Shloka 52
Jarāsandha’s Siege of Mathurā, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma’s Victory, and the Founding of Dvārakā amid Kālayavana’s Threat
दृश्यते यत्र हि त्वाष्ट्रं विज्ञानं शिल्पनैपुणम् । रथ्याचत्वरवीथीभिर्यथावास्तु विनिर्मितम् ॥ ५० ॥ सुरद्रुमलतोद्यानविचित्रोपवनान्वितम् । हेमशृङ्गैर्दिविस्पृग्भि: स्फटिकाट्टालगोपुरै: ॥ ५१ ॥ राजतारकुटै: कोष्ठैर्हेमकुम्भैरलङ्कृतै: । रत्नकूतैर्गृहैर्हेमैर्महामारकत स्थलै: ॥ ५२ ॥ वास्तोष्पतीनां च गृहैर्वल्लभीभिश्च निर्मितम् । चातुर्वर्ण्यजनाकीर्णं यदुदेवगृहोल्लसत् ॥ ५३ ॥
dṛśyate yatra hi tvāṣṭraṁ vijñānaṁ śilpa-naipuṇam rathyā-catvara-vīthībhir yathā-vāstu vinirmitam
Dans la construction de cette cité, on voyait clairement toute la science et l’habileté architecturale de Viśvakarmā. De larges avenues, places et voies marchandes étaient tracées selon le vāstu; des parcs splendides et des jardins ornés d’arbres et de lianes célestes l’embellissaient. Les tours des portes, coiffées de dômes d’or touchant le ciel, avaient leurs étages supérieurs en cristal. Les demeures, revêtues d’or, portaient des jarres d’or en façade, des faîtes de gemmes et des sols incrustés d’émeraudes. À côté se dressaient trésoreries, entrepôts et écuries pour chevaux d’élite, bâtis d’argent et de laiton. Chaque maison avait une tour de garde et un sanctuaire pour sa divinité domestique. Remplie d’habitants des quatre varṇas, la cité resplendissait surtout grâce aux palais de Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Seigneur des Yadus.
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the state highways ( rathyāḥ ) were in front and the secondary roads ( vīthyaḥ ) behind, and between them were courtyards ( catvarāṇi ). Within these courtyards were surrounding walls, and within the walls stood golden residences, atop which shone crystal watchtowers crowned with golden pots. Thus the buildings were multistoried. The word vāstu indicates that the houses and buildings were constructed on ample plots of land, with plenty of room for green areas.