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Texts 3-6

tasmin antar-gṛhe bhrājan-
muktā-dāma-vilambinā
virājite vitānena
dīpair maṇi-mayair api

mallikā-dāmabhiḥ puṣpair
dvirepha-kula-nādite
jāla-randhra-praviṣṭaiś ca
gobhiś candramaso ’malaiḥ

pārijāta-vanāmoda-
vāyunodyāna-śālinā
dhūpair aguru-jai rājan
jāla-randhra-vinirgataiḥ

payaḥ-phena-nibhe śubhre
paryaṅke kaśipūttame
upatasthe sukhāsīnaṁ
jagatām īśvaraṁ patim

tasmin — in that; antaḥ-gṛhe — private part of the palace; bhrājat — brilliant; muktā — of pearls; dāma — with strings; vilambinā — hanging; virājite — resplendent; vitānena — with a canopy; dīpaiḥ — with lamps; maṇi — of jewels; mayaiḥ — made; api — also; mallikā — of jasmines; dāmabhiḥ — with garlands; puṣpaiḥ — with flowers; dvirepha — of bees; kula — with a swarm; nādite — resounding; jāla — of the lattice windows; randhra — through the small holes; praviṣṭaiḥ — which entered; ca — and; gobhiḥ — with the rays; candramasaḥ — of the moon; amalaiḥ — spotless; pārijāta — of pārijāta trees; vana — of the grove; āmoda — (carrying) the fragrance; vāyunā — by the wind; udyāna — of a garden; śālinā — bringing the presence; dhūpaiḥ — with incense; aguru — from aguru perfume; jaiḥ — produced; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); jāla-randhra — through the holes of the lattice windows; vinirgataiḥ — exiting; payaḥ — of milk; phena — the foam; nibhe — resembling; śubhre — shining; paryaṅke — on the bed; kaśipu — on a pillow; uttame — excellent; upatasthe — she served; sukha — comfortably; āsīnam — seated; jagatām — of all the worlds; īśvaram — the supreme controller; patim — her husband.

Queen Rukmiṇī’s quarters were extremely beautiful, boasting a canopy hung with brilliant strings of pearls, as well as effulgent jewels serving as lamps. Garlands of jasmine and other flowers hung here and there, attracting swarms of humming bees, and the spotless rays of the moon shone through the holes of the lattice windows. As aguru incense drifted out of the window holes, my dear King, the breeze wafting the scent of the pārijāta grove carried the mood of a garden into the room. There the Queen served her husband, the Supreme Lord of all the worlds, as He reclined upon an opulent pillow on her bed, which was as soft and white as the foam of milk.

According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, Rukmiṇī’s palace was quite famous then, as now, and these descriptions give a glimpse into its opulence. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī adds that the word amalaiḥ in this verse may also be read aruṇaiḥ, which would indicate that when this pastime took place the moon had just risen, bathing the entire palace in beautiful ruddy moonshine.

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