Shloka 15
Nārada Instructs Prācīnabarhiṣat: The Purañjana Narrative Begins
City of Nine Gates
नीलस्फटिकवैदूर्यमुक्तामरकतारुणै: । क्लृप्तहर्म्यस्थलीं दीप्तां श्रिया भोगवतीमिव ॥ १५ ॥
nīla-sphaṭika-vaidūrya- muktā-marakatāruṇaiḥ kḷpta-harmya-sthalīṁ dīptāṁ śriyā bhogavatīm iva
The floors of its mansions were set with sapphire, crystal, vaidūrya, pearls, emeralds, and rubies. By the radiance of those dwellings, the capital was likened to the celestial city called Bhogavatī.
In the city of the body, the heart is considered to be the capital. Just as the capital of a state is especially gorgeously filled with various high buildings and lustrous palaces, the heart of the body is filled with various desires and plans for material enjoyment. Such plans are sometimes compared to valuable jewels such as sapphires, rubies, pearls and emeralds. The heart becomes the center for all planning for material enjoyment.
FAQs
This verse portrays the palace-courtyard as brilliantly adorned with precious gems—so radiant and prosperous that it is compared to Bhogavatī, the famed opulent city of the Nāgas.
To convey extreme opulence and dazzling beauty using a well-known Puranic reference—Bhogavatī symbolizes wealth, luxury, and sensory grandeur.
It highlights how material beauty can appear captivating and “prosperity-filled,” reminding a seeker to discern external splendor from lasting spiritual fulfillment.