Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 10

The Lord in the Heart and the Discipline of Yoga-Bhakti

Devanagari script

उन्निद्रहृत्पङ्कजकर्णिकालये योगेश्वरास्थापितपादपल्लवम् । श्रीलक्षणं कौस्तुभरत्नकन्धर- मम्‍लानलक्ष्म्या वनमालयाचितम् ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

unnidra-hṛt-paṅkaja-karṇikālaye yogeśvarāsthāpita-pāda-pallavam śrī-lakṣaṇaṁ kaustubha-ratna-kandharam amlāna-lakṣmyā vana-mālayācitam

Translation

His lotus feet are placed over the whorls of the lotuslike hearts of great mystics. On His chest is the Kaustubha jewel, engraved with a beautiful calf, and there are other jewels on His shoulders. His complete torso is garlanded with fresh flowers.

Synonyms

• unnidra-hṛt-paṅkaja-karṇikā-ālaye: in the abode (center) of the awakened heart-lotus
• unnidra-hṛt-paṅkaja-karṇikā-ālaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: unnidra (प्रातिपदिक/विशेषण) + hṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + paṅkaja (प्रातिपदिक) + karṇikā (प्रातिपदिक) + ālaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; बहु-तत्पुरुषः (उन्निद्रं हृत् = जाग्रत्-हृदयम्; तस्य पङ्कजस्य कर्णिकायाः आलयः)

• yogeśvara-āsthāpita-pāda-pallavam: whose tender feet are placed by the masters of yoga
• yogeśvara-āsthāpita-pāda-pallavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yogeśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + āsthāpita (कृदन्त, √sthā स्था, णिच्/कर्मणि) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + pallava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (योगेश्वरैः स्थापितं पाद-पल्लवम्)

• śrī-lakṣaṇam: bearing the mark of Śrī (fortune)
• śrī-lakṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (श्रियाः लक्षणम्/श्री-चिह्नयुक्तम्)

• kaustubha-ratna-kandharam: with neck adorned by the Kaustubha gem
• kaustubha-ratna-kandharam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaustubha (प्रातिपदिक) + ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + kandhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (कौस्तुभ-रत्नेन कन्धरः/कण्ठः)

• amlāna-lakṣmyā: by unfading beauty/splendor
• amlāna-lakṣmyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-mlāna (प्रातिपदिक/विशेषण) + lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; कर्मधारयः (अम्लाना लक्ष्मीः)

• vana-mālayā: with a forest-garland
• vana-mālayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + mālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (वनज-पुष्प-माला)

• ācitam: adorned
• ācitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ci (चि) + ā (उपसर्ग) + ta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; कर्मणि प्रयोगः

Purport

The ornaments, flowers, clothing and all the other decorations on the transcendental body of the Personality of Godhead are identical with the body of the Lord. None of them are made of material ingredients; otherwise there would be no chance of their decorating the body of the Lord. As such, in the paravyoma, spiritual varieties are also distinguished from the material variegatedness.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmī (Śrī)
• Viṣṇu (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about meditating on the Lord in the heart?

This verse teaches that the Lord is to be contemplated within the awakened lotus of the heart, with His lotus-feet established there by perfected yogīs, focusing on His divine marks and ornaments.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the Lord’s ornaments like Śrīvatsa and Kaustubha to Parīkṣit Mahārāja?

Śukadeva gives Parīkṣit a concrete, devotional form for meditation—recognizable divine identifiers that steady the mind and deepen remembrance at the time of hearing and contemplation.

How can I apply this meditation teaching in modern life?

Daily remember the Lord’s form with focused attention—especially His lotus-feet and divine qualities—using japa, prayer, and a short visualization to bring the mind back from distraction to devotion.