Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 13

Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi and the Lord’s Unlimited Incarnations

Devanagari script

ते देवानुचरा द‍ृष्ट्वा स्त्रिय: श्रीरिव रूपिणी: । गन्धेन मुमुहुस्तासां रूपौदार्यहतश्रिय: ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

te devānucarā dṛṣṭvā striyaḥ śrīr iva rūpiṇīḥ gandhena mumuhus tāsāṁ rūpaudārya-hata-śriyaḥ

Translation

When the demigods’ attendants beheld those women, beautiful like Śrī herself, and inhaled the fragrance of their bodies, their minds became bewildered. Before such beauty and grandeur, their own opulence was utterly eclipsed.

Synonyms

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• देव-अनुचराः: attendants of the gods
• देव-अनुचराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘देवानाम् अनुचराः’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having seen’

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• श्रीः: Lakṣmī / splendor
• श्रीः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-निपात (particle of comparison)

• रूपिणीः: beautiful / possessing form
• रूपिणीः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) स्त्रियः

• गन्धेन: by (their) fragrance
• गन्धेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• मुमुहुः: became bewildered / fainted
• मुमुहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तासाम्: of them (those women)
• तासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• रूप-औदार्य-हत-श्रियः: whose splendor was eclipsed by (their) beauty and generosity
• रूप-औदार्य-हत-श्रियः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + औदार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘येषां श्रीः (कान्तिः) रूपौदार्येण हता’—विशेषणम् ते (देवानुचराः)

Characters & Entities

• Devānucarāḥ (attendants of the demigods)
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about divine beauty and fragrance?

This verse says the women appeared like embodied Lakṣmī, and even the demigods’ attendants were stunned—swooning from their extraordinary beauty, grace, and fragrance.

Why were the attendants of the demigods bewildered on seeing these women?

Because the women’s form (rūpa), noble grace (audārya), and fragrance were so captivating that the attendants’ own pride and splendor were eclipsed, leading to astonished fainting.

What is the practical application of this verse in modern life?

It cautions that beauty and sensory allure can overwhelm the mind; a seeker should cultivate steady discrimination and devotion so attraction does not become bewilderment.