Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 8.8.14

tato 'bhishishicur devim

sriyam padma-karam satim

digibhah purna-kalasaih

sukta-vakyair dvijeritaih

SYNONYMS

tatah -- thereafter; abhishishicuh -- poured all-auspicious water on the body; devim -- the goddess of fortune; sriyam -- very beautiful; padma-karam -- with a lotus in her hand; satim -- she who is most chaste, not knowing anyone but the Supreme Personality of Godhead; digibhah -- the great elephants; purna-kalasaih -- by completely full water jugs; sukta-vakyaih -- with Vedic mantras; dvi-ja -- by brahmanas; iritaih -- chanted.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, the great elephants from all the directions carried big water jugs full of Ganges water and bathed the goddess of fortune, to the accompaniment of Vedic mantras chanted by learned brahmanas. While thus being bathed, the goddess of fortune maintained her original style, with a lotus flower in her hand, and she appeared very beautiful. The goddess of fortune is the most chaste, for she does not know anyone but the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

The goddess of fortune, Lakshmi, is described in this verse as sriyam, which means that she has six opulences -- wealth, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. These opulences are received from the goddess of fortune. Lakshmi is addressed here as devi, the goddess, because in Vaikuntha she supplies all opulences to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees, who in this way enjoy natural life in the Vaikuntha planets. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased with His consort, the goddess of fortune, who carries a lotus flower in her hand. Mother Lakshmi is described in this verse as sati, the supremely chaste, because she never diverts her attention from the Supreme Personality of Godhead to anyone else.

<<< >>>

Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness