SB 4.9.64 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

वाप्यो वैदूर्यसोपाना: पद्मोत्पलकुमुद्वती: हंसकारण्डवकुलैर्जुष्टाश्चक्राह्वसारसै: ॥ ६४ ॥

Verse text

vāpyo vaidūrya-sopānāḥ padmotpala-kumud-vatīḥ haṁsa-kāraṇḍava-kulair juṣṭāś cakrāhva-sārasaiḥ

Synonyms

vāpyaḥ — lakes ; vaidūrya — emerald ; sopānāḥ — with staircases ; padma — lotuses ; utpala — blue lotuses ; kumut — vatīḥ — full of lilies ; haṁsa — swans ; kāraṇḍava — and ducks ; kulaiḥ — by flocks of ; juṣṭāḥ — inhabited ; cakrāhva — by cakravākas (geese) ; sārasaiḥ — and by cranes .

Translation

There were emerald staircases which led to lakes full of variously colored lotus flowers and lilies, and swans, kāraṇḍavas, cakravākas, cranes and similar other valuable birds were visible in those lakes.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

There were lakes with cat’s eye stairs, filled with lotuses, blue lotuses and white lotuses, inhabited by swans, ducks, cakravākas and cranes. These were items of enjoyment.

Purport

It appears that not only was the palace surrounded by compounds and gardens with varieties of trees, but there were small man-made lakes also, where the water was full of many-colored lotus flowers and lilies, and to get down to the lakes there were staircases made of valuable jewels such as emeralds. By the beautifully positioned garden houses there were many luxuriant birds, such as swans, cakravākas, kāraṇḍavas and cranes. These birds generally do not live in filthy places like crows do. The atmosphere of the city was very healthy and beautiful; it can simply be imagined from its description.