Chapter 11 – Right royal reception of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Dwārakā
Sūta said:
1.) Reaching His highly prosperous territory of Ānarta, Śrī Kṛṣṇa blew His great conch (called Pāñcajanya) to soothe the grief of His people (caused by His long absence and the love they possessed for Śrī Kṛṣṇa).
2.) Just as a white-bellied swan singing loudly in a cluster of red lotuses appears beautiful, so shone brightly the white-wombed conch, reddened by the rosy lips of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and held in the hollow of (his red) lotus-like palms while it was being blown by him.
3.) Hearing that (familiar) blast, which scared away the terror of the world, the entire population (of Dwārakā) came forth to meet Him, longing to see their lord.
4-5.) They respectfully brought their presents to the Lord—who rejoiced in His own Self and was ever perfect in His own inherent bliss—even as one would offer lights to the sun-god (the ultimate source of all light); and, their countenance beaming with joy, they addressed Him, the friend and protector of all, in a voice choked with delight, even as children would speak to their father.
6.) Oh Lord! We are always submissive to your lotuslike feet adored even by Lord Brahmā, his off-spring (Sanaka, Narada & others), and Indra (the lord of gods), the highest resort for the seekers of the supreme beatitude here, a shelter where Time [or death] which dominates everything else, is powerless in front of you (as you are the supreme ruler of this creation).
7.) Oh creator of the Universe! Please promote our happiness (to be Free from all kinds of suffering). You alone are our mother, father, spouse, friend, teacher (Guru), the supreme deity, by serving whom we consider ourselves as having become blessed.
8.) Oh, how fortunate are we in having You as our lord, since we behold Your lovely form, the abode of all charms, and Your face with its loving smiles and affectionate looks, a rare sight even for the gods residing in heaven!
9.) Whenever, O Lord with lotus eyes, You depart for Hastināpura (the capital of the Kurus) or to Mathurā (the capital of the Madhus, including Vṛndāvana) it was only out of the desire to see Your devotees. For those bereft of Your sight, even a moment stretches as long as a million ages — just as without the sun, the eyes are useless.
10.) Hearing the words (of praise) uttered by the people (of Dwārakā), the Lord, who is so fond of His devotees, entered the city, extending His grace to all through His affectionate glances.
11.) Even as the city of Bhogavatī (the capital of the region of Pātāla Loka) is guarded by the Nāgas (a race of serpents, that are capable of assuming any shape they like), the city of Dwārakā was protected by the Madhus, the Bhojas, the Daśārhas, the Arhas, the Kukuras, the Andhakas and the Vṛṣṇis, who were their own equals in strength (were equalled by none).
Special Note : Bhogavatī—The subterranean capital of the Nāgas in the Nāgaloka portion of the Pātāla.
12.) It (city of Dwārakā) was adorned in every season with beautiful groves, gardens, and lakes, filled with auspicious trees and creepers laden with fruits and flowers, offering sacred beauty like the goddess Śrī (Lakṣmī) herself.
13.) The gates of the city and the palaces as well as the streets were adorned with festoons as a mark of festivity (due to the return of Śrī Kṛṣṇa). The city was further decorated with flags and banners of various shapes and designs, the fluttering ends of which intercepted the sun here and there.
14.) The grand avenues, markets, and crossroads were thoroughly cleaned, sprinkled with fragrant waters, and were strewn with fruits, flowers, unbroken rice, and tender sprouts (that had been rained on the Lord as something auspicious) as an offering of welcome.
15.) At the doorways of every home, auspicious items like yogurt, unbroken rice, fruits, sugarcane, and full water pots were arranged, beautifully adorned with incense, lamps, and sacred offerings (for welcoming the lord).
16-17.) The noble-minded Vasudeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s father) and Akrūra (Vasudeva’s cousin) and king Ugrasena (Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s maternal granduncle) and Śrī Rāma (Balarāma, Sri Krsna’s elder brother) of marvellous prowess, Pradyumna and Cārudeṣṇa (both who were Rukmiṇī’s son) and Sāmba (Jāmbavatī’s son), and others, overcome with love, hastily left aside their resting, seating, and eating arrangements, filled with boundless joy on hearing of the return of their most beloved Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
18.) Excited with emotion and full of joy and esteem, they placed a lordly elephant at their head (to serve as a good omen); and accompanied with Brāhmaṇas reciting benedictory hymns and equipped with articles of good omen, they mounted their chariots and sallied forth to meet the Lord, amidst the blast of conchs and trumpets and the chanting of Vedic hymns.
19.) The noble women of Dwārakā, adorned with radiant earrings and shining faces, proceeded in hundreds (towards Śrī Kṛṣṇa) in their palanquins, longing just for a glimpse of their Lord.
20.) Even so, actors, dancers and songsters as well as panegyrists, bards and musicians glorified the wonderful exploits of the Lord of excellent renown.
21.) Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, approached His relatives and the loving citizens who had come to meet Him, honoring each of them appropriately according to custom, bestowing His respect upon all.
22.) By bowing, embracing, touching hands, offering smiles, sweet glances, and comforting words — and for those who had come from afar, by granting blessings and fulfilling their cherished desires — the all-compassionate Lord showered His grace.
23.) Joined by the elders, priests, family members, and other well-wishers who blessed Him with their prayers, the Lord, glowing with humility and affection, entered the city.
24.) As Śrī Kṛṣṇa proceeded along the royal road, the people of Dwārakā, thrilled with joy at the grand occasion of seeing Him (to get a better view) rushed to the balconies and terraces of their splendid homes.
25-26.) The residents of Dwārakā constantly gazed upon the infallible and beautiful form (of Śrī Kṛṣṇa) who is the abode of all opulence, yet their eyes were never fully satisfied.
He is the very dwelling place of Śrī (Goddess of fortune) who is embedded on His chest, His face is the drinking cup for the eyes of the devotees, His arms are the protection of the guardians (kings & rulers) of the worlds, and His lotus feet are the eternal shelter for the seekers of truth.
27.) Adorned with a white umbrella and fanned by whisks, showered with fresh, fragrant flowers from all sides, dressed in yellow (golden) garments and wearing a garland of forest flowers, the Lord shone resplendent on the royal road — like the sun surrounded by the moon, rainbow, and flashes of lightning in the sky.
28.) Upon entering the home of His parents, Śrī Kṛṣṇa was lovingly embraced by his mother Devakī, father Vasudev, and others. And with deep joy, He respectfully bowed His head to them.
29.) With her heart overflowing in divine ecstasy, mother Devakī looked at her beloved son with great joy (of deep maternal love). Her soul filled with bliss, bathed Him (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) not with water, but with the sacred streams flowing from her eyes (tears due to pure love for her child).
30.) Thereafter, the Lord entered His own magnificent palace, a place of unsurpassed splendor, where His sixteen thousand (one hundred and eight) queens resided.
31.) The queens felt overjoyed at heart to behold from a distance their lord, who had returned home after a long absence; and, with bashful eyes and faces, they quickly abandoned their seats as well as their thought in which they were immersed, as also the vows of austerity (that they had taken during the absence of their lord).
Special Note – Vows of austerity (as per Yājñavalkya Smṛti)= A person whose spouse is away (gone abroad), should avoid playful activities, decorating the body, attending social festivals, joking with the opposite gender, visiting the homes of others, and traveling.
32.) Overflowing with infinite love, they embraced their Lord: first in their minds (mentally), then with their eyes, and finally physically along with their children. The tears which they had so far kept within the corners of their eyes out of their bashful nature now streamed down their faces uncontrollably.
33.) Although He was constantly by their sides, yet their hearts could never feel satiated by the ever-fresh beauty of His lotus feet. At every step, their devotion grew anew, just as Śrī (the goddess of fortune) never departs from His feet, even for a moment.
34.) Thus, the Lord, who had manifested among the kings to relieve the burden of the Earth, after diffusing the opposing forces which were against each other (Pāṇḍavas & Kauravās), like the wind fueling a fire, had finally returned from the battle, having accomplished His divine purpose (making Dharmā victorious).
35.) The Supreme Person (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), by His own divine will had manifested into the world of humans. Though He appeared to delight among the most pious and saintly jewels of womankind (as those queens were none other than surrendered devotees of God), He remained ever untouched, merely enacting His play as if an ordinary person, while being the eternal, transcendental Lord beyond all material qualities.
36.) The purity of their loving emotions shone through their gentle smiles, and their modest glances held such spiritual potency that even Cupid was overcome. Those supreme among women found that their worldly charms were powerless to stir the senses of the One whose divine nature remains ever undisturbed by illusion (Māyā).
37.) Ignorant people in this world think of Him (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), though unattached, to be attached, judging Him by their own limited understanding, because He acts like a human being while engaged in various activities, though He is the all-knowing and is free from worldly feelings and passions (as God is beyond the Guṇas).
38.) Herein lies the divinity of the almighty Lord that, even though abiding in Prakṛti (Matter), He never gets tainted by the Guṇas (modes) of Prakṛti. Just as a mind that has taken refuge in Him, is never again contaminated by the Guṇas of Prakṛti which are abiding in it.
39.) The less enlightened, in their innocent simplicity, conceived of Him in His worldly moments as merely devoted to His beloveds. Not comprehending the Lord’s transcendental power, their minds failed to perceive His divine Lordship.
Thus ends the eleventh discourse, forming part of the story relating to the Naimiśa forest, in Book One of the great and glorious Bhāgavata Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahaṁsa-Saṁhitā (the book of the God-realized souls).
Summarization Of The Entire Chapter :
As the Lord of Dwārakā (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), returned to His sacred city of Ānarta after a prolonged absence, He blew His divine conch, Pāñcajanya. That single celestial sound, reverberating through the air, carried with it the power to soothe the hearts of His beloved devotees who had long yearned for His presence. It was not just a sound—it was a divine signal, awakening joy in the hearts of all, much like the return of life-giving rain after a parched season. The conch, glowing white and tinged with the pink of the Lord’s lotus lips, shone like a swan in a lotus pond, a striking symbol of beauty and spiritual auspiciousness.
The people of Dwārakā, hearing that familiar and soul-stirring sound of the conch, rushed with great emotion to welcome their Lord. Though Śrī Kṛṣṇa is self-satisfied and rejoices in His own bliss, they offered Him gifts as if illuminating the sun with lamps—demonstrating the overflowing love and reverence that is the hallmark of true bhakti. With tear-filled voices and shining faces, they addressed Him with words of deep affection and surrender, recognizing Him as the source of all relationships—mother, father, spouse, friend, guru, and deity. In His lotus feet, they found the only shelter where time and death lose their sting.
Their eyes feasted on the rare and radiant sight of the Lord’s smiling face, a vision even the devas in heaven struggle to attain. They expressed how life seemed suspended during His absence, with each moment without His darśana feeling like ages. And now, with His return, their hearts blossomed anew. Moved by their words, Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered the city, casting His glance of compassion upon all.
Dwārakā, the divine city guarded by heroic clans and adorned like the celestial realms, was prepared to receive the Lord in full celebration. The streets were festooned with banners, sanctified with sacred substances, and perfumed with fragrant waters. The houses overflowed with symbols of auspiciousness, and its noble inhabitants abandoned all activity to rush forward, their hearts brimming with joy. The royal procession, complete with sacred chants, elephants, conch blasts, and musicians, surged forward to greet their beloved Lord.
The queens, embodiments of divine devotion, waited eagerly. Though they had maintained vows of austerity during His absence, the moment they saw their beloved, they were overcome by a torrent of emotion. They embraced Him first with their hearts, then with their eyes, and at last physically along with their children, their tears now flowing freely in ecstatic love. Even though He was with them, their longing never ceased—for such is the nature of divine love. Like Śrī Lakṣmī, who never leaves His lotus feet, their hearts clung to Him eternally, growing ever more devoted with every glance.
The Lord, though ever immersed in divine independence, mingled among His people like one of them, greeting each soul with appropriate gestures—embraces, words, smiles, and blessings. His compassion touched all, from the elders and priests to the common people, and He accepted their prayers with humility and warmth. The people, enraptured, climbed rooftops and terraces for a glimpse of His form—eyes never tiring of the divine beauty that shone like the sun surrounded by the stars.
Within His palace, Śrī Kṛṣṇa bowed to His parents, and was enveloped in the loving embrace of mother Devakī and father Vasudeva. Devakī’s motherly joy overflowed in tears, her son’s divine presence filling her heart with bliss. The Lord then entered the resplendent chambers of His queens, who greeted Him with modesty, devotion, and tears of joy. Even though He was constantly present with them (as God is Antaryāmi), His beauty remained ever-fresh, stirring new waves of love at every moment.
Though He moved among His devotees and consorts, Śrī Kṛṣṇa remained untouched—He who had come to relieve the Earth’s burden through divine play now has returned (having made Yudhiṣṭhira the King) and His mission of placing Dharma was fulfilled.
To the ignorant ones, His actions seemed like those of an ordinary person, but the wise ones would view him as Lord who is beyond the veil of Māyā. They recognized that the Supreme Lord, though dwelling within Prakṛti, remains forever free from its binding qualities. His queens—pure, surrendered, and full of transcendental affection—never aroused any material desire in Him. Their love was divine, and His response, a reflection of the Supreme’s grace.
Thus, the glory of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord beyond all guṇas, who walks among humans yet remains beyond the world, shines forth. To the less learnt, He may seem just as a lover or a king, but to those whose hearts are illumined, He is the Lord of all, the Paramātmā in every heart. In this sacred chapter ends the tale of divine return, echoing the eternal truth: the Lord comes again and again, only for the sake of His devotees, to bless them with His divine darśana.
Short Questions & Answers :
Q1: What did Śrī Kṛṣṇa do upon returning to His kingdom of Ānarta, and why was it significant?
A: Śrī Kṛṣṇa blew His divine conch, Pāñcajanya, to signal His return. This sound soothed the grief of the people of Dwārakā, who had long yearned for His presence. It was not merely a trumpet call—it was a divine reassurance, filled with grace and love, that their beloved Lord had returned.
Q2: How did the people of Dwārakā react upon hearing the sound of the conch?
A: They rushed forward with great joy and devotion to welcome Śrī Kṛṣṇa, carrying gifts despite knowing He was already full in Himself. Their offerings were symbolic of their love—like offering lamps to the sun. With voices choked with emotion, they praised and expressed their surrender to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, seeing Him as their ultimate shelter and support.
Q3: What qualities did the people ascribe to Śrī Kṛṣṇa in their praise?
A: They saw Him as their mother, father, friend, teacher, and supreme deity. They recognized that even Lord Brahmā, sages like Nārada, and the gods like Indra revered His lotus feet, which were untouched by death or time. His form, face, and smile were described as rare even for the devas.
Q4: What was the condition of the city of Dwārakā at Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s return?
A: Dwārakā was magnificently decorated to welcome Him. Its groves, lakes, and gardens were in full bloom. Streets were adorned with banners, flags, and sacred substances. Homes were festively prepared with auspicious items and divine symbols of welcome, indicating the joy of the city at the Lord’s arrival.
Q5: Who among Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s family came to receive Him, and how did they react?
A: Vasudeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s father), Akrūra, Ugrasena, Balarāma, Pradyumna, Sāmba, and other noble relatives came forth, overwhelmed with love. Leaving aside all activity, they approached Him joyfully, preceded by a royal procession with auspicious music and Vedic chants, demonstrating their reverence and affection.
Q6: How did the women of Dwārakā respond to Kṛṣṇa’s return?
A: The noble ladies, eager for a glimpse of their Lord, came out in beautifully adorned palanquins. Their faces glowed with joy, and though they had maintained vows of austerity in His absence, they were now overcome with divine emotion and love.
Q7: How did Śrī Kṛṣṇa greet the citizens and His relatives?
A: With humility and grace, He honored all according to their relationship and status—by bowing, embracing, smiling, speaking sweet words, and granting blessings. His affectionate conduct revealed His boundless compassion and divine love for His devotees.
Q8: What was the reaction of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s parents upon His arrival at their home?
A: His father, Vasudeva, and mother, Devakī, embraced Him with immense joy. Devakī, filled with motherly love, wept tears of bliss as she looked upon her divine son. Her tears were the purest form of worship—offered not through rituals, but through love.
Q9: How did Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s queens respond to His return?
A: The queens, embodiments of pure devotion, were overjoyed. Though bashful and restrained, they welcomed Him with their hearts, eyes, and eventually in physical embrace. Their love overflowed in tears, and their devotion deepened with every moment, never tiring of His divine presence.
Q10: Even though Śrī Kṛṣṇa lived among them as a husband and king, what does the scripture say about His divine nature?
A: Though He appeared to participate in worldly roles, Śrī Kṛṣṇa remained untouched by worldly desire or attachment. His interactions were purely divine, like the sun reflected in water—never actually wet. He acted only for the sake of Līlā (divine play), remaining ever beyond the guṇas (modes of nature).
Q11: How is the mystery of the Lord’s presence explained in this chapter?
A: The Lord, though appearing human, remains fully transcendental. Only those with spiritual insight recognize His divine play. The ignorant may see Him as an ordinary man attached to family life, but the wise see Him as the Supreme Person, manifesting only to protect dharma and bless His devotees.
Q12: What is the final spiritual teaching conveyed through this narrative?
A: That the Supreme Lord manifests in this world out of love for His devotees. Though He appears amidst the world, He is never bound by it. His presence purifies, His actions uplift, and His love grants liberation. True bhakti sees through His human-like actions to the divine mystery they conceal.
