Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.55.31
కో న్వయం నరవైదూర్య: కస్య వా కమలేక్షణ: ।
ధృత: కయా వా జఠరే కేయం లబ్ధా త్వనేన వా ॥ ౩౧ ॥
ko nv ayam nara-vaidūryaḥ
[ko nv ayam nara-vaidooryah]
kasya vā kamalekṣaṇaḥ
[kasya vaa kamalekshanah]
dhṛtaḥ kayā vā jaṭhare
[dhritah kayaa vaa jathare]
keyaṁ labdhā tv anena vā
[keyam labdhaa tv anena vaa]
Word-for-word
kaḥ
—
who
nu
—
indeed
ayam
—
this
nara - vaidūryaḥ
—
gem among men
kasya
—
whose (son)
vā
—
and
kamala - īkṣaṇaḥ
—
lotus-eyed
dhṛtaḥ
—
carried
kayā
—
by what woman
vā
—
and
jaṭhare
—
in her womb
kā
—
who
iyam
—
this woman
labdhā
—
obtained
tu
—
moreover
anena
—
by Him
vā
—
and .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ko nv ayam nara-vaidūryaḥ
kasya vā kamalekṣaṇaḥ
kaḥ
who
nu
indeed
dhṛtaḥ kayā vā jaṭhare
ayam
this
keyaṁ labdhā tv anena vā
nara - vaidūryaḥ
gem among men
kasya
whose (son)
vā
and
kamala - īkṣaṇaḥ
lotus-eyed
dhṛtaḥ
carried
kayā
by what woman
vā
and
jaṭhare
in her womb
kā
who
iyam
this woman
labdhā
obtained
tu
moreover
anena
by Him
vā
and .
Important Words
-
nara-vaidūryaḥ
—
gem among men
Compound: nara (man) + vaidūryaḥ (cat's-eye gem, beryl). A precious stone famed for its inner shifting light. Rukmiṇī's metaphor — among men, He is the stone you cannot stop turning in your hand.
-
kamala-īkṣaṇaḥ
—
lotus-eyed
Compound: kamala (lotus) + īkṣaṇaḥ (eyed). The exact epithet she uses of her own husband (cf. her letter at 10.52.37, kamala-naya). She is unknowingly applying her husband's title to her son — the verse names the resemblance before she does.
-
jaṭhare
—
in the womb
Locative of jaṭhara (belly, womb). Rukmiṇī asks: in whose jaṭhara was He carried? The same word she will ask about herself in v.34. The chapter's grammar prepares the self-recognition.
-
labdhā
—
obtained, won
Past participle of √labh, fem. Rukmiṇī asks how He 'obtained' His wife — the standard verb for marriage-by-pursuit in the Bhāgavatam. She will soon learn the answer is exactly her own marriage-story in miniature.
[Śrīmatī Rukmiṇī-devī said:] Who is this lotus-eyed jewel among men? What man’s son is He, and what woman carried Him in her womb? And who is this woman He has taken as His wife?
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
[Śrīmatī Rukmiṇī-devī said:] Who is this lotus-eyed jewel among men? What man's son is He, and what woman carried Him in her womb? And who is this woman He has taken as His wife?
Commentary
Whose son (kasya) is this best among men (nara vaidurya)?
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Who is this best among men like a vaidūrya gem? Whose son is he?
Śrīdhara Svāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Nu indicates questioning. His gem-like nature is described. He has lotus eyes. This is an indication of a mahāpuruṣa. What man’s son is he, and what woman carried him in her womb? This shows the greater affection of the mother.
Related values & verses
Concepts
Jiva
Personal Guidance
Analogy
Rukmiṇī begins to wonder aloud: 'Who is this lotus-eyed jewel? Whose son, by what mother carried, who is this wife of his?' She asks four questions and answers none — the recognition is hovering, not yet landed. Bhakti, even at the Lakṣmī-level, must work through inquiry.
My note
Source: vedabase.io