Shloka 4

Chapter 90

Devanagari script

उद्यानोपवनाढ्यायां पुष्पितद्रुमराजिषु । निर्विशद्भृङ्गविहगैर्नादितायां समन्ततः ॥

Transliteration

udyānopavanāḍhyāyāṃ puṣpita-druma-rājiṣu / nirviśad-bhṛṅga-vihagair nāditāyāṃ samantataḥ //

Translation

La ciudad abundaba en jardines y arboledas de recreo, adornadas con hileras de árboles en flor; y por doquier resonaba el zumbido de las abejas y el canto de las aves que iban y venían.

Synonyms

• udyāna-upavana-āḍhyāyām: in (a place) rich with gardens and groves
• udyāna-upavana-āḍhyāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + upavana (प्रातिपदिक) + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘उद्यानोपवनैः आढ्या’ = ‘rich in gardens and groves’

• puṣpita-druma-rājiṣu: among rows of flowering trees
• puṣpita-druma-rājiṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpita (कृदन्त, √puṣp) + druma (प्रातिपदिक) + rāji (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘पुष्पितानां द्रुमाणां राजिषु’ = ‘in rows of flowering trees’

• nirviśat-bhṛṅga-vihagaiḥ: with bees and birds entering (them)
• nirviśat-bhṛṅga-vihagaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nir√viś (धातु) + bhṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + vihaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘nirviśat’ = शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle) qualifying bhṛṅga-vihaga; समास: ‘भृङ्गाश्च विहगाश्च’ (dvandva sense) used as a compound unit; overall instrumental plural ‘with bees and birds entering/moving about’

• nāditāyām: in (a place) resounding
• nāditāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nādita (कृदन्त, √nad)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle): ‘resounding’

• samantataḥ: on all sides
• samantataḥ: Deśa-viśeṣaṇa (देशविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘on all sides’

Purport

After depicting Dvārakā’s bustling royal roads, Śukadeva now reveals its natural beauty. The Bhāgavata often presents the Lord’s abode as a harmony of culture and nature—human artistry (gardens, groves, orderly rows) blending with God’s creation (flowers, bees, birds). The soundscape—bees and birds—suggests freshness, auspiciousness, and a life free from fear and scarcity. In devotional reading, these features are not simply aesthetic; they indicate a sattvic, dhārmic environment nourished by the Lord’s presence. Dvārakā becomes an emblem of how a society can be prosperous and refined while still being pleasing to the heart—where beauty supports remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and where the senses encounter stimuli that naturally elevate consciousness rather than agitate it.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Dvārakā (city)

FAQs

What is the meaning of the Bhagavatam’s description of Dvārakā’s gardens and groves?

This verse highlights Dvārakā’s abundance of gardens, flowering trees, bees, and birds—showing a refined, auspicious environment shaped by dharma and graced by Kṛṣṇa’s presence.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe nature (bees, birds, flowers) in Krishna’s city?

To show that Kṛṣṇa’s abode is harmonious and spiritually uplifting—beauty and natural sounds support a peaceful, sattvic atmosphere conducive to remembrance of the Lord.

What practical lesson does this verse give for creating a devotional home or community?

Cultivate an environment that elevates the senses—cleanliness, greenery, beauty, and gentle sounds—so daily life naturally supports calmness, gratitude, and bhakti.