FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.42.5

తతస్తావఙ్గరాగేణ స్వవర్ణేతరశోభినా । సమ్ప్రాప్తపరభాగేన శుశుభాతేఽనురఞ్జితౌ ॥ ౫ ॥
tatas tāv aṅga-rāgeṇa
[tatas taav anga-raagena]
sva-varṇetara-śobhinā
[sva-varnetara-shobhinaa]
samprāpta-para-bhāgena
[sampraapta-para-bhaagena]
śuśubhāte ’nurañjitau
[shushubhaate ’nuranjitau]
Word-for-word
tataḥ — then tau — They aṅga — of Their bodies rāgeṇa — with the coloring cosmetics sva — Their own varṇa — with colors itara — other than śobhinā — adorning samprāpta — which exhibited para — the highest bhagena — excellence śuśubhāte — They appeared beautiful anurañjitau — anointed .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tatas tāv aṅga-rāgeṇa
tataḥ
then
tau
They
aṅga
of Their bodies
rāgeṇa
with the coloring cosmetics
sva-varṇetara-śobhinā
sva
Their own
varṇa
with colors
samprāpta-para-bhāgena
śuśubhāte ’nurañjitau
itara
other than
śobhinā
adorning
samprāpta
which exhibited
para
the highest
bhagena
excellence
śuśubhāte
They appeared beautiful
anurañjitau
anointed .
Important Words
  • varṇa — color, complexion
    Kṛṣṇa's varṇa is śyāma (dark blue), Balarāma's is gaura (fair). Gauḍīya iconography preserves the contrast; later it returns in Caitanya, the gaura embodiment of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa together.
  • anurañjitau — anointed, colored
    From anu + √rañj. The root rañj — to color, to delight, to attach. Gauḍīya pun: rasa itself is anurāga, the soul's coloring by Kṛṣṇa. The body-paint is rasa's outer form.
  • śuśubhāte — They appeared beautiful
    Perfect dual of √śubh — to shine, to be auspicious. Both brothers shine. Gauḍīya doctrine: Balarāma is ādi-guru, the principle of sevā; His shining beside Kṛṣṇa is the model for every servant-attendant pair.
  • rāgeṇa — with the coloring cosmetic
    From √rañj. Rāga — the same word that names attachment. Gauḍīya school is the rāga-mārga: the path of spontaneous attachment, prefigured here as cosmetic but pointing to the inner stain of love.
  • para — highest, supreme
    Used with bhagena: parama-aiśvarya, the highest splendor. The verse insists the brothers' beauty is not equaled — anywhere.
Anointed with these most excellent cosmetics, which adorned Them with hues that contrasted with Their complexions, the two Lords appeared extremely beautiful.
Purport

The ācāryas suggest that Kṛṣṇa spread yellow ointment upon His body, and Balarāma blue ointment upon His.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Anointed with these most excellent cosmetics, which adorned Them with hues that contrasted with Their complexions, the two Lords appeared extremely beautiful.
Commentary

Krsna and Balarama appeared splendid when their complexions changed suitable to their moods, by the application of the yellow and blue colored ointments.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The two were decorated with various patterns on the cheeks, chest and arms by friends and Kubjā.

Related values & verses
Concepts
Jiva
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Analogy

Sandalwood paste on a dark-blue body and dark unguent on a fair one — each color shining brighter against its opposite. The Lord's beauty is not lessened by what we put on Him; our offering finds its meaning by contrasting against Him.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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