श्रीमथुरास्तवः
Śrī Mathurā-stavaḥ

Praise of Śrī Mathurā

By Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda

श्रीमथुरायै नमः ।

śrī-mathurāyai namaḥ |

Obeisance unto Śrī Mathurā.

मुक्तेर्गोविन्दभक्तेर्वितरणचतुरं सच्चिदानन्दरूपं
यस्यां विद्योति विद्यायुगलमुदयते तारकं पारकं च ।
कृष्णस्योत्पत्तिलीलाखनिरखिलजगन्मौलिरत्नस्य सा ते
वैकुण्ठाद्या प्रतिष्ठा प्रथयतु मथुरा मङ्गलानां कलापम् ॥१॥

mukter govinda-bhakter vitaraṇa-caturaṁ sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaṁ
yasyāṁ vidyoti vidyā-yugalam udayate tārakaṁ pārakaṁ ca |
kṛṣṇasyotpatti-līlā-khanir akhila-jagan-mauli-ratnasya sā te
vaikuṇṭhād yā pratiṣṭhā prathayatu mathurā maṅgalānāṁ kalāpam ||1||

That in which the pair of knowledges [known as] tāraka and pāraka,
[Which are] Adept in bestowal of mukti and Govinda-bhakti,
[Which are] Of the nature of eternal being, consciousness, and bliss,
And [which are thus] illuminating,
Are [ever] present;
[That] Which is the mine of the birth-līlā of Kṛṣṇa,
[Who is] The crest jewel of the entire world;
[That which is forever] Existing beyond Vaikuṇṭḥa—
May Mathurā
Manifest a multitude of blessings
Upon you.

Commentary: Maṅgalānāṁ, “blessings,” could also be translated as “delights,” “virtues,” or “auspiciousnesses.” Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa comments that the capacity of Mathurā to manifest blessings is substantiated by the description of the two types of knowledge, viz., tāraka and pāraka, that are ever-existent therein (maṅgala-prathana-kṣamān guṇān vinirdiśaṁs tāṁ viśinaṣṭi—yasyāṁ tārakaṁ pārakaṁ ceti vidyā-yugalam udayate sarvadā cakāsti). The Padma Purāṇa describes the respective capacities of these two types of knowledge:

tārakāj jāyate muktiḥ prema-bhaktiś ca pārakāt |

“Mukti arises from tāraka, and prema-bhakti from pāraka.”

These knowledges are stated to be “of the nature of eternal being, consciousness, and bliss” (sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaṁ) because they are both of the nature Bhagavān’s higher, spiritual potency known as parā (parākhya-śakti-rūpatvāt sac-cid-ānanda-rūpam), and by virtue of their being of this nature, they are said to be “illuminating” (vidyoti), that is, they have the capacity to destroy ignorance (avidyā-dahana-kṣamam ity arthaḥ).

Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa further comments that the “crest jewel of the entire world”  (akhila-jagan-mauli-ratnasya), namely, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, can be understood to mean he who is the master held to the head like a jewel by Brahmā, Śiva, and other devatās, who are the heads of the entire world (sarva-mūrdhāvataṁsā vidhi-rudrādayas teṣāṁ ratnasya taiḥ sarvaiḥ sva-sva-mūrdhasu ratnavad-dhāryamāṇasya teṣāṁ prabhor ity arthaḥ).

That Mathurā exists beyond even Vaikuṇṭha is stated in the Padma Purāṇa:

aho madhupurī dhanyā vaikuṇṭhāc ca garīyasī |
dinam ekaṁ nivāsena harau bhaktiḥ prajāyate ||
ayodhyā mathurā māyā kāśī kāñcī avantikā |
purī dvāravatī caiva saptaitā mokṣa-dāyikāḥ ||
evaṁ sapta-purīṇāṁ tu sarvotkṛṣṭaṁ tu māthuram |
śrūyatāṁ mahimā devi vaikuṇṭha-bhuvanottamaḥ ||

“Aho! Fortunate Madhupurī [i.e., Mathurā] is greater than Vaikuṇṭha. Bhakti to Hari manifests by residing there for [even] one day. Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Māyā [i.e., Haridvāra], Kāśī, Kāñcī, Avantikā [i.e., Avantī, Ujjain], and Dvāravatī [i.e., Dvārakā]—these seven [towns] are bestowers of mokṣa. Among these seven towns, however, Mathurā is the best of all. O Devī, hear of the greatness of this [abode] which is superior to the domain of Vaikuṇṭha.”

कोटीन्दुस्पष्टकान्ती रभसयुतभवक्लेशयोधेरयोध्या
मायावित्रासिवासा मुनिहृदयमुषो दिव्यलीलाः स्रवन्ती ।
साशीः काशीशमुख्यामरपतिभिरलं प्रार्थितद्वारकार्या
वैकुण्ठोद्गीतकीर्तिर्दिशतु मधुपुरी प्रेमभक्तिश्रियं वः ॥२॥

koṭīndu-spaṣṭa-kāntī rabhasa-yuta-bhava-kleśa-yodher ayodhyā
māyā-vitrāsi-vāsā muni-hṛdaya-muṣo divya-līlāḥ sravantī |
sāśīḥ kāśīśa-mukhyāmara-patibhir alaṁ prārthita-dvāra-kāryā
vaikuṇṭhodgīta-kīrtir diśatu madhupurī prema-bhakti-śriyaṁ vaḥ ||2||

Radiance more vivid than a crore of moons;
Unassailable by the swift soldiers
Of the afflictions of material existence;
An abode frightening to māyā;
A river of [Kṛṣṇa’s] divine līlās
Captivating to the hearts of sages;
Possessed of desire;
The doorkeeping of which is eagerly prayed for
By immortal rulers
Led by the Lord of Kāśī;
The glory of which is sung by Vaikuṇṭha—
May Madhupurī
Bestow the fortune of prema-bhakti
Upon you all.

A second sense of the verse intended to be conveyed by the author:

That in comparison to which
Kāñcī is evidently [like] a half moon;
That which is [completely] unassailable by the swift soldiers
Of the afflictions of material existence [unlike Ayodhyā];
That which is an abode frightening to Māyā [i.e., Māyāpura],
That which brings to an end the divine līlā
Captiving to the heart of the sage [in Avantī];
That which is prayed for by immortal rulers possessed of desire
Led by the Lord of Kāśī;
That which is to be honored by Dvārakā,
That the glory of which is sung of more so than Vaikuṇṭha—
May Madhupurī
Bestow the fortune of prema-bhakti
Upon you all.

Commentary: Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa comments that the author composes this verse to bestow the benediction of prema-bhakti and indicate the superiority of Mathurā over all other towns, including, in particular, the other six towns known to be especially conducive to the attainment of mokṣa, by virtue of Mathurā’s being the site of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s līlās of birth and so forth, and Mathurā’s being a bearer of not only tāraka but also the pāraka-vṛtti of Bhagavān’s svarūpa-śakti (athāsyā madhu-puryā janmādi-līlākaratvena pārakādhāratvena ca svetarābhyaḥ sarvābhyaḥ purībhyaḥ śreṣṭhatāṁ vyañjayan prema-bhaktim eva svābhīṣṭām āśāste). The Garuḍa Purāṇa lists the seven towns under discussion as follows:

ayodhyā mathurā māyā kāśī kāñcī avantikā |
purī dvārāvatī caiva saptaite mokṣa-dāyakāḥ ||
(Garuḍa Purāṇa)

“Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Māyā [i.e., Haridvāra], Kāśī, Kāñcī, Avantikā [i.e., Avantī, Ujjain], Dvārāvatī [i.e., Dvārakā]—these seven towns are givers of liberation.”

Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa first explains the verse as a general description of Mathurā’s ontological excellence. Mathurā possessing “radiance more vivid than a crore of moons” (koṭīndu-spaṣṭa-kāntī) conveys it is possesses beauty that surpasses everything of the visible world. Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa comments that Mathurā is described as “unassailable by the swift soldiers of the afflictions of material existence” (rabhasa-yuta-bhava-kleśa-yodher ayodhyā) because these afflictions have no influence over the residents of Mathurā by virtue of the influence of the pāraka-vṛtti manifest there (pāraka-prabhāvāt te yad vāsiṣu na prabhavantīty arthaḥ). He comments that Mathurā is “an abode frightening to māyā” (māyā-vitrāsi-vāsā) because neither ignorance (avidyā) [i.e., the fundamental aspect of māyā], that is, that which causes the impediment of māyā [i.e., illusion], nor the devas, that is, those who wield a type of māyā [i.e., formidable power] within the material realm, have any influence there (māyām avidyāṁ māyāvino vā devān vitrāsayati trāsayati ca vāso yasyāḥ sā, yad vāsiṣu māyā-pratyūha-kārakās te māyāvinaś ca na prabhavantīty arthaḥ). He comments that Mathurā is “a river of [Kṛṣṇa’s] divine līlās, [which are] captivating to the hearts of sages” (muni-hṛdaya-muṣo divya-līlāḥ sravantī) means that it hosts and manifests Kṛṣṇa’s divine līlās that capitvate the hearts of sages such as Śrī Śuka (muni-hṛdaya-muṣaḥ śrī-śukādi-cittaharāḥ kṛṣṇasya divya-līlāḥ sravantī labhamānā tāḥ prakāśayantīty arthaḥ). He comments that Mathurā is “possessed of desire” (sāśīḥ) in the sense that it possesses desire for its own worshippers (sāśīr dhṛta-svopāsaka-kāmanā). He comments that “the doorkeeping of which is eagerly prayed for by immortal rulers led by the Lord of Kāśī” (kāśīśa-mukhyāmara-patibhir alaṁ prārthita-dvāra-kāryā) implies that Śiva, the Lord of Kāśī, and the other devatās become its doorkeepers (kāśīśa-mukhyaiḥ śivādyair amara-patibhiḥ prārthitaṁ dvāra-kāryaṁ pratīhāratvaṁ yasyāḥ sā, bhūteśvarādayo yasyāṁ dvārapālāḥ santīty arthaḥ). He comments that “the glory of which is sung of by Vaikuṇṭha” means that Mathurā’s glories in the form of its qualities, beginning with its being a bestower of mokṣa, are stated to be above all by Vaikuṇṭha, that is, by Bhagavān Varāhadeva (vaikuṇṭhena bhagavatā varāheṇodgītā sarvādhikyenoktā kīrtir mokṣadatvādi-lakṣaṇa-guṇa-khyātir yasyāḥ sā) in verses such as the following:

mathureti suvikhyātā tasmin kṣetraṁ paraṁ mama |
suramyā ca suśamyā ca janmabhūmiḥ priyā mama ||
sarveṣāṁ devi tīrthānāṁ māthuraṁ paramaṁ mahat |
kṛṣṇena krīḍitaṁ yatra tac ca śuddhaṁ pade pade ||

[Varāhadeva addresses Pṛthvī Devī:] “In that supreme domain of mine, highly renowned as Mathurā, is my dear, most pleasant, and most praiseworthy birthplace. Of all tīrthas, O Devī, supremely great is Mathurā, that [place] wherein pure play is performed by Kṛṣṇa at every step.”

In addition to the aforementioned meanings of the phrases in the verse that describe the ontological excellence of Mathurā, the author also intends that each of these phrases simultaneously convey an additional meaning indicating Mathurā’s superiority to the other six aforementioned towns well known in the śāstra to be conducive to the attainment of mukti.

Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa comments that the compound koṭīndu-spaṣṭa-kāntī, which primarily means, “Radiance more vivid than a crore of moons,” also conveys that Mathurā is that in comparison to which Kāñcī (kānti) is evidently (spaṣṭa) like a half moon (koṭīndu), that is, Mathurā outshines Kāñcī just as a full moon outshines a half-moon (koṭīraṭatīti tadvān indūr ardha-candra iva spaṣṭā kāntiḥ kāñcī yasyāṁ sā; ardha-candrāt pūrṇa-candrasyeva kāñci-purīto madhu-puryā viśeṣaḥ).

Further, rabhasa-yuta-bhava-kleśa-yodher ayodhyā, which primarily means, “Unassailable by the swift soldiers of the afflictions of material existence,” also indicates that Mathurā is superior to Ayodhyā because the name Ayodhyā, when it refers to Śrī Rāma’s capital, connotes that the city is slightly assailable (a-yodhyā) by the swift soldiers of the afflictions of material existence and not that it is completely unassailable to them [like Mathurā] since the cessation of material existence for the residents of Śrī Rāma’s capital is effected with difficulty by the tāraka-vṛtti and there is an absence of the pāraka-vṛtti there that is the cause of prema-bhakti (śrī-rāma-rājadhānī khalu tad-rūpair yodhair alpaṁ yodhyety ayodhyā; tad-alpatve’tra nañ; tad-vāsināṁ kaṣṭena bhava-nivṛttiḥ prema-bhakti-hetu-pāraka-saṅga-śūnyena tārakena tasyāś cira-sādhyatvād ity ayodhyāto viśeṣaḥ).

Māyā-vitrāsi-vāsā, which primarily means, “an abode frightening to māyā,” also indicates that Mathurā is superior to Māyā, that is, Gaṅgādvārapura [i.e., Haridvāra] (māyāṁ gaṅgā-dvāra-purīṁ vitrāsayati vāso yasyāḥ seti māyā-nivāsān madhu-purī-nivāso’tiśayīti tato’tiviśeṣaḥ).

Muni-hṛdaya-muṣo divya-līlāḥ sravantī, which primarily means, “a river of [Kṛṣṇa’s] divine līlās [which are] captivating to the hearts of sages,” also indicates that Mathurā is superior to Avantī [i.e., Ujjain], since Kṛṣṇa performed līlā there befitting a king when he went there as a prince to receive formal education from Sāndīpani Muni and thereby performed līlās that were captivating (muṣaḥ) to the heart (hṛdaya) of Sāndīpani Muni (muni), such as fetching firewood from the forest on his guru’s order, yet later ceased such līlā and returned to Mathurā (avantī ujjayinī sā tu muni-hṛdaya-muṣaḥ kṛṣṇasya divya-līlāḥ sva-divya-līlānāṁ rājārha-krīḍānāṁ yā’saprāptir dīptir vā …  tāṁ sraṁsayati tyajayatīti divya-līlāsraṁ guru-kula-vāsa-kāṣṭhāharaṇādir vyāpāras taṁ karoty ācaṣṭe veti … evaṁ ca tato viśeṣaḥ).

Sāśīḥ kāśīśa-mukhyāmara-patibhir alaṁ prārthita-dvāra-kāryā, which primarily means, “Possessed of desire, and the doorkeeping of which is eagerly prayed for by immortal rulers led by the Lord of Kāśī,” also indicates that Mathurā is superior to Kāśī and Dvārakā, since the final words can be read differently as dvārakāryā [i.e., dvārakā-āryā joined in sandhi and meaning, “That which is to be honored by Dvārakā”] rather than as dvāra-kāryā [“doorkeeping”] and the sense of the remaining words can be taken to mean, “That which is prayed for (prārthita) by immortal rulers (amara-patibhiḥ) possessed of desire (sāśīrbhiḥ) led by the Lord of Kāśī (kāśīśa-mukhyair),” as the Lord of Kāśī, that is, Śiva, would never be possessed of desire for and pray for a connection with Mathurā if it were not superior to Kāśī (sāśīrbhiḥ sakāmaiḥ kāśīśa-mukhyair amara-patibhiḥ prārthiteti kāśyāś cātiviśeṣaḥ; dvārakāyāś cāryā mānyeti tato’pi viśeṣaḥ).

Lastly, Vaikuṇṭhodgīta-kīrtir, which primarily means, “The glory of which is sung of by Vaikuṇṭha [i.e., by Bhagavān Varāhadeva],” also indicates that Mathurā is superior to the domain known as Vaikuṇṭha, since the compound can be read to mean, “The glory of which is sung of [even] more so than Vaikuṇṭha.”

बीजं मुक्तितरोरनर्थपटलीनिस्तारकं तारकं
धाम प्रेमरसस्य वाञ्छितधुरासंपारकं पारकम् ।
एतद्यत्र निवासिनामुदयते चिच्छक्तिवृत्तिद्वयं
मथ्नातु व्यसनानि माथुरपुरी सा वः श्रियं च क्रियात् ॥३॥

bījaṁ mukti-taror anartha-paṭalī-nistārakaṁ tārakaṁ
dhāma prema-rasasya vāñchita-dhurā-saṁpārakaṁ pārakam |
etad yatra nivāsinām udayate cic-chakti-vṛtti-dvayaṁ
mathnātu vyasanāni māthura-purī sā vaḥ śriyaṁ ca kriyāt ||3||

Tāraka,
The seed of the tree of mukti
And destroyer of anarthas,
And pāraka,
The illuminator of prema-rasa
And fulfiller of desires—
May Mathurāpurī,
Where this pair of vṛttis of the cit-śakti
Manifest within its residents,
Crush your vices
And grant you good fortune.

Commentary: The verb “may crush” (mathnātu) is derived from the same verbal root [viz., math, or manth] as the word Mathurā and thus is used as a play on words to convey that Mathurā has the ability to crush, that is, remove, the vices that obstruct one from entering it, viz., sins, including even those lodged in the suble body (vyasanāni pāpāni liṅga-śarīra-paryantāni mathnātu dahatu). Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa further comments that the “good fortune” (śriyaṁ) Mathurā can grant is the wealth of prema (śriyaṁ ca prema-saṁpadaṁ kriyāt). The author explains how Mathurā has the capability to remove sins and grant prema by describing the pair of vṛttis of the cit-śakti manifest therein, viz., tāraka and pāraka, which are two aspects of Hari’s parā-śakti that manifest the awareness (saṁvit) and delight (āhlāda) experienced by Mathurā’s residents (tad-ubhaya-vidhāna-sāmarthyāya viśinaṣṭi—yatra māthura-puryāṁ nivāsināṁ prāṇinām etac cic-chakti-vṛtti-dvayam udayate; cic-chaktir hareḥ parā śaktis tad-vṛtti-dvayaṁ saṁvid-āhlāda-rūpam aṁśa-dvayaṁ svatas tad-vāsibhir upalabhyata iti).

अद्यावन्ति पतद्ग्रहं कुरु माये शनैर्वीजय
च्छत्रं काञ्चि गृहाण काशि पुरतः पादूयुगं धारय ।
नायोध्ये भज सम्भ्रमं स्तुतिकथां नोद्गारय द्वारके
देवीयं भवतीषु हन्त मथुरा दृष्टिप्रसादं दधे ॥४॥

adyāvanti patad-grahaṁ kuru māye śanair vījaya
cchatraṁ kāñci gṛhāṇa kāśi purataḥ pādū-yugaṁ dhāraya |
nāyodhye bhaja sambhramaṁ stuti-kathāṁ nodgāraya dvārake
devīyaṁ bhavatīṣu hanta mathurā dṛṣṭi-prasādaṁ dadhe ||4||

Now, Avantī, hold the spittoon!
Māyā, fan gently!
Kāñcī, hold the umbrella!
Kāśī, carry the pair of sandals!
Ayodhyā, do not be afraid!
Dvārakā, do not recite praises and narrations!
Hanta!
This Mathurā Devī
Has cast the grace of her glance
Upon you all.

Commentary: Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa comments that the spittoon (patat) is to be held with the hand by Avantī as a receptacle for chewed tāmbūla that is discarded (patad-grahaṁ kare kuru carvita-tāmbūla-nikṣepa-pātraṁ hastena gṛhnatī tiṣṭha). He further comments that Mathurā is described as a devī, that is, a coronated queen of the great king Hari, because she is well-known for her excellent disposition and graciousness (iyam atisauśīlyena kāruṇyena prasiddhā devī kṛtābhiṣekā harer mahārājasya patnī mathurā). Her having “cast the grace of her glance” (dṛṣṭi-prasādaṁ dadhe) is because she is figuratively highly satisfied by the service rendered to her by these other towns, who are all likened here to her maidservants and friends (bhavatīṣu sarvāsu kiṅkarīṣu sakhīṣu ca … bhavat-sevayātiprasannā satī dhatte smety arthaḥ). The interrogative hanta conveys delight (hanteti harṣe). This figurative description of the supremacy of Mathurā among all sacred towns by comparing Mathurā to a coronated queen and the others to her attendants is based on the statements to this effect found in the Purāṇas, such as those aforementioned and the following:

evaṁ sapta-purīṇāṁ tu sarvotkṛṣṭaṁ tu māthuram
(Padma Purāṇa)

“Thus, Mathurā is the most exalted of all the seven towns.”

Meter

Sragdharā, Śārdūla-vikrīḍita

Source

Stava-mālā editions by Śrī Purī Dāsa Mahāśaya, Śrī Rāma Nārāyaṇa Vidyāratna, and Nirṇaya Sāgara Press.

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