FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.11.27

सितातपत्रव्यजनैरुपस्कृत: प्रसूनवर्षैरभिवर्षित: पथि । पिशङ्गवासा वनमालया बभौ घनो यथार्कोडुपचापवैद्युतै: ॥ २७ ॥
sitātapatra-vyajanair upaskṛtaḥ
[sitaatapatra-vyajanair upaskritah]
prasūna-varṣair abhivarṣitaḥ pathi
[prasoona-varshair abhivarshitah pathi]
piśaṅga-vāsā vana-mālayā babhau
[pishanga-vaasaa vana-maalayaa babhau]
ghano yathārkoḍupa-cāpa-vaidyutaiḥ
[ghano yathaarkodupa-chaapa-vaidyutaih]
sita-ātapatra — white umbrella vyajanaiḥ — with a cāmara fan upaskṛtaḥ — being served by prasūna — flowers varṣaiḥ — by the showers abhivarṣitaḥ — thus being covered pathi — on the road piśaṅga-vāsāḥ — by the yellow garments vana-mālayā — by the flower garlands babhau — thus it became ghanaḥ — cloud yathā — as if arka — the sun uḍupa — the moon cāpa — the rainbow vaidyutaiḥ — by the lightning.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sitātapatra-vyajanair upaskṛtaḥ
sita-ātapatra
white umbrella
vyajanaiḥ
with a cāmara fan
upaskṛtaḥ
being served by
prasūna-varṣair abhivarṣitaḥ pathi
prasūna
flowers
varṣaiḥ
by the showers
abhivarṣitaḥ
thus being covered
pathi
on the road
piśaṅga-vāsā vana-mālayā babhau
piśaṅga-vāsāḥ
by the yellow garments
vana-mālayā
by the flower garlands
babhau
thus it became
ghano yathārkoḍupa-cāpa-vaidyutaiḥ
ghanaḥ
cloud
yathā
as if
arka
the sun
uḍupa
the moon
cāpa
the rainbow
vaidyutaiḥ
by the lightning.
As the Lord passed along the public road of Dvārakā, His head was protected from the sunshine by a white umbrella. White feathered fans moved in semicircles, and showers of flowers fell upon the road. His yellow garments and garlands of flowers made it appear as if a dark cloud were surrounded simultaneously by sun, moon, lightning and rainbows.

The sun, moon, rainbow and lightning do not appear in the sky simultaneously. When there is sun, the moonlight becomes insignificant, and if there are clouds and a rainbow, there is no manifestation of lightning. The Lord’s bodily hue is just like a new monsoon cloud. He is compared herein to the cloud. The white umbrella over His head is compared to the sun. The movement of the bunch-hair fan of flukes is compared to the moon. The showers of flowers are compared to the stars. His yellow garments are compared to the rainbow. So all these activities of the firmament, being impossible simultaneous factors, cannot be adjusted by comparison. The adjustment is possible only when we think of the inconceivable potency of the Lord. The Lord is all-powerful, and in His presence anything impossible can be made possible by His inconceivable energy. But the situation created at the time of His passing on the roads of Dvārakā was beautiful and could not be compared to anything besides the description of natural phenomena.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
His chest is the shelter of Lakṣmī, his face, the drinking vessel, is the shelter for the eyes, his arms are the shelter of the protectors of the word, and his lotus feet are the shelter of the bee-like devotees.
Commentary

His face, a cup full of sweet beauty, is the shelter for the eyes. His arms are the shelter for protectors of the planets such as Indra. Taking shelter of their strength, they become fearless of the demons and live comfortably. Sāraṅga can mean those who sing (ga) the glories of the Lord (sāram), the devotees. As a pun, it means a bee, which takes shelter of the lotus.

As He passed on the public road, white umbrella protected Him, fans moved, flower showers fell, yellow garments and lotus garlands gleamed. The Lord's procession is itself a teaching about honor.
Reflection Questions
  • How am I 'processing' through life — visibly honored or hidden?
  • What kind of attention do I draw, and what does it serve?
📝 My note

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