Devanagari
कटधूमस्य सौरभ्यमवघ्राय व्रजौकस: ।
किमिदं कुत एवेति वदन्तो व्रजमाययु: ॥ ४१ ॥
Verse text
kaṭa-dhūmasya saurabhyam
avaghrāya vrajaukasaḥ
kim idaṁ kuta eveti
vadanto vrajam āyayuḥ
Synonyms
kaṭa
—
dhūmasya — of the smoke emanating from the fire burning the different parts of Pūtanā’s body
;
saurabhyam
—
the fragrance
;
avaghrāya
—
when they smelled through their nostrils
;
vraja
—
okasaḥ — the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi in distant places
;
kim idam
—
what is this fragrance
;
kutaḥ
—
where does it come from
;
eva
—
indeed
;
iti
—
in this way
;
vadantaḥ
—
speaking
;
vrajam
—
the place of Nanda Mahārāja, Vrajabhūmi
;
āyayuḥ
—
reached .
Translation
Upon smelling the fragrance of the smoke emanating from Pūtanā’s burning body, many inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi in distant places were astonished. “Where is this fragrance coming from?” they asked. Thus they went to the spot where Pūtanā’s body was being burnt.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Upon smelling the fragrance of the smoke emanating from Pūtanā's burning body, many inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi in distant places were astonished. "Where is this fragrance coming from?" they asked. Thus they went to the spot where Pūtanā's body was being burnt.
KB 10.6.41
When all the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana smelled the good aroma from the smoke of the burning Pūtanā, they inquired from each other, “Where is this good fragrance coming from?” And while conversing, they came to understand that it was the fumes of the burning Pūtanā.
Purport
The aroma of the smoke emanating from a burning fire is not always very favorable. Therefore upon smelling such a wonderful fragrance, the inhabitants of Vraja were astonished.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
After settling the philosophical issues, Sukadeva returns to the topic at hand. Kata means burning of the dead body. Kutah kim idam. Where does this smell come from? Is this aguru incense coming from Indrapuri down through earth and trying to enter Sutala? Or is it ascending from Bali’s abode on Sutala through the earth up to Svarga? Or is it coming from Kuvera’s city in the north or from Varuna’s city in the west? In this way the cowherd men entertained many questions.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Kaṭa means a crematorium according to Kṣīrasvāmī. Inhabitants who had gone elsewhere before these events spoke in this way.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Kaṭa means a crematorium. Vrajauksasaḥ refers to Nanda and others.