FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.14.37

यत्पादशुश्रूषणमुख्यकर्मणा सत्यादयो द्व्यष्टसहस्रयोषित: । निर्जित्य सङ्ख्ये त्रिदशांस्तदाशिषो हरन्ति वज्रायुधवल्लभोचिता: ॥ ३७ ॥
yat-pāda-śuśrūṣaṇa-mukhya-karmaṇā
[yat-paada-shushrooshana-mukhya-karmanaa]
satyādayo dvy-aṣṭa-sahasra-yoṣitaḥ
[satyaadayo dvy-ashta-sahasra-yoshitah]
nirjitya saṅkhye tri-daśāṁs tad-āśiṣo
[nirjitya sankhye tri-dashaams tad-aashisho]
haranti vajrāyudha-vallabhocitāḥ
[haranti vajraayudha-vallabhochitaah]
yat — whose pāda — feet śuśrūṣaṇa — administration of comforts mukhya — the most important karmaṇā — by the acts of satya-ādayaḥ — queens headed by Satyabhāmā dvi-aṣṭa — twice eight sahasra — thousand yoṣitaḥ — the fair sex nirjitya — by subduing saṅkhye — in the battle tri-daśān — of the denizens of heaven tat-āśiṣaḥ — what is enjoyed by the demigods haranti — do take away vajra-āyudha-vallabhā — the wives of the personality who controls the thunderbolt ucitāḥ — deserving.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yat-pāda-śuśrūṣaṇa-mukhya-karmaṇā
yat
whose
pāda
feet
śuśrūṣaṇa
administration of comforts
mukhya
the most important
karmaṇā
by the acts of
satyādayo dvy-aṣṭa-sahasra-yoṣitaḥ
satya-ādayaḥ
queens headed by Satyabhāmā
dvi-aṣṭa
twice eight
sahasra
thousand
yoṣitaḥ
the fair sex
nirjitya saṅkhye tri-daśāṁs tad-āśiṣo
nirjitya
by subduing
saṅkhye
in the battle
tri-daśān
of the denizens of heaven
tat-āśiṣaḥ
what is enjoyed by the demigods
haranti vajrāyudha-vallabhocitāḥ
haranti
do take away
vajra-āyudha-vallabhā
the wives of the personality who controls the thunderbolt
ucitāḥ
deserving.
Simply by administering comforts at the lotus feet of the Lord, which is the most important of all services, the queens at Dvārakā, headed by Satyabhāmā, induced the Lord to conquer the demigods. Thus the queens enjoy things which are prerogatives of the wives of the controller of thunderbolts.

Satyabhāmā: One of the principal queens of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa at Dvārakā. After killing Narakāsura, Lord Kṛṣṇa visited the palace of Narakāsura accompanied by Satyabhāmā. He went to Indraloka also with Satyabhāmā, and she was received by Śacīdevī, who introduced her to the mother of the demigods, Aditi. Aditi was very much pleased with Satyabhāmā, and she blessed her with the benediction of permanent youth as long as Lord Kṛṣṇa remained on the earth. Aditi also took her with her to show her the special prerogatives of the demigods in the heavenly planets. When Satyabhāmā saw the pārijāta flower, she desired to have it in her palace at Dvārakā. After that, she came back to Dvārakā along with her husband and expressed her willingness to have the pārijāta flower at her palace. Satyabhāmā’s palace was especially bedecked with valuable jewels, and even in the hottest season of summer the inside of the palace remained cool, as if air conditioned. She decorated her palace with various flags, heralding the news of her great husband’s presence there. Once, along with her husband, she met Draupadī, and she was anxious to be instructed by Draupadī in the ways and means of pleasing her husband. Draupadī was expert in this affair because she kept five husbands, the Pāṇḍavas, and all were very much pleased with her. On receipt of Draupadī’s instructions, she was very much pleased and offered her good wishes and returned to Dvārakā. She was the daughter of Satrājit. After the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa, when Arjuna visited Dvārakā, all the queens, including Satyabhāmā and Rukmiṇī, lamented for the Lord with great feeling. At the last stage of her life, she left for the forest to undergo severe penance.

Satyabhāmā instigated her husband to get the pārijāta flower from the heavenly planets, and the Lord got it even by force from the demigods, as a common husband secures things to please his wife. As already explained, the Lord had very little to do with so many wives to carry out their orders like an ordinary man. But because the queens accepted the high quality of devotional service, namely administering the Lord all comforts, the Lord played the part of a faithful and complete husband. No earthly creature can expect to have things from the heavenly kingdom, especially the pārijāta flowers, which are simply to be used by the demigods. But due to their becoming the Lord’s faithful wives, all of them enjoyed the special prerogatives of the great wives of the denizens of heaven. In other words, since the Lord is the proprietor of everything within His creation, it is not very astonishing for the queens of Dvārakā to have any rare thing from any part of the universe.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Satyabhāmā and the other sixteen thousand queens, by serving his feet as their main activity, (through Kṛṣṇa) defeated in battle the devatās, and took the pārijāta tree which was being enjoyed by Indra’s wife Śaci.
Commentary

“Defeating the devatās (tridaśān)” means “defeating through the strength of Kṛṣṇa.” Tad-āśiṣaḥ means Pārijāta and other things. Vajrāyudha-vallabha is Śaci.

Simply by administering comforts at the Lord's feet, the queens at Dvārakā — Satyabhāmā chief among them — induced Him to conquer demigods. Service at His feet has cosmic consequences.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'comforts at His feet' am I offering through small daily service?
  • Where do I underestimate how much my devotion can move?
📝 My note

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