Kṛṣṇasya Dvārakā-praveśaḥ — Krishna’s Return to Dvārakā and the Raivataka Festival
न चान्यामपि पश्यामि गति गतिमतां वर । स्वर्गद्वारस्य गमने स्थाने चेह द्विजोत्तम
na cānyām api paśyāmi gatiṁ gatimatāṁ vara | svargadvārasya gamane sthāne ceha dvijottama ||
“Wahai yang terbaik di antara para dwija, yang utama di antara makhluk yang bergerak dan hidup! Aku tak melihat jalan lain bagiku—baik untuk meraih kebahagiaan di dunia ini, maupun untuk mencapai gerbang surga di alam sesudahnya.”
सौदास उवाच
The verse frames a moral dilemma in terms of “gati” (a viable course): the speaker seeks a single right means that can secure well-being here and a worthy outcome after death, implying that ethical action must be evaluated for both worldly and otherworldly consequences.
Saudāsa addresses a brāhmaṇa as an authority figure and confesses that he sees no alternative path available to him—neither for happiness in this life nor for reaching heaven—setting up a request for guidance or justification for the course he is considering.