Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 2

The Appearance of Vāmanadeva and His Arrival at Bali’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

श्यामावदातो झषराजकुण्डल- त्विषोल्ल‍सच्छ्रीवदनाम्बुज: पुमान् । श्रीवत्सवक्षा बलयाङ्गदोल्ल‍स- त्किरीटकाञ्चीगुणचारुनूपुर: ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

śyāmāvadāto jhaṣa-rāja-kuṇḍala- tviṣollasac-chrī-vadanāmbujaḥ pumān śrīvatsa-vakṣā balayāṅgadollasat- kirīṭa-kāñcī-guṇa-cāru-nūpuraḥ

Translation

The body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, blackish in complexion, was free from all inebrieties. His lotus face, decorated with earrings resembling sharks, appeared very beautiful, and on His bosom was the mark of Śrīvatsa. He wore bangles on His wrists, armlets on His arms, a helmet on His head, a belt on His waist, a sacred thread across His chest, and ankle bells decorating His lotus feet.

Synonyms

• श्याम-अवदातः: dark (bluish) and radiant
• श्याम-अवदातः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक) + अवदात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (dark and fair/bright), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular)

• झष-राज-कुण्डल-त्विषा: by the brilliance of fish-shaped royal earrings
• झष-राज-कुण्डल-त्विषा: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: झष (प्रातिपदिक) + राज (प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक) + त्विष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया (Instrumental Singular); झषराजकुण्डलस्य त्विषा (by the splendor of fish-shaped royal earrings)

• उल्लसत्: shining, flashing
• उल्लसत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उल्-लस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (indeclinable participial use), 'वदनाम्बुजः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• श्री-वदन-अम्बुजः: with a glorious lotus-like face
• श्री-वदन-अम्बुजः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular); श्रीमद् वदनम् एव अम्बुजम् (face like a lotus, glorious)

• पुमान्: the Person
• पुमान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular)

• श्रीवत्स-वक्षाः: having the Śrīvatsa on the chest
• श्रीवत्स-वक्षाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular); यस्य वक्षसि श्रीवत्सः (whose chest bears the Śrīvatsa mark)

• बलय-अङ्गद-उल्लसत्-किरीट-काञ्ची-गुण-चारु-नूपुरः: adorned with glittering bracelets, armlets, crown, girdle, necklace, and lovely anklets
• बलय-अङ्गद-उल्लसत्-किरीट-काञ्ची-गुण-चारु-नूपुरः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलय (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गद (प्रातिपदिक) + उल्लसत् (लस् धातु, शतृ कृदन्त) + किरीट (प्रातिपदिक) + काञ्ची (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + चारु (प्रातिपदिक) + नूपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular); यस्य बलय-अङ्गद-किरीट-काञ्ची-गुण-नूपुराणि चारूणि उल्लसन्ति (whose bracelets, armlets, shining crown, girdle, necklace/cord, and beautiful anklets glitter)

Characters & Entities

• Vāmana-deva
• Śrī Viṣṇu (Bhagavān)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the appearance and ornaments of Vāmana-deva?

This verse describes Vāmana as the Supreme Person with a dark, cloudlike complexion, lotus face, makara-shaped earrings, the Śrīvatsa mark on His chest, and resplendent ornaments like crown, belt, necklaces, and anklets—features used for devotional meditation.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing the Lord’s ornaments in the Vāmana-līlā?

In the narrative of Bali and Vāmana, Śukadeva highlights the Lord’s divine form so the listener (Parīkṣit) and devotees can fix the mind on Bhagavān’s beauty, recognizing Him as Viṣṇu even as He appears in the guise of a brahmacārī dwarf.

How can this shloka be applied in modern devotional practice?

Use it for vigraha-dhyāna: calmly visualize the Lord’s lotus face and sacred marks like Śrīvatsa, and let the mind rest on His divine beauty—turning attention away from anxiety and toward bhakti and remembrance (smaraṇa).