Kṛshṇa, Sāndīpani and Dvārakā

This is the account of Kṛshṇa’s years of study and of the building of Dvārakā. It is told in the Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa of the Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa (Chapters 102 to 104). After his upanayana (the sacred thread rite), Kṛshṇa goes with Balarāma to the āśrama of Sāndīpani in Avantī (Ujjain). In one month he learns all four Vedas. He brings back his guru’s dead son from the world of Yama and gives a great guru-dakshiṇā (a gift to the guru). He then returns to Mathurā, orders the ocean to give space, calls Viśvakarmā, and has the grand island city of Dvārakā built as the new capital of the Yādavas. Ugrasena is made its king.

Kṛshṇa comes to the āśrama of Sāndīpani (Chapter 102)

Kṛshṇa and Balarāma went to Avantī, the great city on the river Kshiprā. They arrived at the āśrama of Sāndīpani. Kṛshṇa bowed to his guru and to the guru-patnī (the guru’s wife) with deep respect. Sāndīpani saw his student and was filled with joy. He praised Kṛshṇa with a heartfelt stotra (hymn of praise). He knew that this was the Parabrahman, who had come to honour the bond between guru and student through his own līlā (divine play). The guru’s wife cared for Kṛshṇa and Balarāma as her own children and looked after all their needs.

During his stay in the gurukula (the guru’s school), Kṛshṇa learned all four Vedas in a single month.

The son of Sāndīpani brought back to life (Chapter 102)

As guru-dakshiṇā, Kṛshṇa asked Sāndīpani what he wished for. Sāndīpani knew the nature of his student and asked for the return of his son, who had died. Kṛshṇa at once went to the world of Yama and brought Sāndīpani’s son back to life. The son was brought back to the āśrama, alive and well, to the great joy of his parents.

Kṛshṇa also offered a gift of great value: 3 lakh ratnas (gems), 5 lakh maṇis (jewels), 4 lakh vajras (diamonds), 5 lakh muktas (pearls), 2 lakh māṇikyas (rubies) and 10 crore suvarṇa (gold coins). Sāndīpani and his wife were overcome by the grace of Kṛshṇa, and in time they reached Goloka by his blessing.

The building of Dvārakā begins (Chapter 103)

After Kṛshṇa went back to Mathurā, he turned to the need for a lasting capital for the Yādavas that no enemy could break. He called Garuḍa, gave orders to Viśvakarmā the divine architect, and went to the ocean. Kṛshṇa told the ocean to give up one hundred yojanas of its space for the new city. The ocean knew Bhagavān Kṛshṇa and obeyed at once.

Kṛshṇa then taught Viśvakarmā the Vāstu Śāstra (the science of building) for the new city, in a full discourse.

Auspicious trees to be planted inside the city are mango, banyan, aśoka, bilva, tulasī, kadamba, campaka, ketakī, pārijāta, mandāra, and all trees that bear fruit.

Inauspicious trees are to be kept outside the city walls. They are śālmalī (silk-cotton), palāśa (butea), śamī, karavīra, and thorny trees. A well at the northeast corner brings wealth. A well at the southwest corner brings loss.

Rules of direction. The main gate should face east. Temples should face east or north. Water sources should be in the northeast. Kitchens should be in the southeast, which is the direction of Agni. Sleeping rooms should be in the southwest. The prākāra (rampart) walls should be made of stone and not of wood.

Measurements of the city. All measurements should follow the standards of Dhanurveda. The lengths and widths should be auspicious and should respect the nine grids of the Vāstu-purusha-maṇḍala.

The glory of Dvārakā (Chapter 104)

Viśvakarmā built Dvārakā as Kṛshṇa had ordered. The finished city was a wonder of divine building:

  • It was one hundred yojanas square.
  • It had seven deep moats (parikhā) around it.
  • It had nine prākāras (rampart walls), each made of a finer material than the one before.
  • It had lakhs of viśrāma-tāḍāgas (lakes for rest and play) and 3 lakh pushpavāṭikās (flower gardens).
  • Its streets were paved with gems, and its towers and palaces were set with gems.
  • It had the Sudharmā Sabhā, the divine assembly hall, the finest in all the worlds, brought from the divine realms themselves.

When Dvārakā was finished, a great crowd came to see it. The devas, the munis, Nanda, Yaśodā, the Pāṇḍavas, the Kauravas, Bhīshma, Droṇa and countless others came. All were struck with wonder at its beauty.

The crowning of Ugrasena. Kṛshṇa then performed the royal abhisheka (the ritual bath of coronation) of Ugrasena as king of Dvārakā, using the sacred waters of all the great rivers. Ugrasena had been put in prison and shamed by his own son Kaṃsa. Now he was given back his honour as king. The court of Dvārakā, with the great Sudharmā Sabhā at its centre, became famous as the most splendid royal assembly in the world.

Dvārakā was praised in all the worlds as better than every other city. It was greater than Ayodhyā, greater than Hastināpura, and greater than Amarāvatī itself, because it was the city of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa himself.

Sources

  • Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa, Chapter 102 (Kṛshṇa at the āśrama of Sāndīpani, the revival of Sāndīpani’s son, the guru-dakshiṇā)
  • Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa, Chapter 103 (the building of Dvārakā and the Vāstu teaching)
  • Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa, Chapter 104 (the glory of Dvārakā and the coronation of Ugrasena)