Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 30
Vibhūti-yoga in the Bhāgavata: The Lord’s Manifest Opulences and the Discipline of Control
रत्नानां पद्मरागोऽस्मि पद्मकोश: सुपेशसाम् । कुशोऽस्मि दर्भजातीनां गव्यमाज्यं हवि:ष्वहम् ॥ ३० ॥
ratnānāṁ padma-rāgo ’smi padma-kośaḥ su-peśasām kuśo ’smi darbha-jātīnāṁ gavyam ājyaṁ haviḥṣv aham
Unter den Edelsteinen bin Ich der Padmarāga (Rubin), und unter den schönen Dingen bin Ich der Lotuskelch. Unter den Gräsern bin Ich das heilige Kuśa, und unter den Opfergaben bin Ich Ghee und andere aus der Kuh gewonnene Zutaten.
Pañca-gavya refers to five sacrificial ingredients obtained from the cow, namely milk, ghee, yogurt, dung and urine. The cow is so valuable that even its dung and urine are antiseptic and fit for sacrificial offering. Kuśa grass is also used for religious occasions. Mahārāja Parīkṣit constructed a sitting place from kuśa grass during the last week of his life. Among beautiful things the lotus cup formed by lotus petals represents Lord Kṛṣṇa, and among jewels the ruby, which is similar to Lord Kṛṣṇa’s own Kaustubha gem, symbolizes the potency of the Lord.
FAQs
In this verse Kṛṣṇa teaches that His presence can be recognized through His vibhūtis—such as the ruby among gems and the lotus-bud among beautiful forms—training the devotee to remember Him everywhere.
While instructing Uddhava about His divine manifestations, Kṛṣṇa identifies Himself with key ritual essentials—kuśa grass used for purity in rites and ghee as a principal oblation—showing that even yajña ultimately centers on Him.
Use this verse as a remembrance practice: when you see something excellent, pure, or sacred (beauty, cleanliness, worship items), consciously connect it to Kṛṣṇa and turn ordinary perception into devotion.