Vision of Lord Krishna as viewed by Naradha. Chapter 69 Skandham 10

 Chapter 69: Nârada Muni's Vision of Krishna in His Household Affairs

(1-6) S'rî S'uka said: 'Hearing that Lord Krishna had killed Naraka [see 10.59] and that He alone had married so many women, Nârada wanted to see that with his own eyes [and thought]: 'How wonderful it is that He with a single body is married to that many women, at the same time in sixteen thousand separate residences being alone with each of them.'

 Thus eager to take a look the sage of the gods came to Dvârakâ, the place so flowery with its parks and pleasure gardens resounding with the noise of flocks of birds and swarms of bees. Blooming blue lotuses [indîvaras], day-blooming ones [ambhojas], white esculent ones [kahlâras], moonlight-blooming lotuses [kumudas] and water lilies [utpalas] filled the lakes where the sounds were heard of swans and cranes. There were nine hundred thousand palatial mansions embellished with crystal glass, silver and great emeralds, that were splendidly furnished with gold and jewels. The city was systematically planned with many avenues, roads, intersections and squares, assembly houses and charming temples for the gods. Its paths and courtyards, shopping streets and patios were all sprinkled with water, while the sun was warded off by banners that waved from the flagpoles. 

7-8) In the city there was an opulent quarter honored by all the local authorities. Tvashthâ [the architect Vis'vakarmâ], had there for the Lord [who resided there] in full exhibited his talents by making the sixteen thousand residences for S'auri's wives as beautiful as he could. Nârada entered one of the great palaces. (9-12) The building was supported by coral pillars that were excellently decorated with vaidûrya ['cat-eye' gemstone]. The walls were covered with sapphires and the spotless floors shone everywhere. It was built with canopies that by Tvashthâ were constructed with hangings of pearls, and had seats and beds made of ivory that were decorated with the finest jewels. There were well-dressed, adorned maidservants with lockets around their necks, and finely clad men with turbans and armor, jewels and earrings. Many gem-studded lamps dispelled with their light the darkness, and on the carved eaves, my best, the peacocks danced, crying loudly taking the aguru smoke they saw curling upwards from the latticed windows for a cloud. 

(13) Inside, the man of learning saw the Lord of the Sâtvatas together with His wife who fanned Him with a yak-tail fan with a golden handle. She in her turn was every instant supported by a thousand maidservants equal to her in personal qualities, beauty, youth and fine dress. (14) The Supreme Lord, the best defender of all dharma, noticing him, immediately rose from S'rî's couch and offered him His own seat while bowing down with joined palms.

 (15) Even though He was the Supreme Guru of the Living Being, He washed his feet and took that water on His head. He, as the master of all saintly souls, justly carries the transcendental name of 'the Well-wisher of the Brahmins' [Brâhmanya deva], because one by dint of the holy shrine of His feet finds full purification [see also the stories of the Ganges flowing from His feet 5.17 & 9.9]. (16) Having been of full worship for the devarishi as was prescribed by the scriptures, He, the Greatest Sage, the Original Nârâyana, the friend of Nara, conversed with him in weighed words that were as sweet as nectar and asked: 'Oh Master, oh Fortunate One, what may We do for you?

(17) S'rî Nârada said: 'It is not that surprising that You show friendship for all people, oh Almighty Ruler of All the Worlds who subdues the envious. We very well know that You, who are universally praised, out of Your own will have descended for the highest good of the continuation and the protection of the Living Being [*]. (18) Having seen Your two feet, which for Your devotees are the path of liberation upon which Lord Brahmâ and the other gods of unfathomable intelligence meditate in the heart and which for those, who are fallen in the well of a material existence, are the shelter for deliverance, I ask for Your blessing to remember You so that I during my travels may constantly think of You.'

(19) Nârada, my best, thereupon entered another residence of a wife of Krishna, with the wish to know the mystical power of illusion [yogamâyâ] of the Master of All Masters of Yoga. (20-22) And there he saw Him also. He was playing a game of dice with His beloved and Uddhava. He stood up for him, honored him with transcendental devotion and seated him etc., asking him - as if He did not know: 'When has your good self arrived? How can those [householders] who are not so fulfilled, like Us, do what should be done for those [sannyâsîs] who are fully satisfied [within]? Anyway, please tell Us, oh brahmin, how We can make a success of this birth.' But Nârada who was astonished, stood up, said nothing and went to another palace. (23) And there he saw Govinda cuddling His small children. Next in another palace, he saw Him preparing for a bath. (24) In one place he saw Him offering oblations, elsewhere he saw Him worshiping the five sacrificial fires [see mahâ-yañas] with the obligatory rituals, then again He was feeding brahmins, and in yet another place He was eating the remnants [of sacrifices].

 (25) Somewhere He was of sunset-worship while controlling His speech with reciting the mantra [for it, see Gâyatrî and japa], and elsewhere He moved about with His sword and shield in areas of practice. (26) Here the Elder Brother of Gada rode horses, elephants and chariots, and there He was lying on His sofa being praised by bards. (27) This place He was consulting with advisers, Uddhava and others, and that place He was engaged sporting in the water surrounded by dancing girls and other women. (28) Somewhere He donated excellent, well ornamented cows to brahmins, and elsewhere He listened to the auspicious classical stories [Purânas] and epic histories [Itihâsas]. (29) Laughing and joking with His beloved in this mansion, He elsewhere practiced the religion [dharma], the economy [artha] and the [regulation of] physical lusts [kâma, see also purushârthas].

 (30) Sitting alone in one place to meditate on the Original Person Transcendental to Material Nature, He in another place rendered menial service to the elders, serving them attentively with things they liked. (31) Planning for war with certain people here, and there again making peace, Kes'ava together with Balarâma elsewhere minded the welfare of the pious souls. (32) [He saw Him] arranging opulent weddings for daughters and sons in accordance with the vidhi, at the right time, with wives and husbands compatible to them. (33) [He saw] the people astonished to witness the grand celebrations in which the Master of the Masters of Yoga sent away from home His children and welcomed in-laws in the family. (34) With elaborate sacrifices in worship of all the gods being busy in one place, He was in another place of dharma in civil service arranging for wells, parks and monasteries and such. (35) For a hunting expedition He somewhere was mounting a horse from Sindhî, while He elsewhere, surrounded by the most valorous Yadus, was killing the animals to be offered in sacrifice [see **]. (36) In another place the Yoga master was moving about in disguise in the city and in other homes, eager to find out what the mentalities of the different people were. (37) Nârada almost laughed about that what of His yogamâyâ, of assuming the human role, had unfolded before his eyes, and said to Hrishîkes'a: (38) 'From serving Your feet one can know Your mystical potencies, potencies which even for the great mystics are hard to conceive, oh Lord of Yoga, oh Supreme Soul. (39) Permit me to follow You in humility, oh Godhead, I will wander about the [fourteen] worlds, which are flooded with Your glory, and loudly sing about Your pastimes, which purify all the worlds.'
 
(40) The Supreme Lord said: 'Oh brahmin, I am both the spokesman of the dharma and its performer. I am also the sanctioner of dharma, as I teach it to the world. Do not be bewildered acknowledging it, my son [when I set an example].'

(41) S'rî S'uka said: 'He [Nârada] thus saw [as no one else could see ***] Him present in one and the same form in all the palaces where He performed the spiritual principles of dharma which purify the householders.

 (42) After repeatedly having witnessed Krishna's unlimited prowess in the elaborate manifestation of His yogamâyâ, the seer filled with wonder stood amazed. (43) With [his witnessing of] the artha, kâma and dharma [civil duties of household life, see also 

7.14], thus by Lord Krishna's faithful heart thoroughly honored, he satisfied went away with Him constantly in his mind.

 (44) Nârâyana, who for the welfare of everyone had manifested His potencies, my dear, thus following the path of human existence, enjoyed the shy affectionate glances and satisfied laughter of His sixteen thousand most excellent women. 

(45) Anyone, oh dear King, who chants, listens or appreciates [to read about] the unequaled activities performed by the Lord in this world, by Him who is the cause of the generation, continuation and dissolution of the universe, will become devoted to the Supreme Lord who constitutes the path of liberation.'