FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.15.21

श्री रूपिणी क्‍वणयती चरणारविन्दं लीलाम्बुजेन हरिसद्मनि मुक्तदोषा । संलक्ष्यते स्फटिककुड्य उपेतहेम्नि सम्मार्जतीव यदनुग्रहणेऽन्ययत्न: ॥ २१ ॥
śrī rūpiṇī kvaṇayatī caraṇāravindaṁ
[shree roopinee kvanayatee charanaaravindam]
līlāmbujena hari-sadmani mukta-doṣā
[leelaambujena hari-sadmani mukta-doshaa]
saṁlakṣyate sphaṭika-kuḍya upeta-hemni
[samlakshyate sphatika-kudya upeta-hemni]
sammārjatīva yad-anugrahaṇe ’nya-yatnaḥ
[sammaarjateeva yad-anugrahane ’nya-yatnah]
śrī — Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune rūpiṇī — assuming a beautiful form kvaṇayatī — tinkling caraṇa-aravindam — lotus feet līlā-ambujena — playing with a lotus flower hari-sadmani — the house of the Supreme Personality mukta-doṣā — freed from all faults saṁlakṣyate — becomes visible sphaṭika — crystal kuḍye — walls upeta — mixed hemni — gold sammārjatī iva — appearing like a sweeper yat-anugrahaṇe — to receive her favor anya — others’ yatnaḥ — very much careful.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī rūpiṇī kvaṇayatī caraṇāravindaṁ
śrī
Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune
rūpiṇī
assuming a beautiful form
kvaṇayatī
tinkling
caraṇa-aravindam
lotus feet
līlāmbujena hari-sadmani mukta-doṣā
līlā-ambujena
playing with a lotus flower
hari-sadmani
the house of the Supreme Personality
mukta-doṣā
freed from all faults
saṁlakṣyate
becomes visible
saṁlakṣyate sphaṭika-kuḍya upeta-hemni
sphaṭika
crystal
kuḍye
walls
upeta
mixed
hemni
gold
sammārjatīva yad-anugrahaṇe ’nya-yatnaḥ
sammārjatī iva
appearing like a sweeper
yat-anugrahaṇe
to receive her favor
anya
others’
yatnaḥ
very much careful.
The ladies in the Vaikuṇṭha planets are as beautiful as the goddess of fortune herself. Such transcendentally beautiful ladies, their hands playing with lotuses and their leg bangles tinkling, are sometimes seen sweeping the marble walls, which are bedecked at intervals with golden borders, in order to receive the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the Supreme Lord, Govinda, is always served in His abode by many, many millions of goddesses of fortune. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam. These millions and trillions of goddesses of fortune who reside in the Vaikuṇṭha planets are not exactly consorts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but are the wives of the devotees of the Lord and also engage in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is stated here that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets the houses are made of marble. Similarly, in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the ground on the Vaikuṇṭha planets is made of touchstone. Thus there is no need to sweep the stone in Vaikuṇṭha, for there is hardly any dust on it, but still, in order to satisfy the Lord, the ladies there always engage in dusting the marble walls. Why? The reason is that they are eager to achieve the grace of the Lord by doing so.

It is also stated here that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets the goddesses of fortune are faultless. Generally the goddess of fortune does not remain steadily in one place. Her name is Cañcalā, which means “one who is not steady.” We find, therefore, that a man who is very rich may become the poorest of the poor. Another example is Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa took away Lakṣmī, Sītājī, to his kingdom, and instead of being happy by the grace of Lakṣmī, his family and his kingdom were vanquished. Thus Lakṣmī in the house of Rāvaṇa is Cañcalā, or unsteady. Men of Rāvaṇa’s class want Lakṣmī only, without her husband, Nārāyaṇa; therefore they become unsteady due to Lakṣmījī. Materialistic persons find fault on the part of Lakṣmī, but in Vaikuṇṭha Lakṣmījī is fixed in the service of the Lord. In spite of her being the goddess of fortune, she cannot be happy without the grace of the Lord. Even the goddess of fortune needs the Lord’s grace in order to be happy, yet in the material world even Brahmā, the highest created being, seeks the favor of Lakṣmī for happiness.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Laksmī, beauty personified, whose feet jingle with ankle bells, holding a lotus in her hand, appears to be sweeping the palace of the Lord made of crystal and emeralds inlaid with gold, but she is without fault. Others make great effort to attain her mercy. It goes without saying that everyone in Vaikuṇṭha is blissful in serving the Lord. Even Laksmī is engaged in service there. This is described in two verses. She has the highest form of beauty, and makes sounds with her foot bells by her graceful gait in the Lord’s house having crystal walls and gold embellishments to increase the beauty. Reflected on the polished walls, she seems to be cleaning with a broom, though she actually holds a lotus in her extended hand. Or she appears to be a maidservant who does the cleaning. But she is without fault. The lotus represents other objects also that she holds in her hand. Her glory should not be diminished by her appearance. Others take great effort to gain her mercy.
The verse describes a universe that is not a random stage but an arrangement with a purpose. Our work is not to engineer that purpose but to find our seat within it. The verse keeps returning to Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • How does it change your day to remember the universe was not built around your preferences?
  • What would humility actually look like for you in your work this week?
📝 My note

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