128
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 9, Ch. 11]
person according to his capacity. One who abides by the order of the Lord is a pure devotee.
TEXT 26
आसिक्तमार्गा गन्धोदैः करिणां मदशीकरैः । स्वामिनं प्राप्तमालोक्य मत्तां वा सुतरामिव ॥२६॥
āsikta-mārgām gandhodaiḥ kariṇām mada-śīkaraiḥ svāminam prāptam ālokya mattām vā sutarām iva
āsikta-mārgām—the streets were sprinkled; gandha-udaiḥ—with perfumed water; kariṇām—of elephants; mada-śīkaraiḥ—with particles of perfumed liquor; svāminam—the master or proprietor; prāptam—present; ālokya—seeing personally; mattām—very opulent; vā—either; sutarām—highly; iva—as if.
TRANSLATION
During the reign of Lord Rāmacandra, the streets of the capital, Ayodhyā, were sprinkled with perfumed water and drops of perfumed liquor, thrown about by elephants from their trunks. When the citizens saw the Lord personally supervising the affairs of the city in such opulence, they appreciated this opulence very much.
PURPORT
We have simply heard about the opulence of Rāma-rājya during the reign of Lord Rāmacandra. Now, here is one example of the opulence of the Lord's kingdom. The streets of Ayodhyā were not only cleaned but also sprinkled with perfumed water and drops of perfumed liquor, which were distributed by elephants through their trunks. There was no need of sprinkling machines, for the elephant has a natural ability to suck water through its trunk and again throw it out in a shower. We can understand the opulence of the city from this one example: it was actually sprinkled with perfumed water. Moreover, the citizens had the opportunity to see the Lord personally supervising the affairs of the state.