Shloka 27
The Departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa from Hastināpura
अहो बत स्वर्यशसस्तिरस्करी कुशस्थली पुण्ययशस्करी भुव: । पश्यन्ति नित्यं यदनुग्रहेषितं स्मितावलोकं स्वपतिं स्म यत्प्रजा: ॥ २७ ॥
aho bata svar-yaśasas tiraskarī kuśasthalī puṇya-yaśaskarī bhuvaḥ paśyanti nityaṁ yad anugraheṣitaṁ smitāvalokaṁ sva-patiṁ sma yat-prajāḥ
Воистину дивно: Кушастхали (Дварака) затмила славу небес и приумножила известность земли. Жители Двараки постоянно созерцают своего Владыку — Шри Кришну, Душу всех существ, — в Его любящем облике; Он взирает на них с нежной улыбкой и одаривает милостью.
The heavenly planets are inhabited by demigods like Indra, Candra, Varuṇa and Vāyu, and the pious souls reach there after performance of many virtuous acts on earth. Modern scientists agree that the timing arrangement in higher planetary systems is different from that of the earth. Thus it is understood from the revealed scriptures that the duration of life there is ten thousand years (by our calculation). Six months on earth is equal to one day on the heavenly planets. Facilities of enjoyment are also similarly enhanced, and the beauty of the inhabitants is legendary. Common men on the earth are very much fond of reaching the heavenly planets because they have heard that comforts of life are far greater there than on the earth. They are now trying to reach the moon by spacecraft. Considering all this, the heavenly planets are more celebrated than the earth. But the celebrity of earth has defeated that of the heavenly planets because of Dvārakā, where Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa reigned as King. Three places, namely Vṛndāvana, Mathurā and Dvārakā, are more important than the famous planets within the universe. These places are perpetually sanctified because whenever the Lord descends to earth He displays His transcendental activities particularly in these three places. They are perpetually the holy lands of the Lord, and the inhabitants still take advantage of the holy places, even though the Lord is now out of their sight. The Lord is the soul of all living beings, and He desires always to have all the living beings, in their svarūpa, in their constitutional position, to participate in transcendental life in His association. His attractive features and sweet smiles go deep into the heart of everyone, and once it is so done the living being is admitted into the kingdom of God, from which no one returns. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā.
FAQs
This verse praises Dvārakā (Kuśasthalī) as surpassing even heaven in fame because its citizens regularly see Krishna, the Supreme Lord, receiving His merciful, smiling glance.
Because Krishna’s gentle, smiling look signifies His anugraha (mercy) and personal affection—His devotees are blessed not merely by His presence, but by His loving attention.
Cultivate daily “darśana” through devotional practices—hearing, chanting, and remembering Krishna—seeking His grace and keeping a steady, affectionate relationship with the Lord.