Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.15.43

tasyāravinda-nayanasya padāravinda-

kiñjalka-miśra-tulasī-makaranda-vāyuḥ

antar-gataḥ sva-vivareṇa cakāra teṣāḿ

sańkṣobham akṣara-juṣām api citta-tanvoḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya — of Him; aravinda-nayanasya — of the lotus-eyed Lord; pada-aravinda — of the lotus feet; kiñjalka — with the toes; miśra — mixed; tulasī — the tulasī leaves; makaranda — fragrance; vāyuḥ — breeze; antaḥ-gataḥ — entered within; sva-vivareṇa — through their nostrils; cakāra — made; teṣām — of the Kumāras; sańkṣobham — agitation for change; akṣara-juṣām — attached to impersonal Brahman realization; api — even though; citta-tanvoḥ — in both mind and body.

TRANSLATION

When the breeze carrying the aroma of tulasī leaves from the toes of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead entered the nostrils of those sages, they experienced a change both in body and in mind, even though they were attached to the impersonal Brahman understanding.

PURPORT

It appears from this verse that the four Kumāras were impersonalists or protagonists of the philosophy of monism, becoming one with the Lord. But as soon as they saw the Lord's features, their minds changed. In other words, the impersonalist who feels transcendental pleasure in striving to become one with the Lord is defeated when he sees the beautiful transcendental features of the Lord. Because of the fragrance of His lotus feet, carried by the air and mixed with the aroma of tulasī, their minds changed; instead of becoming one with the Supreme Lord, they thought it wise to be devotees. Becoming a servitor of the lotus feet of the Lord is better than becoming one with the Lord.

<<< >>>

Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness