Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.23.50
लिखन्त्यधोमुखी भूमिं पदा नखमणिश्रिया ।
उवाच ललितां वाचं निरुध्याश्रुकलां शनै: ॥ ५० ॥
likhanty adho-mukhī bhūmiṁ
[likhanty adho-mukhee bhoomim]
padā nakha-maṇi-śriyā
[padaa nakha-mani-shriyaa]
uvāca lalitāṁ vācaṁ
[uvaacha lalitaam vaacham]
nirudhyāśru-kalāṁ śanaiḥ
[nirudhyaashru-kalaam shanaih]
Word-for-word
likhantī
—
scratching
adhaḥ-mukhī
—
her head bent down
bhūmim
—
the ground
padā
—
with her foot
nakha
—
nails
maṇi
—
gemlike
śriyā
—
with radiant
uvāca
—
she spoke
lalitām
—
charming
vācam
—
accents
nirudhya
—
suppressing
aśru-kalām
—
tears
śanaiḥ
—
slowly.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
likhanty adho-mukhī bhūmiṁ
likhantī
scratching
adhaḥ-mukhī
her head bent down
bhūmim
the ground
padā nakha-maṇi-śriyā
padā
with her foot
nakha
nails
maṇi
gemlike
śriyā
with radiant
uvāca lalitāṁ vācaṁ
uvāca
she spoke
lalitām
charming
vācam
accents
nirudhyāśru-kalāṁ śanaiḥ
nirudhya
suppressing
aśru-kalām
tears
śanaiḥ
slowly.
She stood and scratched the ground with her foot, which was radiant with the luster of her gemlike nails. Her head bent down, she spoke in slow yet charming accents, suppressing her tears.
Purport
Devahūti was so beautiful that her toenails appeared just like pearls, and as she scratched the ground it appeared as if pearls had been thrown on the ground. When a woman scratches the ground with her foot, it is a sign that her mind is very disturbed. These signs were sometimes exhibited by the gopīs before Kṛṣṇa. When the gopīs came in the dead of night and Kṛṣṇa asked them to return to their homes, the gopīs also scratched the ground like this because their minds were very disturbed.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Seeing her husband leaving the home, the beautiful Devahuti smiled outwardly, but with a heart disturbed and pained, she looked down, writing on the earth with her jewel-like toe nails, and, suppressing her tears, slowly spoke charming words.
She smiled since that was natural on seeing her husband, but actually her heart was filled with worry and agitation.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Mind and senses, left ungoverned, will quietly run a life into the ground. The verse implies that small daily regulation is more powerful than occasional dramatic resolve.
Reflection Questions
- What small rule kept consistently would do more for you than a dramatic vow once broken?
- What small regulation of routine would free up the most attention for inner life?
My note
Source: vedabase.io