śrāntān apy atha tān dūrāj
janakaḥ sva-gṛhāgatān
ānīteṣv āsanāgryeṣu
sukhāsīnān mahā-manāḥ
pravṛddha-bhaktyā uddharṣa-
hṛdayāsrāvilekṣaṇaḥ
natvā tad-ańghrīn prakṣālya
tad-apo loka-pāvanīḥ
sa-kuṭumbo vahan mūrdhnā
pūjayāḿ cakra īśvarān
gandha-mālyāmbarākalpa-
dhūpa-dīpārghya-go-vṛṣaiḥ
srantan -- fatigued; api -- indeed; atha -- then; tan -- them; durat -- from a distance; janakah -- King Bahulasva, a descendant of Janaka; sva -- to his; griha -- home; agatan -- come; aniteshu -- which were brought out; asana -- on seats; agryeshu -- excellent; sukha -- comfortably; asinan -- seated; maha-manah -- very intelligent; pravriddha -- intense; bhaktya -- with devotion; ut-dharsha -- overjoyed; hridaya -- whose heart; asra -- with tears; avila -- clouded; ikshanah -- whose eyes; natva -- bowing down; tat -- their; anghrin -- feet; prakshalya -- washing; tat -- from that; apah -- the water; loka -- the whole world; pavanih -- able to purify; sa -- together with; kutumbah -- his family; vahan -- carrying; murdhna -- on his head; pujayam cakre -- he worshiped; isvaran -- the lords; gandha -- with fragrant (sandalwood) paste; malya -- flower garlands; ambara -- clothing; akalpa -- jewelry; dhupa -- incense; dipa -- lamps; arghya -- arghya water; go -- cows; vrishaih -- and bulls.
When King Bahulasva, a descendant of Janaka, saw Lord Krishna approaching his house from a distance with the sages, who were somewhat fatigued from the journey, he immediately arranged to have seats of honor brought out for them. After they were all comfortably seated, the wise King, his heart overflowing with joy and his eyes clouded by tears, bowed down to them and washed their feet with intense devotion. Taking the wash water, which could purify the entire world, he sprinkled it on his head and the heads of his family members. Then he worshiped all those great lords by offering them fragrant sandalwood paste, flower garlands, fine clothing and ornaments, incense, lamps, arghya and cows and bulls.
Srila Prabhupada comments, "Bahulasva, the King of Videha, was very intelligent and was a perfect gentleman. He was astonished that so many great sages, along with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, were personally present in his home. He knew perfectly well that the conditioned soul, especially when engaged in worldly affairs, cannot be a hundred percent pure, whereas the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees are always transcendental to worldly contamination. Therefore, when he found that the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna and all the great sages were at his home, he was astonished, and he began to thank Lord Krishna for His causeless mercy."
The word isvara in this verse refers not only to the Supreme Lord but also to the exalted sages in His company; this is confirmed by Acaryas Sridhara Svami and Visvanatha Cakravarti.
