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ŚB 10.50.50-53

Devanagari

द‍ृश्यते यत्र हि त्वाष्ट्रं विज्ञानं शिल्पनैपुणम् ।
रथ्याचत्वरवीथीभिर्यथावास्तु विनिर्मितम् ॥ ५० ॥
सुरद्रुमलतोद्यानविचित्रोपवनान्वितम् ।
हेमश‍ृङ्गैर्दिविस्पृग्भि: स्फटिकाट्टालगोपुरै: ॥ ५१ ॥
राजतारकुटै: कोष्ठैर्हेमकुम्भैरलङ्कृतै: ।
रत्नकूतैर्गृहैर्हेमैर्महामारकत स्थलै: ॥ ५२ ॥
वास्तोष्पतीनां च गृहैर्वल्ल‍भीभिश्च निर्मितम् ।
चातुर्वर्ण्यजनाकीर्णं यदुदेवगृहोल्ल‍सत् ॥ ५३ ॥

Text

dṛśyate yatra hi tvāṣṭraṁ
vijñānaṁ śilpa-naipuṇam
rathyā-catvara-vīthībhir
yathā-vāstu vinirmitam
sura-druma-latodyāna-
vicitropavanānvitam
hema-śṛṅgair divi-spṛgbhiḥ
sphaṭikāṭṭāla-gopuraiḥ
rājatārakuṭaiḥ koṣṭhair
hema-kumbhair alaṅkṛtaiḥ
ratna-kūtair gṛhair hemair
mahā-mārakata-sthalaiḥ
vāstoṣpatīnāṁ ca gṛhair
vallabhībhiś ca nirmitam
cātur-varṇya-janākīrṇaṁ
yadu-deva-gṛhollasat

Synonyms

dṛśyate — was seen; yatra — wherein; hi — indeed; tvāṣṭram — of Tvaṣṭā (Viśvakarmā), the architect of the demigods; vijñānam — the scientific knowledge; śilpa — in architecture; naipuṇam — the expertise; rathyā — with main avenues; catvara — courtyards; vīthībhiḥ — and commercial roads; yathā-vāstu — on ample plots of land; vinirmitam — constructed; sura — of the demigods; druma — having trees; latā — and creepers; udyāna — gardens; vicitra — splendid; upavana — and parks; anvitam — containing; hema — gold; śṛṅgaiḥ — having peaks; divi — the sky; spṛgbhiḥ — touching; sphaṭikā — of crystal quartz; aṭṭāla — having upper levels; gopuraiḥ — with gateways; rājata — of silver; ārakuṭaiḥ — and brass; koṣṭhaiḥ — with treasury buildings, warehouses and stables; hema — gold; kumbhaiḥ — by pots; alaṅkṛtaiḥ — decorated; ratna — jeweled; kūtaiḥ — having peaks; gṛhaiḥ — with houses; hemaiḥ — of gold; mahā-mārakata — with precious emeralds; sthalaiḥ — having floors; vāstoḥ — of the households; patīnām — belonging to the presiding deities; ca — and; gṛhaiḥ — with temples; vallabhībhiḥ — with watchtowers; ca — and; nirmitam — constructed; cātuḥ-varṇya — of the four occupational orders; jana — with people; ākīrṇam — filled; yadu-deva — of the Lord of the Yadus, Śrī Kṛṣṇa; gṛha — by the residences; ullasat — beautified.

Translation

In the construction of that city could be seen the full scientific knowledge and architectural skill of Viśvakarmā. 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 Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the Yadus.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the state highways (rathyāḥ) were in front and the secondary roads (vīthyaḥ) behind, and between them were courtyards (catvarāṇi). 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 vāstu indicates that the houses and buildings were constructed on ample plots of land, with plenty of room for green areas.