FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.8.46

तरुणं रमणीयाङ्गमरुणोष्ठेक्षणाधरम् । प्रणताश्रयणं नृम्णं शरण्यं करुणार्णवम् ॥ ४६ ॥
taruṇaṁ ramaṇīyāṅgam
[tarunam ramaneeyaangam]
aruṇoṣṭhekṣaṇādharam
[arunoshthekshanaadharam]
praṇatāśrayaṇaṁ nṛmṇaṁ
[pranataashrayanam nrimnam]
śaraṇyaṁ karuṇārṇavam
[sharanyam karunaarnavam]
taruṇam — youthful ramaṇīya — attractive aṅgam — all parts of the body aruṇa-oṣṭha — lips pinkish like the rising sun īkṣaṇa-adharam — eyes of the same nature praṇata — one who is surrendered āśrayaṇam — shelter of the surrendered nṛmṇam — transcendentally pleasing in all respects śaraṇyam — the person unto whom it is just worthy to surrender karuṇā — merciful like arṇavam — the ocean.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
taruṇaṁ ramaṇīyāṅgam
taruṇam
youthful
ramaṇīya
attractive
aṅgam
all parts of the body
aruṇoṣṭhekṣaṇādharam
aruṇa-oṣṭha
lips pinkish like the rising sun
īkṣaṇa-adharam
eyes of the same nature
praṇatāśrayaṇaṁ nṛmṇaṁ
praṇata
one who is surrendered
āśrayaṇam
shelter of the surrendered
nṛmṇam
transcendentally pleasing in all respects
śaraṇyaṁ karuṇārṇavam
śaraṇyam
the person unto whom it is just worthy to surrender
karuṇā
merciful like
arṇavam
the ocean.
Nārada Muni continued: The Lord’s form is always youthful. Every limb and every part of His body is properly formed, free from defect. His eyes and lips are pinkish like the rising sun. He is always prepared to give shelter to the surrendered soul, and anyone so fortunate as to look upon Him feels all satisfaction. The Lord is always worthy to be the master of the surrendered soul, for He is the ocean of mercy.

Everyone has to surrender to someone superior. That is always the nature of our living condition. At the present moment we are trying to surrender to someone — either to society or to our nation, family, state or government. The surrendering process already exists, but it is never perfect because the person or institution unto whom we surrender is imperfect, and our surrender, having so many ulterior motives, is also imperfect. As such, in the material world no one is worthy to accept anyone’s surrender, nor does anyone fully surrender to anyone else unless obliged to do so. But here the surrendering process is voluntary, and the Lord is worthy to accept the surrender. This surrender by the living entity occurs automatically as soon as he sees the beautiful youthful nature of the Lord.

The description given by Nārada Muni is not imaginary. The form of the Lord is understood by the paramparā system. Māyāvādī philosophers say that we have to imagine the form of the Lord, but here Nārada Muni does not say that. Rather, he gives the description of the Lord from authoritative sources. He is himself an authority, and he is able to go to Vaikuṇṭhaloka and see the Lord personally; therefore his description of the bodily features of the Lord is not an imagination. Sometimes we give instructions to our students about the bodily features of the Lord, and they paint Him. Their paintings are not imaginary. The description is given through disciplic succession, just like that given by Nārada Muni, who sees the Lord and describes His bodily features. Therefore such descriptions should be accepted, and if they are painted, that is not imaginative painting.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
He has youthful, attractive limbs, red lips and eyes. He is the shelter of the surrendered, the treasure of men, and the ocean of mercy. Oṣṭha and adhara are the upper and lower lips. For men (those who do not surrender) he is the form of wealth.
The Lord is ever-youthful, defect-free, His eyes and lips pinkish like the rising sun; He is always ready to shelter the surrendered. The Master we surrender to is not stern — He is delighted to receive us.
Reflection Questions
  • Whom have I been imagining the Lord to be, and how does that match this description?
  • Where am I withholding surrender because I've imagined a harsher recipient than the texts describe?
📝 My note

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