Canto 5: The Creative ImpetusChapter 3: Rishabhadeva's Appearance in the Womb of Merudevī, the Wife of King Nābhi

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.3.3

atha ha tam āvishkrita-bhuja-yugala-dvayam hiranmayam purusha-viśesham kapiśa-kauśeyāmbara-dharam urasi vilasac-chrīvatsa-lalāmam daravara-vanaruha-vana-mālācchūry-amrita-mani-gadādibhir upalakshitam sphuta-kirana-pravara-mukuta-kundala-kataka-kati-sūtra-hāra-keyūra-nūpurādy-ańga-bhūshana-vibhūshitam ritvik-sadasya-griha-patayo 'dhanā ivottama-dhanam upalabhya sabahu-mānam arhanenāvanata-śīrshāna upatasthuh

SYNONYMS

atha — thereafter; ha — certainly; tam — Him; āvishkrita-bhuja-yugala-dvayam — who manifested Himself with four arms; hiranmayam — very bright; purusha-viśesham — the topmost of all living beings, Purushottama; kapiśa-kauśeya-ambara-dharam — wearing a yellow silk garment; urasi — on the chest; vilasat — beautiful; śrīvatsa — called Śrīvatsa; lalāmam — possessing the mark; dara-vara — by a conchshell; vana-ruha — lotus flower; vana-mālā — garland of forest flowers; acchūri — disc; amrita-mani — the Kaustubha gem; gadā-ādibhih — and by a club and other symbols; upalakshitam — symptomized; sphuta-kirana — radiant; pravara — excellent; mukuta — helmet; kundala — earrings; kataka — bracelets; kati-sūtra — girdle; hāra — necklace; keyūra — armlets; nūpura — ankle bells; ādi — and so on; ańga — of the body; bhūshana — with ornaments; vibhūshitam — decorated; ritvik — the priests; sadasya — associates; griha-patayah — and King Nābhi; adhanāh — poor persons; iva — like; uttama-dhanama great treasure; upalabhya — having achieved; sa-bahu-mānam — with great regard; arhanena — with ingredients for worship; avanata — bent; śīrshānah — their heads; upatasthuh — worshiped.

TRANSLATION

Lord Vishnu appeared before King Nābhi with four arms. He was very bright, and He appeared to be the best of all personalities. Around the lower portion of His body, He wore a yellow silken garment. On His chest was the mark of Śrīvatsa, which always displays beauty. He carried a conchshell, lotus flower, disc and club, and He wore a garland of forest flowers and the Kaustubha gem. He was beautifully decorated with a helmet, earrings, bangles, belt, pearl necklace, armlets, ankle bells and other bodily ornaments bedecked with radiant jewels. Seeing the Lord present before them, King Nābhi and his priests and associates felt just like poor people who have suddenly attained great riches. They received the Lord and respectfully bent their heads and offered Him things in worship.

PURPORT

It is distinctly mentioned here that the Supreme Personality of Godhead did not appear as an ordinary human being. He appeared before King Nābhi and his associates as the best of all personalities (Purushottama). As stated in the Vedas: Nityo nityānām cetanaś cetanānām. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is also a living being, but He is the supreme living being. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.7), Lord Krishna Himself says. mattah parataram nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: "O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no truth superior to Me." No one is more attractive or more authoritative than Lord Krishna. That is one of the differences between God and an ordinary living being. According to this description of the transcendental body of Lord Vishnu, the Lord can easily be distinguished from all other living beings. Consequently Mahārāja Nābhi and his priests and associates all offered the Lord obeisances and began to worship Him with various things. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (6.22), yam labdhvā cāparam lābham manyate nādhikam tatah. That is, "Upon gaining this, one thinks that there is no greater gain." When one realizes God and sees the Lord face to face, one certainly thinks that he has gained the best of all things. Raso 'py asya param drishtvā nivartate: when one experiences a higher taste, his consciousness is fixed. After seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one ceases to be attracted by anything material. One then remains steady in his worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness