FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.33.19

यत्र प्रविष्टमात्मानं विबुधानुचरा जगु: । वाप्यामुत्पलगन्धिन्यां कर्दमेनोपलालितम् ॥ १९ ॥
yatra praviṣṭam ātmānaṁ
[yatra pravishtam aatmaanam]
vibudhānucarā jaguḥ
[vibudhaanucharaa jaguh]
vāpyām utpala-gandhinyāṁ
[vaapyaam utpala-gandhinyaam]
kardamenopalālitam
[kardamenopalaalitam]
yatra — where praviṣṭam — entered ātmānam — unto her vibudha-anucarāḥ — the associates of the denizens of heaven jaguḥ — sang vāpyām — in the pond utpala — of lotuses gandhinyām — with the fragrance kardamena — by Kardama upalālitam — treated with great care.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yatra praviṣṭam ātmānaṁ
yatra
where
praviṣṭam
entered
ātmānam
unto her
vibudhānucarā jaguḥ
vibudha-anucarāḥ
the associates of the denizens of heaven
jaguḥ
sang
vāpyām utpala-gandhinyāṁ
vāpyām
in the pond
utpala
of lotuses
gandhinyām
with the fragrance
kardamenopalālitam
kardamena
by Kardama
upalālitam
treated with great care.
When Devahūti would enter that lovely garden to take her bath in the pond filled with lotus flowers, the associates of the denizens of heaven, the Gandharvas, would sing about Kardama’s glorious household life. Her great husband, Kardama, gave her all protection at all times.

The ideal husband-and-wife relationship is very nicely described in this statement. Kardama Muni gave Devahūti all sorts of comforts in his duty as a husband, but he was not at all attached to his wife. As soon as his son, Kapiladeva, was grown up, Kardama at once left all family connection. Similarly, Devahūti was the daughter of a great king, Svāyambhuva Manu, and was qualified and beautiful, but she was completely dependent on the protection of her husband. According to Manu, women, the fair sex, should not have independence at any stage of life. In childhood a woman must be under the protection of the parents, in youth she must be under the protection of the husband, and in old age she must be under the protection of the grown children. Devahūti demonstrated all these statements of the Manu-saṁhitā in her life: as a child she was dependent on her father, later she was dependent on her husband, in spite of her opulence, and she was later on dependent on her son, Kapiladeva.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
When Devahūti, under the care of Kardama, would enter the pond, fragrant with lotuses, the devatās’ assistants glorified her.
The verse treats family affection as a hidden anchor that can quietly steer a life off course. Loving them well may require loving the Lord more, not less.
Reflection Questions
  • Which attachment, if you were honest, has been quietly running your decisions?
  • Where might detachment look like neglect from outside while actually being clarity inside?
📝 My note

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