Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 16
Duryodhana’s Envy at Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya and the Avabhṛtha Festival
गुप्ता नृभिर्निरगमन्नुपलब्धुमेतद् देव्यो यथा दिवि विमानवरैर्नृदेव्यो । ता मातुलेयसखिभि: परिषिच्यमाना: सव्रीडहासविकसद्वदना विरेजु: ॥ १६ ॥
guptā nṛbhir niragamann upalabdhum etad devyo yathā divi vimāna-varair nṛ-devyo tā mātuleya-sakhibhiḥ pariṣicyamānāḥ sa-vrīḍa-hāsa-vikasad-vadanā virejuḥ
Guarded on all sides, King Yudhiṣṭhira’s queens came out on their chariots to watch the revelry, like the wives of the devas appearing in the sky in splendid vimānas. As maternal cousins and intimate friends sprinkled them with liquids, their faces blossomed with shy smiles, making their beauty shine all the more.
The maternal cousins referred to here are Lord Kṛṣṇa and such brothers of His as Gada and Sāraṇa, and the friends mentioned are such persons as Bhīma and Arjuna.
FAQs
This verse depicts the queens and royal ladies as ‘devyāḥ’—radiant like celestial goddesses—yet modest and shy, showing that true beauty in Bhagavatam is joined with dignity, restraint, and auspicious conduct.
Śukadeva describes them as protected by attendants to indicate royal decorum and safety, emphasizing their honor and the cultured etiquette surrounding the women of the royal households.
The verse highlights that grace increases with humility and self-respect—cultivating modesty, inner joy, and respectful boundaries can make one’s character ‘shine’ more than mere external display.