FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.16.30

रत्नानां पद्मरागोऽस्मि पद्मकोश: सुपेशसाम् । कुशोऽस्मि दर्भजातीनां गव्यमाज्यं हवि:ष्वहम् ॥ ३० ॥
ratnānāṁ padma-rāgo ’smi
[ratnaanaam padma-raago ’smi]
padma-kośaḥ su-peśasām
[padma-koshah su-peshasaam]
kuśo ’smi darbha-jātīnāṁ
[kusho ’smi darbha-jaateenaam]
gavyam ājyaṁ haviḥṣv aham
[gavyam aajyam havihshv aham]
ratnānām — of jewels padma-rāgaḥ — the ruby asmi — I am padma-kośaḥ — the lotus cup su-peśasām — among beautiful things kuśaḥ — the sacred kuśa grass asmi — I am darbha-jātīnām — among all types of grass gavyam — cow products ājyam — offering of ghee haviḥṣu — among oblations aham — I am.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ratnānāṁ padma-rāgo ’smi
ratnānām
of jewels
padma-rāgaḥ
the ruby
padma-kośaḥ su-peśasām
asmi
I am
padma-kośaḥ
the lotus cup
su-peśasām
among beautiful things
kuśo ’smi darbha-jātīnāṁ
kuśaḥ
the sacred kuśa grass
asmi
I am
darbha-jātīnām
among all types of grass
gavyam ājyaṁ haviḥṣv aham
gavyam
cow products
ājyam
offering of ghee
haviḥṣu
among oblations
aham
I am.
Among jewels I am the ruby, and among beautiful things I am the lotus cup. Among all types of grass I am the sacred kuśa, and of oblations I am ghee and other ingredients obtained from the cow.

Pañca-gavya refers to five sacrificial ingredients obtained from the cow, namely milk, ghee, yogurt, dung and urine. The cow is so valuable that even its dung and urine are antiseptic and fit for sacrificial offering. Kuśa grass is also used for religious occasions. Mahārāja Parīkṣit constructed a sitting place from kuśa grass during the last week of his life. Among beautiful things the lotus cup formed by lotus petals represents Lord Kṛṣṇa, and among jewels the ruby, which is similar to Lord Kṛṣṇa’s own Kaustubha gem, symbolizes the potency of the Lord.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Among jewels, I am the ruby, and among beautiful things, I am the lotus calyx. Among all types of grass, I am the sacred kuśa, and among oblations, I am ghee and other ingredients obtained from the cow. Supeśalām means “among beautiful things.”
Among jewels the ruby, among beautiful things the lotus cup, among grasses kuśa, among oblations ghee and cow-products. Even small, daily objects carry the Lord's signature.
Reflection Questions
  • Which small daily object could I receive as the Lord's signature today?
  • What does it change to do so?
📝 My note

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