FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.6.23

दद‍ृशुस्तत्र ते रम्यामलकां नाम वै पुरीम् । वनं सौगन्धिकं चापि यत्र तन्नाम पङ्कजम् ॥ २३ ॥
dadṛśus tatra te ramyām
[dadrishus tatra te ramyaam]
alakāṁ nāma vai purīm
[alakaam naama vai pureem]
vanaṁ saugandhikaṁ cāpi
[vanam saugandhikam chaapi]
yatra tan-nāma paṅkajam
[yatra tan-naama pankajam]
Word-for-word
dadṛśuḥ — saw tatra — there (in Kailāsa) te — they (the demigods) ramyām — very attractive alakām — Alakā nāma — known as vai — indeed purīm — abode vanam — forest saugandhikam — Saugandhika ca — and api — even yatra — in which place tat-nāma — known by that name paṅkajam — species of lotus flowers.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dadṛśus tatra te ramyām
dadṛśuḥ
saw
tatra
there (in Kailāsa)
te
they (the demigods)
ramyām
very attractive
alakāṁ nāma vai purīm
alakām
Alakā
nāma
known as
vai
indeed
purīm
abode
vanaṁ saugandhikaṁ cāpi
vanam
forest
saugandhikam
Saugandhika
ca
and
api
even
yatra tan-nāma paṅkajam
yatra
in which place
tat-nāma
known by that name
paṅkajam
species of lotus flowers.
Thus the demigods saw the wonderfully beautiful region known as Alakā in the forest known as Saugandhika, which means “full of fragrance.” The forest is known as Saugandhika because of its abundance of lotus flowers.
Purport

Sometimes Alakā is known as Alakā-purī, which is also the name of the abode of Kuvera. Kuvera’s abode, however, cannot be seen from Kailāsa. Therefore the region of Alakā referred to here is different from the Alakā-purī of Kuvera. According to Vīrarāghava Ācārya, alakā means “uncommonly beautiful.” In the region of Alakā that the demigods saw, there is a type of lotus flower known as Saugandhika that distributes an especially fragrant scent.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
They saw at that mountain a pleasant city called Alakā and the forest called Saugandhika where there were lotuses called saugandhika. There were lotuses there called saugandhika. It is in the singular since it represents a species.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The forest is called Saugandhika — 'full of fragrance' — because of its lotuses. You are recognized by what blossoms in you; cultivate the lotus and the name will follow.
Reflection Questions
  • If my inner life were named after its dominant flower, what would it be called this year?
  • Which lotus am I willing to plant now that may give my whole forest a different name?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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