bhavanaiḥ
with homes
kuru - rāja
of the King of the Kurus
dhāma
the domain .
Important Words
pūrṇa - kumbhaiḥ—with full waterpots
Pūrṇa-kumbha — the auspicious full pot, present at every Vaiṣṇava welcome ritual still. Its fullness signals readiness to receive; emptiness would insult the guest.
kuru - rāja - dhāma—the domain of the Kuru king
Dhāma — abode. The city is named Yudhiṣṭhira's dhāma, even as Kṛṣṇa is the dhāma's true centre. Gauḍīyas distinguish bhauma dhāma (earthly abode) from cit-dhāma; here the bhauma is briefly drenched in cit.
uddīpta - dīpa—with kindled lamps
Uddīpta — well-kindled. Lamps at every door anticipate ārati. The city already lives in a ārati posture before Kṛṣṇa even enters.
dhūpa - ruciram—fragrant with incense
Dhūpa — incense, one of the five basic upacāras. The whole city is performing pañcopacāra-pūjā by simply being itself today.
The roads of Indraprastha were sprinkled with water perfumed by the liquid from elephants’ foreheads, and colorful flags, golden gateways and full waterpots enhanced the city’s splendor. Men and young girls were beautifully arrayed in fine, new garments, adorned with flower garlands and ornaments, and anointed with aromatic sandalwood paste. Every home displayed glowing lamps and respectful offerings, and from the holes of the latticed windows drifted incense, further beautifying the city. Banners waved, and the roofs were decorated with golden domes on broad silver bases. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa saw the royal city of the King of the Kurus.
Purport
Śrīla Prabhupāda adds in this connection: “Lord Kṛṣṇa thus entered the city of the Pāṇḍavas, enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere and slowly proceeded ahead.”
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The roads of Indraprastha were sprinkled with water perfumed by the liquid from elephants' foreheads, and colorful flags, golden gateways and full waterpots enhanced the city's splendor. Men and young girls were beautifully arrayed in fine, new garments, adorned with flower garlands and ornaments, and anointed with aromatic sandalwood paste. Every home displayed glowing lamps and respectful offerings, and from the holes of the latticed windows drifted incense, further beautifying the city. Banners waved, and the roofs were decorated with golden domes on broad silver bases. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa saw the royal city of the King of the Kurus.
Commentary
The city is described in two verses. Each house was splendid (virajamanam)with colorful flags, with full water pots and gold gateways, with decorated men and women, decorated (justam) with rows of lamps and flowers, pleasing with incense streaming from the lattice windows. Krsna saw the city where there were many palaces and houses of of the king of the kurus.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Taking the opportunity of the Lord’s entrance to the city, Śukadeva describes the city’s auspiciousness in two verses. The roads were completely drenched in water fragrant with sandalwood and the natural mada from elephants. The city especially shone (vi--rājamānam) with men and women having shining limbs, dressed in new cloth for this occasion. Each house had lamps and incense coming through the lattices. Among all the Kurus with great wealth, Yudhiṣṭhira’s city was most attractive because he was dearest to Kṛṣṇa.
Indraprastha — roads sprinkled with elephant-mada water, golden gateways, latticed windows trailing incense, banners and silver-rooted gold domes — receiving Kṛṣṇa is like a bride finishing her ornament at the moment the bridegroom enters: every detail was prepared for this one footfall.
Stories
City as offering
The Bhāgavata twice describes a city dressing itself for Kṛṣṇa — Mathurā in 10.41 (Akrūra's chariot arriving) and Indraprastha here. In both, urban detail is treated as worship: gateways, water-pots, garlands, incense, banners — the city becomes a body offering its limbs to His sight.
Gauḍīyas read these descriptions as model nagara-saṁskāra: the practitioner's home, day, ornaments and lamps should similarly stand at attention for Kṛṣṇa's daily darśana within.