FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.21.9

स तं विरजमर्काभं सितपद्मोत्पलस्रजम् । स्‍निग्धनीलालकव्रातवक्त्राब्जं विरजोऽम्बरम् ॥ ९ ॥
sa taṁ virajam arkābhaṁ
[sa tam virajam arkaabham]
sita-padmotpala-srajam
[sita-padmotpala-srajam]
snigdha-nīlālaka-vrāta-
[snigdha-neelaalaka-vraata-]
vaktrābjaṁ virajo ’mbaram
[vaktraabjam virajo ’mbaram]
saḥ — that Kardama Muni tam — Him virajam — without contamination arka-ābham — effulgent like the sun sita — white padma — lotuses utpala — water lilies srajam — garland snigdha — slick nīla — blackish-blue alaka — of locks of hair vrāta — an abundance vaktra — face abjam — lotuslike virajaḥ — spotless ambaram — clothing.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa taṁ virajam arkābhaṁ
saḥ
that Kardama Muni
tam
Him
virajam
without contamination
arka-ābham
effulgent like the sun
sita-padmotpala-srajam
sita
white
padma
lotuses
utpala
water lilies
srajam
garland
snigdha-nīlālaka-vrāta-
snigdha
slick
nīla
blackish-blue
alaka
of locks of hair
vrāta
an abundance
vaktrābjaṁ virajo ’mbaram
vaktra
face
abjam
lotuslike
virajaḥ
spotless
ambaram
clothing.
Kardama Muni saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is free from material contamination, in His eternal form, effulgent like the sun, wearing a garland of white lotuses and water lilies. The Lord was clad in spotless yellow silk, and His lotus face was fringed with slick dark locks of curly hair.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
In the sky, Kardama saw the Lord shining like the pure sun, with a white lotus garland, lotus face surrounded by black locks of hair, wearing spotless cloth, a crown and earrings, holding a conch, cakra, club and white water lily for amusement, with pleasing smile and glance, with Laksmī on his chest and the Kaustubha jewel around his neck, his feet placed on the shoulders of Garuḍa. Joyful on having his desires fulfilled, Kardama, whose had natural love for the Lord, fell down, touching his head to the ground. With folded hands, he offered prayers. Having described the conch, cakra and club in three hands, he describes the fourth hand holding a white water lily instead of a lotus from amusement. The Lord had a smile and glance pleasing to the beholder (manaḥ sparśa). Kardama had natural love of the Lord (prīti-svabhāvātmā).
Kardama Muni sees the Lord in His eternal form — effulgent like the sun, lotus garland, yellow silk, curly dark hair. Long austerity opens vision of personal beauty. The reward of disciplined practice is concrete encounter, not abstract feeling.
Reflection Questions
  • What sustained practice could open the kind of vision Kardama receives?
  • Which detail of the Lord's eternal form do I most want to behold?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 21