FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.23.24

सा तद्भर्तु: समादाय वच: कुवलयेक्षणा । सरजं बिभ्रती वासो वेणीभूतांश्च मूर्धजान् ॥ २४ ॥
sā tad bhartuḥ samādāya
[saa tad bhartuh samaadaaya]
vacaḥ kuvalayekṣaṇā
[vachah kuvalayekshanaa]
sarajaṁ bibhratī vāso
[sarajam bibhratee vaaso]
veṇī-bhūtāṁś ca mūrdhajān
[venee-bhootaamsh cha moordhajaan]
sā — she tat — then bhartuḥ — of her husband samādāya — accepting vacaḥ — the words kuvalaya-īkṣaṇā — the lotus-eyed sa-rajam — dirty bibhratī — wearing vāsaḥ — clothing veṇī-bhūtān — matted ca — and mūrdha-jān — hair.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sā tad bhartuḥ samādāya
sā
she
tat
then
bhartuḥ
of her husband
samādāya
accepting
vacaḥ kuvalayekṣaṇā
vacaḥ
the words
kuvalaya-īkṣaṇā
the lotus-eyed
sa-rajam
dirty
sarajaṁ bibhratī vāso
bibhratī
wearing
vāsaḥ
clothing
veṇī-bhūtāṁś ca mūrdhajān
veṇī-bhūtān
matted
ca
and
mūrdha-jān
hair.
The lotus-eyed Devahūti accepted the order of her husband. Because of her dirty dress and the locks of matted hair on her head, she did not look very attractive.

It appears that Devahūti’s hair had remained uncombed for many years and had become complicated in tangles. In other words, she neglected her bodily dress and comforts to engage in the service of her husband.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Following the words of her husband, the lotus eyed Devahūti, with matted locks of hair and wearing dirty clothing, whose breasts were discolored, being covered with dirt, entered the lake of auspicious water filled by the Sarasvatī River. Samādāya means “respecting.”
The verse points beyond impersonal abstraction to a Lord who hears, acts, and relates. Spiritual life gets real once we stop talking about Him and start talking to Him.
Reflection Questions
  • Whom do you actually address when you pray — a concept, or a person?
  • How does relating to a person, rather than a principle, change how you speak in prayer?
📝 My note

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