dṛśyate yatra hi tvÄṣṭraá¹
vijñÄnaá¹ Å›ilpa-naipuṇam
rathyÄ-catvara-vÄ«thÄ«bhir
yathÄ-vÄstu vinirmitam
sura-druma-latodyÄna-
vicitropavanÄnvitam
hema-śṛṅgair divi-spṛgbhiḥ
sphaá¹­ikÄá¹­á¹­Äla-gopuraiḥ
rÄjatÄrakuá¹­aiḥ koṣṭhair
hema-kumbhair alaṅkṛtaiḥ
ratna-kūtair gṛhair hemair
mahÄ-mÄrakata-sthalaiḥ
vÄstoá¹£patÄ«nÄá¹ ca gá¹›hair
vallabhībhiś ca nirmitam
cÄtur-varṇya-janÄkÄ«rṇaá¹
yadu-deva-gá¹›hollasat

 dṛśyate - was seen; yatra - wherein; hi - indeed; tvÄṣṭram - of Tvaá¹£á¹­Ä (ViÅ›vakarmÄ), the architect of the demigods; vijñÄnam - the scientific knowledge; Å›ilpa - in architecture; naipuṇam - the expertise; rathyÄ - with main avenues; catvara - courtyards; vÄ«thÄ«bhiḥ - and commercial roads; yathÄ-vÄstu - on ample plots of land; vinirmitam - constructed; sura - of the demigods; druma - having trees; latÄ - and creepers; udyÄna - gardens; vicitra - splendid; upavana - and parks; anvitam - containing; hema - gold; Å›á¹›á¹…gaiḥ - having peaks; divi - the sky; spá¹›gbhiḥ - touching; sphaá¹­ikÄ - of crystal quartz; aá¹­á¹­Äla - having upper levels; gopuraiḥ - with gateways; rÄjata - of silver; Ärakuá¹­aiḥ - and brass; koṣṭhaiḥ - with treasury buildings, warehouses and stables; hema - gold; kumbhaiḥ - by pots; alaá¹…ká¹›taiḥ - decorated; ratna - jeweled; kÅ«taiḥ - having peaks; gá¹›haiḥ - with houses; hemaiḥ - of gold; mahÄ-mÄrakata - with precious emeralds; sthalaiḥ - having floors; vÄstoḥ - of the households; patÄ«nÄm - belonging to the presiding deities; ca - and; gá¹›haiḥ - with temples; vallabhÄ«bhiḥ - with watchtowers; ca - and; nirmitam - constructed; cÄtuḥ-varṇya - of the four occupational orders; jana - with people; ÄkÄ«rṇam - filled; yadu-deva - of the Lord of the Yadus, ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa; gá¹›ha - by the residences; ullasat - beautified.


Text

In the construction of that city could be seen the full scientific knowledge and architectural skill of ViÅ›vakarmÄ. There were wide avenues, commercial roads and courtyards laid out on ample plots of land; there were splendid parks, and also gardens stocked with trees and creepers from the heavenly planets. The gateway towers were topped with golden turrets touching the sky, and their upper levels were fashioned of crystal quartz. The gold-covered houses were adorned in front with golden pots and on top with jeweled roofs, and their floors were inlaid with precious emeralds. Beside the houses stood treasury buildings, warehouses, and stables for fine horses, all built of silver and brass. Each residence had a watchtower, and also a temple for its household deity. Filled with citizens of all four social orders, the city was especially beautified by the palaces of ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the Yadus.

Purport

ÅšrÄ«la ÅšrÄ«dhara SvÄmÄ« explains that the state highways (rathyÄḥ) were in front and the secondary roads (vÄ«thyaḥ) behind, and between them were courtyards (catvarÄṇi). 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 vÄstu indicates that the houses and buildings were constructed on ample plots of land, with plenty of room for green areas.