Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.8.31
निवीतमाम्नायमधुव्रतश्रिया
स्वकीर्तिमय्या वनमालया हरिम् ।
सूर्येन्दुवाय्वग्न्यगमं त्रिधामभि:
परिक्रमत्प्राधनिकैर्दुरासदम् ॥ ३१ ॥
nivītam āmnāya-madhu-vrata-śriyā
[niveetam aamnaaya-madhu-vrata-shriyaa]
sva-kīrti-mayyā vana-mālayā harim
[sva-keerti-mayyaa vana-maalayaa harim]
sūryendu-vāyv-agny-agamaṁ tri-dhāmabhiḥ
[sooryendu-vaayv-agny-agamam tri-dhaamabhih]
parikramat-prādhanikair durāsadam
[parikramat-praadhanikair duraasadam]
Word-for-word
nivītam
—
so being enclosed
āmnāya
—
Vedic wisdom
madhu-vrata-śriyā
—
sweet sound in beauty
sva-kīrti-mayyā
—
by His own glories
vana-mālayā
—
flower garland
harim
—
unto the Lord
sūrya
—
the sun
indu
—
the moon
vāyu
—
the air
agni
—
the fire
agamam
—
unapproachable
tri-dhāmabhiḥ
—
by the three planetary systems
parikramat
—
circumambulating
prādhanikaiḥ
—
for fighting
durāsadam
—
very difficult to reach.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nivītam āmnāya-madhu-vrata-śriyā
nivītam
so being enclosed
āmnāya
Vedic wisdom
madhu-vrata-śriyā
sweet sound in beauty
sva-kīrti-mayyā vana-mālayā harim
sva-kīrti-mayyā
by His own glories
vana-mālayā
flower garland
harim
unto the Lord
sūryendu-vāyv-agny-agamaṁ tri-dhāmabhiḥ
sūrya
the sun
indu
the moon
vāyu
the air
agni
the fire
agamam
unapproachable
tri-dhāmabhiḥ
by the three planetary systems
parikramat-prādhanikair durāsadam
parikramat
circumambulating
prādhanikaiḥ
for fighting
durāsadam
very difficult to reach.
Lord Brahmā, thus looking upon the Lord in the shape of a mountain, concluded that He was Hari, the Personality of Godhead. He saw that the garland of flowers on His chest glorified Him with Vedic wisdom in sweet songs and looked very beautiful. He was protected by the Sudarśana wheel for fighting, and even the sun, moon, air, fire, etc., could not have access to Him.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
He saw the Lord endowed with a garland made of his own glory, who was surrounded by the Vedas singing his glories like bees, and who was not understood by the devatās of the sun, moon, air or fire. He was hard to reach because he was surrounded by his associates and weapons, all made of eternity, knowledge and bliss.
Having described a mountain, he now shows that this is the Lord. Nivītam means “endowed with.” He cannot be understood by the devatās such as the sun, moon, Vāyu or Agni. He is hard to attain because of being surrounded by his associates like Jaya and Vijaya who have bodies made of eternity, knowledge and bliss (tri-dhāmabhiḥ), or by his spiritual weapons such as the cakra, who protect the Lord.
Personal Guidance
Brahmā concludes this mountain-like form is Hari Himself, protected by Sudarśana and beyond reach of sun, moon, air or fire. The Lord is not just majestic; He is utterly secure. Refuge in Him places us beyond the elements.
Reflection Questions
- What in my life would change if I genuinely treated Hari as the safest refuge?
- Which elements — natural, social, mental — am I trying to fend off alone instead of from within His shelter?
My note
Source: vedabase.io