Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

मधुव्रतव्रातविघुष्टया स्वया विराजित: श्रीवनमालया हरि: । प्रजापतेर्वेश्मतम: स्वरोचिषा विनाशयन् कण्ठनिविष्टकौस्तुभ: ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

madhu-vrata-vrāta-vighuṣṭayā svayā virājitaḥ śrī-vanamālayā hariḥ prajāpater veśma-tamaḥ svarociṣā vināśayan kaṇṭha-niviṣṭa-kaustubhaḥ

Translation

An uncommonly beautiful garland of flowers decorated His bosom, and because the flowers were extremely fragrant, a large group of bees, making their natural humming sounds, invaded them for honey. When the Lord appeared, wearing the Kaustubha gem on His neck, His effulgence vanquished the darkness in the home of the Prajāpati Kaśyapa.

Synonyms

• मधु-व्रत-व्रात-विघुष्टया: by (a garland) resonant with swarms of bees
• मधु-व्रत-व्रात-विघुष्टया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument; with विराजितः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रात (प्रातिपदिक) + विघुष्ट (घुष् धातु, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया (Instrumental Singular); मधुव्रतव्रातेन विघुष्टा (hummed by swarms of bees)

• स्वया: by its own
• स्वया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया (Instrumental Singular); आत्मीय/स्वकीय (by its own)

• विराजितः: shining, adorned
• विराजितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; described)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-राज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular)

• श्री-वनमालया: by the splendid forest-garland
• श्री-वनमालया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + वनमाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया (Instrumental Singular)

• हरिः: Hari (the Lord)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular)

• प्रजापतेः: of Prajāpati (Brahmā)
• प्रजापतेः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी (Genitive Singular)

• वेश्म-तमः: the darkness of the dwelling
• वेश्म-तमः: Karma (कर्म/Object; of विनाशयन्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वेश्मनः तमः = darkness of the house), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular)

• स्व-रोचिषा: by his own radiance
• स्व-रोचिषा: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रोचिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया (Instrumental Singular); स्वकीया रोचिः (by his own radiance)

• विनाशयन्: destroying, dispelling
• विनाशयन्: Kriyā (क्रिया; participial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular); 'हरिः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कण्ठ-निविष्ट-कौस्तुभः: with the Kaustubha jewel resting on his neck
• कण्ठ-निविष्ट-कौस्तुभः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + निविष्ट (विश् धातु, नि-उपसर्ग, क्त कृदन्त) + कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular); यस्य कण्ठे कौस्तुभः निविष्टः (whose Kaustubha jewel rests on the neck)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vāmana/Viṣṇu)
• Prajāpati Kaśyapa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Vishnu dispelling darkness?

This verse says Hari’s own radiance destroyed the darkness in Prajāpati’s home, illustrating how the Lord’s presence removes both physical and inner darkness.

Why is Lord Hari described with a forest garland and humming bees in Canto 8?

Śukadeva portrays the Lord’s divine beauty: the vanamālā (forest garland) and the bees’ humming emphasize His natural, spiritual splendor as He appears in the narrative of Vāmana.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Remembering and welcoming the Lord through bhakti—hearing, chanting, and worship—invites clarity and dispels the “darkness” of confusion, fear, and ignorance.