FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.50.39

निचीयमानो नारीभिर्माल्यदध्यक्षताङ्कुरै: । निरीक्ष्यमाण: सस्‍नेहं प्रीत्युत्कलितलोचनै: ॥ ३९ ॥
nicīyamāno nārībhir
[nicheeyamaano naareebhir]
mālya-dadhy-akṣatāṅkuraiḥ
[maalya-dadhy-akshataankuraih]
nirīkṣyamāṇaḥ sa-snehaṁ
[nireekshyamaanah sa-sneham]
prīty-utkalita-locanaiḥ
[preety-utkalita-lochanaih]
nicīyamānaḥ — having scattered upon Him nārībhiḥ — by the women mālya — flower garlands dadhi — yogurt akṣata — parched rice aṅkuraiḥ — and sprouts nirīkṣyamāṇaḥ — being looked on sa - sneham — affectionately prīti — out of love utkalita — opened wide locanaiḥ — with eyes .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nicīyamāno nārībhir
nicīyamānaḥ
having scattered upon Him
nārībhiḥ
by the women
mālya-dadhy-akṣatāṅkuraiḥ
mālya
flower garlands
dadhi
yogurt
akṣata
parched rice
aṅkuraiḥ
and sprouts
nirīkṣyamāṇaḥ sa-snehaṁ
nirīkṣyamāṇaḥ
being looked on
sa - sneham
affectionately
prīty-utkalita-locanaiḥ
prīti
out of love
utkalita
opened wide
locanaiḥ
with eyes .
  • sa-sneham — affectionately
    Sneha — oily affection, tender attachment. The Vraja-mood word. Gauḍīyas rank sneha as one of the rūḍha stages of bhāva (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu). The women see Kṛṣṇa with sneha, not mere reverence.
  • prīti-utkalita-locanaiḥ — with eyes opened wide by love
    Triple compound: prīti + utkalita (opened) + locana (eye). The physical opening of the eye is named alongside the inner opening of the heart. Aṣṭa-sāttvika-vikāra territory — bodily symptoms of bhāva.
  • dadhi-akṣata-aṅkuraiḥ — with yogurt, parched rice, and sprouts
    Compound listing three Vedic auspicious-welcome substances. Note the homely register: yogurt (Yaśodā's), parched rice (Vraja staple), sprouts (the very seed of new life). The welcome at Mathurā is rendered in Vraja-vocabulary.
  • mālya — flower garlands
    Flower garlands as offering — the canonical Vaiṣṇava welcome. Compare Sudāmā's garland-strewing in 10.41. Garlands carry the offerer's affection in a transferable form.
As the women of the city affectionately looked at the Lord, their eyes wide open with love, they scattered flower garlands, yogurt, parched rice and newly grown sprouts upon Him.

All this is taking place as Lord Kṛṣṇa enters the city of Mathurā.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
As the women of the city affectionately looked at the Lord, their eyes wide open with love, they scattered flower garlands, yogurt, parched rice and newly grown sprouts upon Him.
Commentary

The completion of this verse is understood to be "He entered the city, being sprinkled with flowers." However the grammar is changed from prabhau pravisati (locative absolute) in verse 37 to prabhuh pravisat (the Lord entered Mathura). Or else the subject of this verse is in the next verse prabhuh pradisat (the Lord gave to Ugrasena).

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

As he entered the city what happened? The women opened their eyes in joy. Śrīdhara Svāmī comments that there is change of structure in this verse (nominative case) from the previous verse, where the description of Kṛṣṇa is in the locative case. However this verse may be read with the next verse instead.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The people were wearing the best clothing and ornaments. The women opened their eyes in joy.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Prema (Divine Love)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva
The women of the city scatter flower garlands, yogurt, parched rice and newly grown sprouts on the Lord, eyes wide with love. Specific ritual items in welcome carry layered meanings; daily women's gestures are sacred politics.
Reflection Questions
  • Which ordinary items in your house could be turned into welcome offerings?
  • Where does women's ritual quietly preserve community sacrality?

The women look at Kṛṣṇa with eyes flung wide by love — and scatter on Him garlands, yogurt, parched rice, fresh sprouts. The pūjā materials are everyday Vraja-stuff (the same dadhi that mother Yaśodā churned), and so the welcome at Mathurā has the texture of Vraja worship leaking into the city.

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