FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.59.38-39

गत्वा सुरेन्द्रभवनं दत्त्वादित्यै च कुण्डले । पूजितस्‍त्रिदशेन्द्रेण महेन्द्रय‍ाण्या च सप्रिय: ॥ ३८ ॥ चोदितो भार्ययोत्पाट्य पारिजातं गरुत्मति । आरोप्य सेन्द्रान् विबुधान् निर्जित्योपानयत्पुरम् ॥ ३९ ॥
gatvā surendra-bhavanaṁ
[gatvaa surendra-bhavanam]
dattvādityai ca kuṇḍale
[dattvaadityai cha kundale]
pūjitas tridaśendreṇa
[poojitas tridashendrena]
mahendryāṇyā ca sa-priyaḥ
[mahendryaanyaa cha sa-priyah]
codito bhāryayotpāṭya
[chodito bhaaryayotpaatya]
pārījātaṁ garutmati
[paareejaatam garutmati]
āropya sendrān vibudhān
[aaropya sendraan vibudhaan]
nirjityopānayat puram
[nirjityopaanayat puram]
gatvā — going sura — of the demigods indra — of the King bhavanam — to the abode dattvā — giving adityai — to Aditi, the mother of Indra ca — and kuṇḍale — her earrings pūjitaḥ — worshiped tridaśa — of the thirty (chief demigods) indreṇa — by the chief mahā - indryāṇyā — by the wife of Lord Indra ca — and sa — together with priyaḥ — His beloved (Queen Satyabhāmā) coditaḥ — urged bhāryayā — by His wife utpāṭya — uprooting pārijātam — the pārijāta tree garutmati — on Garuḍa āropya — placing sa - indrān — including Indra vibudhān — the demigods nirjitya — defeating upānayat — He brought puram — to His city .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
gatvā surendra-bhavanaṁ
gatvā
going
sura
of the demigods
indra
of the King
bhavanam
to the abode
dattvādityai ca kuṇḍale
dattvā
giving
adityai
to Aditi, the mother of Indra
ca
and
kuṇḍale
her earrings
pūjitas tridaśendreṇa
pūjitaḥ
worshiped
tridaśa
of the thirty (chief demigods)
indreṇa
by the chief
mahendryāṇyā ca sa-priyaḥ
mahā - indryāṇyā
by the wife of Lord Indra
ca
and
sa
together with
priyaḥ
His beloved (Queen Satyabhāmā)
codito bhāryayotpāṭya
coditaḥ
urged
bhāryayā
by His wife
pārījātaṁ garutmati
utpāṭya
uprooting
āropya sendrān vibudhān
nirjityopānayat puram
pārijātam
the pārijāta tree
garutmati
on Garuḍa
āropya
placing
sa - indrān
including Indra
vibudhān
the demigods
nirjitya
defeating
upānayat
He brought
puram
to His city .
  • adityai — to Aditi (Indra's mother)
    Aditi — mother of the devas, wife of Kaśyapa. Her earrings, stolen by Bhauma, are now returned. Gauḍīyas note: Kṛṣṇa's first act after the rescue is to restore a mother's ornaments — bhakti recognizes mothers.
  • pārijātam — the pārijāta tree
    Pārijāta — one of the five wish-fulfilling trees of heaven, produced from the churning of the milk-ocean. Its uprooting becomes the basis of an entire genre of Vaiṣṇava narrative (the Pārijāta-haraṇa).
  • coditaḥ - bhāryayā — urged by His wife
    Compound: codita (impelled) + bhāryā (wife). Bhagavān is moved by Satyabhāmā's wish — a striking image of His responsiveness to His consorts' bhāva, even when (as Gauḍīyas note) the wish provokes war with heaven.
  • nirjitya — defeating
    Gerund of nir + √ji (to conquer). Kṛṣṇa defeats Indra and the demigods to remove the tree — and tomorrow Indra will worship Him again. The asymmetric dance of devotee-rebellion and devotee-return is a Bhāgavata staple.
The Lord then went to the abode of Indra, the demigods’ king, and gave mother Aditi her earrings; there Indra and his wife worshiped Kṛṣṇa and His beloved consort Satyabhāmā. Then, at Satyabhāmā’s behest the Lord uprooted the heavenly pārijāta tree and put it on the back of Garuḍa. After defeating Indra and all the other demigods, Kṛṣṇa brought the pārijāta to His capital.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Lord then went to the abode of Indra, the demigods' king, and gave mother Aditi her earrings; there Indra and his wife worshiped Kṛṣṇa and His beloved consort Satyabhāmā. Then, at Satyabhāmā's behest the Lord uprooted the heavenly pārijāta tree and put it on the back of Garuḍa. After defeating Indra and all the other demigods, Kṛṣṇa brought the pārijāta to His capital.
Commentary

Instigated by Satyabhama, Krsna took the parijata tree.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The details of going to Indra’s abode are given in Viṣṇu Purāṇa: garuḍo vāruṇaṁ chatraṁ tathaiva maṇiparvatam / sabhāryaṁ ca hṛṣīkeśaṁ līlayaiva vahan yayau // tataḥ śaṅkham upādhmāsīt svarga-dvāra-gato hariḥ / upatasthus tathā devāḥ sārghya-pātrā janarjanam // sa devair arcitaḥ kṛṣṇo deva-mātur niveśanam / sitābhra-śikharākāraṁ praviśya dadṛśe 'ditim // sa tāṁ praṇamya śakreṇa saha te kuṇḍalottame / dadau naraka-nāśaṁ ca śaśaṁsāsyai janārdanaḥ // Garuḍa very easily carried the umbrella of Varuṇa, the jeweled mountain, Kṛṣṇa and his wife and went to Svarga. The Lord blew his conch when he arrived at the gate of Svarga. The devatās arrived and worshipped Kṛṣṇa with arghya. After being worshipped, Kṛṣṇa entered Aditi’ṣ abode, which resembled a shining peak, and saw her. He offered her respects along with Indra, and presented her with her excellent earrings. He described to Indra the killing of Naraka. Later it is said: adityā tu kṛtānujño devarājo janārdanam / yathāvatpūjayāmāsa bahumāna-puraḥsaram // Indra, in gratitude, along with Aditi, worshipped Kṛṣṇa sufficiently, showing great respect. Hari-vaṁśa says: so 'rcito deva-rājena ratnaiś ca pratipūjitaḥ / satyabhāmā ca paulomyā yathāvad abhinanditā // He was worshipped by Indra and presented with jewels. Satyabhāmā was welcomed by Indra’s wife properly. Viṣṇu Purāṇa describes how his wife requested the pārijāta. dadarśa ca sugandhāḍhyaṁ mañjarī-puñja-dhāriṇam / śaityāhlādakaraṁ tāmra-bāla-pallava-śobhitam // mathyamāne 'mṛte jātaṁ jāta-rūpamaya-tvacam / pārijātaṁ jagannāthaḥ keśavaḥ keśi-sūdanaḥ // taṁ dṛṣṭvā prāha govindaṁ satyabhāmā dvijottama / kasmān na dvārakām eṣa nīyate kṛṣṇa pādapaḥ // yadi cet tvad vacaḥ satyaṁ satyātyarthaṁ priyeti me / mad geha-niṣkuṭārthāya tad ayaṁ nīyatāṁ taruḥ // // na me jāṁbavatī tādṛg abhīṣṭā na ca rukmiṇī / satye yathā tvam ity uktaṁ tvayā kṛṣṇāsakṛt-priyam // satyaṁ tad yadi govinda nopacāra-kṛtaṁ vacaḥ / tad astu pārijāto 'yaṁ mama geha-vibhūṣaṇam // bibhratī pārijātasya keśa-pakṣeṇa mañjarīm / sapatnīnām ahaṁ madhye śobheyam iti kāmaye // Kṛṣṇa saw that pārijāta, filled with fragrance, laden with masses of buds, producing coolness and joy, decorated with pink, young shoots and golden bark. It has been produced from the churning of the Milk Ocean. On seeing that tree, Satyabhāmā spoke to Kṛṣṇa, O best of the brāhmaṇas! “O Kṛṣṇa! Why can this tree not be brought to Dvārakā? If your words are true and I am really dear to you, please bring that tree for the garden in my house. O Kṛṣṇa! You have many times said that you do not desire Jāmbavatī or Rukmiṇī as much as you desire me. O Govinda! If you have spoken true and your words are not just a decoration, then the pārijāta should decorate my house. Carrying a bud of the pārijāta in my hair, among all the co-wives I will be glorious. This is what I desire.” Completely conquering (ni-jitya) Indra, he brought the tree to Dvārakā as his reward (upa--anayat) for helping Indra.

Related values
Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Bhakti (Devotion)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Nyaya (Justice / Righteous Judgment)Apaishunam (Non-slander)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)
Related verses
The Lord goes to Indra's abode, gives Aditi her earrings; Indra and his wife worship Him and Satyabhāmā; at Satyabhāmā's behest the pārijāta tree is uprooted and brought. After returning stolen items, the Lord even gives a parijāta to His own wife.
Reflection Questions
  • Where could you return what is owed and then receive a gift for someone close to you?
  • How does the sequence — restitution then gift — model generosity?

Kṛṣṇa returns Aditi's earrings to her face and is worshiped by Indra and Śacī — then, prompted by Satyabhāmā, uproots heaven's prize tree and carries it home on Garuḍa, defeating the very demigods who just worshiped Him. The chapter teaches without saying: heaven's hospitality is conditional; Bhagavān reclaims what is finally His.

Satyabhāmā's competitive love

Tradition records that Nārada, visiting Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā, brought a single pārijāta flower and offered it to Rukmiṇī. Satyabhāmā, hearing of it, was wounded; Nārada then suggested that Kṛṣṇa bring the whole tree from heaven for her. Whether one accepts this prelude or not, the Bhāgavatam (here, verse 38-39) records the uprooting as 'urged by His wife'.

Gauḍīyas read Satyabhāmā's bhāva as īrṣyā-rasa — the loving jealousy that draws Bhagavān into uncommon feats. Indra resists; Kṛṣṇa wins; the tree comes south. Even celestial flora obey conjugal love.

📝 My note

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