Shloka 6
Kṛṣṇa’s Queens, Their Sons, and Balarāma’s Victory over Rukmī at Dice
Aniruddha–Rocanā Marriage Context
प्रत्युद्गमासनवरार्हणपादशौच- ताम्बूलविश्रमणवीजनगन्धमाल्यै: । केशप्रसारशयनस्नपनोपहार्यै- र्दासीशता अपि विभोर्विदधु: स्म दास्यम् ॥ ६ ॥
pratyudgamāsana-varārhaṇa-pāda-śauca- tāmbūla-viśramaṇa-vījana-gandha-mālyaiḥ keśa-prasāra-śayana-snapanopahāryaiḥ dāsī-śatā api vibhor vidadhuḥ sma dāsyam
Dù mỗi hoàng hậu có hàng trăm thị nữ, họ vẫn tự mình phụng sự Chúa Tể: khiêm cung ra đón, dâng chỗ ngồi, thờ phụng bằng lễ vật thượng hảo, rửa và xoa bóp chân Ngài, dâng trầu, quạt mát, xức đàn hương thơm, trang sức vòng hoa, chải tóc, sửa soạn giường, tắm rửa và kính dâng nhiều tặng phẩm—họ phục vụ Ngài với tâm niệm làm tôi tớ của Đấng Tối Cao.
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that Śukadeva Gosvāmī is so eager to describe these glorious pastimes of the Lord with His queens that he has repeated these verses. That is, text 5 of this chapter is almost identical with text 44 of the Fifty-ninth Chapter in this canto, and text 6 is identical with text 45 of that chapter. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that the term varārhaṇa (“excellent offerings”) indicates that the queens offered the Lord palmfuls of flowers ( puṣpāñjali ) and palmfuls of jewels ( ratnāñjali ).
FAQs
This verse describes dāsya-bhakti as intimate, practical service to Kṛṣṇa—welcoming Him, honoring Him, washing His feet, and caring for His comfort with offerings like garlands, fragrance, fanning, bathing, and preparing His resting place.
Śukadeva highlights that even those in seemingly ordinary roles in Dvārakā were engaged in exalted devotion, because their daily duties became direct loving service to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Offer practical, consistent service with devotion—care for sacred practices (pujā, cleanliness, offerings), serve devotees, and do everyday work in a spirit of honoring and pleasing the Lord.