Part 3 - Description of Dwaraka City

As a matter of fact, description of a city is one of the important aspects of the epic poem. As such, Trivikrama Pandita has incorparated this important aspect by portraying the glory of Dwaraka city, which was ruled over by the Yadava-king, Lord Krsna. With a view to protect Yadavas from Kalayavana, Krsna asked Visvakarma, the divine-architect to erect irrestible city of Dwaraka in the middle of the ocean. Lord Krsna then brought all Yadavas to Dwaraka [=Dvaraka]. They lived there contented life. In this context, the poet makes a provision to describe the prosperous city of Dvaraka in the second canto of the poem. He The city of Dwaraka is described by the poet as having all glorious prosperities. The houses in the city were well set with royal furnitures. Food-grains were grown in plenty. The floors and walls of all houses were decorated with pure golden plate. People living in those houses had full satisfaction of their prosperity; and hence, they were free from envy of others. 24 So far as marketing in Dwaraka, is concerned a number of merchants had stationed in that city itself because of the generosity of the king Lord Krsna. They had having numerous valuable and attractive articles. They had growing business because of their truthfulness. Being free from any fear, the merchants in Dwaraka had displayed even valuable articles openly in their shops along the road-sides. Thus, merchants had full co-operation and protection from the king, Lord Krsna. 25 24. istairagaraih paribarhapustairastapadamrstatalaih prakrstaih | manorathe sve paripuryamane spardha na kasyapi babhuva tatra || (II.45) 25. nanajanabhistapadarthabhajah satyabhisamdha vanijam varenyah | asisrayannapanavithimaccham vanijyaya samcitabhuribharah || (II. 46)

123 Regarding the duties of the people of different castes, Trivikrama Pandita describes that brahmins living in their befitting abodes were engaged in giving lessons on the Vedas. The chanting of the Vedic mantras was so resounding that the very utterance of OM in the beginning of the lesson, spread in all the quarters of the city and drove away all types of inauspicious atmosphere, it be at any amount. 26 In this manner, poeple belonging to other groups were duly conscious and engaged in their dealings. The city of Dvaraka was well fortified by the army. Whenever the royal personalities of Yadava-race, were to go somewhere else, fourlimbed army used to march by holding white umbrellas above such royal personages. 27 Further, it is described that the city of Dvaraka looked glittering because of the golden lustre of the walls of the mansions therein. Thus, it had the glory of Meru mountain. 28 The palacial buildings in Dwaraka were more shining and very high. The tops of multi-storied buildings in the city, were mistaken for waterlaiden clouds with lightning within themselves. Such beautiful city of Dvaraka (Dwaraka), therefore had possessed the brilliance of Lord Narayana endowed with goddess Laksmi lying on Adisesa.2 29 Moreover, all buildings were set with pure crystal-stones, and young women with red-lips, were walking here and there in the houses. 26. yogyanyadhisthaya niketanani svadhyayamadhyapayitum pravrttah | amamgalanam pranavapranadairdvijottama nirharanam vitenuh || (II. 47 ) 27. turamgamatamgarathaih sayodhaih samam nrpanam nagarapravese | tatra'tapatranyupari sphurati viterurasthavarasaudhabodham || (II.48) 28. uttaptacamikaraklrptavapraprabhabhirudbhasitadinmukhabhih | adambaram merugirerudaram vidambayamtibhirabhisuragaih || (II.50) ya saudhapanktya divamalikhamtya tatitvata cumbitayambudena | dadhati dhama prathamasya pumsah sriya sayanasya phanimdrabhoge || (II. 51 ) 29.

124 The redness of their lips was seen reflected in the crystals. Because of the movements of young women, the reflections too in the crystal walls. appeared moving. With this charm, the royal houses were appearing quite beautiful. Further, it is described that the tops of multi-storied mansions in the city of Dwaraka were well decorated by setting of big and lustrous Indranila jewels within the golden tops. The brilliant rays of these Indranila jewels spread upwards and touched the abodes of gods and Gandharvas. The poet fancies this glory in such a manner that a lovely but lustful woman in the form of Dwaraka freely cast her glance at the gods and Gandharvas moving in the air through the vehicles.31 Another beautiful fancy is found in connection with the description of Dwaraka. Describing the height of the palacial buildings in Dwaraka, the poet exclaims that the buildings were so high that they were seen crossing the height of Naksatraloka too. Therefore, during night, the tops of the buildings were beautified with the garland of stars in the sky as it were. And in the middle of the garland of the stars, the moon shines like middle-jewel, while the Sun adorns the buildings in day-time only. 32 Furthermore, Trivikrama Pandita delineates that Dwaraka in the middle of the ocean shone like another ocean. For, the sound of the kettledrums being beaten, resembling that of the roaring waves of the ocean, was heard. Just as on the rise of the moon, the ocean of the hearts of amorous persons were filled with the tides of joy on seeing moon-like 30. baddhesu suddhasphatikopalena harmyesu yasya pratibimbitostyah | raktani ratnani caramti carunyatreti lola lalana bhramamti || (II. 52 ) 31. spastamdranilairatidiptimadbhiruttumgavesmagrasamarpitairya | vimanagebhyo gaganecarebhyo drstim dadativa vihaya lajjam || (II.53) 32. naksatramalatvamupagatesu naksatrasamghesu nisasu yasyah | tannayakatvam kila sitarasmirupaityaharmamdanamamsumali || (II.54)

125 faces of young women. The ocean within its womb possess the treasure of valuable jewels; so too the city of Dwaraka was inhabited by rich persons possessings varied jewels. Thus the city was very glorious.3 33 In the city of Dwaraka, both young men and graceful women had freedom to engage themselves in sports during night. Having removed their weariness by silent cold breezes of the wind, lovely women were entertaining a desire for love-sport for second time, and they were enjoying with handsome youths. Young men could not tolerate to observe repeated and intense desire for amorous sports of young lovely women. 34 The elephants in Dvaraka saw their reflections in the paintings drawn on the golden walls of palacial buildings. Simultaneously, they heard the roaring sound of the lofty waves of the ocean. The elephant mistook this sound for that of (painted) rival ones. And hence, those elephants got ready to have sport of fight with those paintings.³ 35 In Dwaraka, all were endowed with excellence of charm. They were looked ever beautiful. There were no dulls or fools. No beggar was seen wandering in search of food. All were inborn rich.36 Like the crest-jewel, the palace of unique beauty and glory was built with Indranila stones by Visvakarma with all devotion to Lord Krsna. It was witnessing the parexcellence of Visvakarma.37 It was but natural that the city of Dwaraka 33. bherimahormidhvanipuritasa vadhumukhanusnagusamgameddha | anamtananamaniramyagarbha samudraja ya'dhisamudramabhat || (II.55) 34. jalamtarabhyagatamamdavatavyasamgasamvardhitavarsmabhajam | na sodhumisah suratam yuvano vamchakramadyatra varamgananam || (II.57 ) 35. jihirsavah svapratimanakamdumadrstalaksah sphutadanavarsah | 36. srutvormisabdam prativaprabimbam yasyam gajemdrah parinamtukamah || (II. 62) yasyam na nasecanako na duhstho na nirdhano no pisunasca kascit | sarve'stimamtah Hasfatia: yoq aria: ZachLf 4: Hrynd avid: || (II.59) 37. atyadaranmamdiramadipumse sampaditam yatra maniprabaddham | simayate karmasu kausalasya mahiyasastvasturadrstasimnah || (II. 58)

126 in all respects excelled the glory of heaven. Formerly, Goddess Laksmi had special favour for her presence in Amaravati, the capital of heaven. But now, She came to know that Dwaraka (Dvaraka) was more prosperous and beautiful than heaven because of permanent divine presence of Lord Krsna therein. Thus heaven was degraded by the glory of Dwaraka. Therefore, even goddess Laksmi left that place of heaven and made Dvaraka as her dwelling place.3 38 Intent on seeing its equals, the city of Dwaraka searched for the same, but did not find. It saw its reflection in the waters of the ocean; yet that reflection was not as clear as itself. Thus, the city of Dvaraka remained incomparable to any other city on the earth. 39 In this manner, the city of Dwaraka was the abode of self-effulgent, Supreme Narayana in the form of Lord Krsna whose auspicious qualities could not accounted for even by Brahma. Therefore, even Brhaspati, the preceptor of gods, could not express the glory of Dwaraka. In fine, the city of Dwaraka was endowed with singular glory and prosperity. 40

38. adhahkrtayam nijavasabhumau saubhagyayogatsurarajadhanyam | yamadhyatisthatsvayameva laksmirakalpabhuta bhuvanatrayasya || (II. 56) 39. sthitasvayogyasvitarasu loke purisu sadrsyavibhutilabdhyai | 40. ya svatmana'bdhau pratibimbitena svayam kathamcitsadrsi babhuva || (II.61) yasyam gurunam ganane gunanam gurorgiro dhaturapi skhalamti | ko veda murteriva canubhavam narayanajyotisa aspadasya || (II. 60)