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Canto 10 · The Summum Bonum · 90 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 10 · Chapter 53: Kṛṣṇa Kidnaps Rukmiṇī
10.53.710.53.10

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.53.8-9

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 10.53.4inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

पुरं सम्मृष्टसंसिक्तमार्गरथ्याचतुष्पथम् ।

चित्रध्वजपताकाभिस्तोरणै: समलङ्कृतम् ॥ ८ ॥

स्रग्गन्धमाल्याभरणैर्विरजोऽम्बरभूषितै: ।

जुष्टं स्‍त्रीपुरुषै: श्रीमद्गृहैरगुरुधूपितै: ॥ ९ ॥

puraṁ sammṛṣṭa-saṁsikta-

mārga-rathyā-catuṣpatham

citra-dhvaja-patākābhis

toraṇaiḥ samalaṅkṛtam

srag-gandha-mālyābharaṇair

virajo-’mbara-bhūṣitaiḥ

juṣṭaṁ strī-puruṣaiḥ śrīmad-

gṛhair aguru-dhūpitaiḥ

Translation

The king had the main avenues, commercial roads and intersections thoroughly cleaned and then sprinkled with water, and he also had the city decorated with triumphant archways and multicolored banners on poles. The men and women of the city, arrayed in spotless raiment and anointed with fragrant sandalwood paste, wore precious necklaces, flower garlands and jeweled ornaments, and their opulent homes were filled with the aroma of aguru.

Read the purport on Vedabase.io

From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Careful Preparations Set the Scene

  1. 1

    The King had the roads cleaned and sprinkled with water. The purport explains that water settles the dust and makes earthen roads smooth and firm.

  2. 2

    Archways and multicolored banners decorated the city, while its people wore spotless clothing and fine ornaments. Their opulent homes were fragrant with aguru.

  3. 3

    Bhīṣmaka’s thorough wedding preparations set the scene for Lord Kṛṣṇa’s triumphant abduction of beautiful Rukmiṇī-devī.

Key points from the purport
  • When earthen roads are sprinkled with water, the dust settles down and the road becomes smooth and firm.
  • King Bhīṣmaka thoroughly prepared for the great wedding, setting the scene for Lord Kṛṣṇa’s triumphant abduction of beautiful Rukmiṇī-devī.

The purport's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Yearning and danger → Marriage and reciprocity. A wider range of divine relationships appears.

Chapters 50–59 of Canto 10: Dvārakā, Rukmiṇī and royal rescues. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 53: Kṛṣṇa Kidnaps Rukmiṇī

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Bhīṣmaka saw to all the necessary preparations: he had the city decorated in various ways and had its main roads and intersections thoroughly cleansed. Damaghoṣa, the King of Cedi, having also done everything necessary to prepare for his son’s marriage, arrived in Vidarbha.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.53
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. puramthe city
  2. sammṛṣṭathoroughly cleaned
  3. saṁsiktaand sprinkled abundantly with water
  4. mārgathe main avenues
  5. rathyācommercial roads
  6. catuḥ-pathamand intersections
  7. citravariegated
  8. dhvajaon flagpoles
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 10.53

    In this verse: “king”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which details help you appreciate the care taken to prepare the city?

Practice

Clean one small area today with the attentiveness shown in these preparations.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayCareful Preparations Set the SceneThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

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