FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.26.25

वक्त्रं न ते वितिलकं मलिनं विहर्षं संरम्भभीममविमृष्टमपेतरागम् । पश्ये स्तनावपि शुचोपहतौ सुजातौ बिम्बाधरं विगतकुङ्कुमपङ्करागम् ॥ २५ ॥
vaktraṁ na te vitilakaṁ malinaṁ viharṣaṁ
[vaktram na te vitilakam malinam viharsham]
saṁrambha-bhīmam avimṛṣṭam apeta-rāgam
[samrambha-bheemam avimrishtam apeta-raagam]
paśye stanāv api śucopahatau sujātau
[pashye stanaav api shuchopahatau sujaatau]
bimbādharaṁ vigata-kuṅkuma-paṅka-rāgam
[bimbaadharam vigata-kunkuma-panka-raagam]
Word-for-word
vaktram — face na — never te — your vitilakam — without being decorated malinam — unclean viharṣam — morose saṁrambha — with anger bhīmam — dangerous avimṛṣṭam — without luster apeta-rāgam — without affection paśye — I have seen stanau — your breasts api — also śucā-upahatau — wet because of your tears su-jātau — so nice bimba-adharam — red lips vigata — without kuṅkuma-paṅka — saffron rāgam — color.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vaktraṁ na te vitilakaṁ malinaṁ viharṣaṁ
vaktram
face
na
never
te
your
vitilakam
without being decorated
malinam
unclean
viharṣam
morose
saṁrambha-bhīmam avimṛṣṭam apeta-rāgam
saṁrambha
with anger
bhīmam
dangerous
avimṛṣṭam
without luster
apeta-rāgam
without affection
paśye stanāv api śucopahatau sujātau
paśye
I have seen
stanau
your breasts
api
also
śucā-upahatau
wet because of your tears
su-jātau
so nice
bimbādharaṁ vigata-kuṅkuma-paṅka-rāgam
bimba-adharam
red lips
vigata
without
kuṅkuma-paṅka
saffron
rāgam
color.
My dear wife, until this day I have never seen your face without tilaka decorations, nor have I seen you so morose and without luster or affection. Nor have I seen your two nice breasts wet with tears from your eyes. Nor have I ever before seen your lips, which are ordinarily as red as the bimba fruit, without their reddish hue.
Purport

Every woman looks very beautiful when decorated with tilaka and vermillion. A woman generally becomes very attractive when her lips are colored with reddish saffron or vermillion. But when one’s consciousness and intelligence are without any brilliant thoughts about Kṛṣṇa, they become morose and lusterless, so much so that one cannot derive any benefit despite sharp intelligence.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
I never see your face without tilaka, soiled and devoid of joy, frightful with anger, dull, and without affection. I never see your splendid breasts soaked in tears, or your red lips without betel stain. I never see your face without tilaka. Now I see it without tilaka. That is my misfortune. I never see you without red lips stained with betel (kuṁkuma-paṅka-rāgam). In another version, the phrase modified “breasts.” The present condition indicates that the intelligence is not pleased as she was formerly.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
I've never seen you without tilaka, this morose, your breasts tear-wet, your bimba-red lips faded. Detailed observation of a beloved's distress is itself a kind of apology; you notice what you neglected.
Reflection Questions
  • What detailed change in someone close have I not let myself observe because the observation would indict me?
  • Where would careful noticing be more honest than gestures of repair?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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