Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 4
The Lord Appears to the Devas and Instructs the Truce; Mandara Is Brought for Churning
विरिञ्चो भगवान्दृष्ट्वा सह शर्वेण तां तनुम् । स्वच्छां मरकतश्यामां कञ्जगर्भारुणेक्षणाम् ॥ ३ ॥ तप्तहेमावदातेन लसत्कौशेयवाससा । प्रसन्नचारुसर्वाङ्गीं सुमुखीं सुन्दरभ्रुवम् ॥ ४ ॥ महामणिकिरीटेन केयूराभ्यां च भूषिताम् । कर्णाभरणनिर्भातकपोलश्रीमुखाम्बुजाम् ॥ ५ ॥ काञ्चीकलापवलयहारनूपुरशोभिताम् । कौस्तुभाभरणां लक्ष्मीं बिभ्रतीं वनमालिनीम् ॥ ६ ॥ सुदर्शनादिभि: स्वास्त्रैर्मूर्तिमद्भिरुपासिताम् । तुष्टाव देवप्रवर: सशर्व: पुरुषं परम् । सर्वामरगणै: साकं सर्वाङ्गैरवनिं गतै: ॥ ७ ॥
viriñco bhagavān dṛṣṭvā saha śarveṇa tāṁ tanum svacchāṁ marakata-śyāmāṁ kañja-garbhāruṇekṣaṇām
Lord Brahmā, along with Lord Śiva, saw the crystal-clear personal beauty of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose blackish body resembles a marakata gem, whose eyes are reddish like the depths of a lotus, who is dressed with garments that are yellow like molten gold, and whose entire body is attractively decorated. They saw His beautiful, smiling, lotuslike face, crowned by a helmet bedecked with valuable jewels. The Lord has attractive eyebrows, and His cheeks are adorned with earrings. Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva saw the belt on the Lord’s waist, the bangles on His arms, the necklace on His chest, and the ankle bells on His legs. The Lord is bedecked with flower garlands, His neck is decorated with the Kaustubha gem, and He carries with Him the goddess of fortune and His personal weapons, like His disc and club. When Lord Brahmā, along with Lord Śiva and the other demigods, thus saw the form of the Lord, they all immediately fell to the ground, offering their obeisances.
FAQs
These verses describe the Lord’s resplendent, lotus-eyed form attended by Śrī (Lakṣmī), adorned with Kaustubha and divine ornaments, and worshiped even by His personified weapons like Sudarśana.
Seeing the Supreme Person’s transcendental presence, Brahmā and Śiva—along with all the demigods—offered full prostrated obeisances and prayers, acknowledging Him as the highest refuge and controller.
By cultivating humility—like the greatest gods who bow to the Supreme—and by regularly hearing and reciting descriptions of the Lord’s form and glories to awaken reverence and devotion.