Shloka 20
The Lord’s Apology to the Kumāras and the Fall of Jaya and Vijaya
यं वै विभूतिरुपयात्यनुवेलमन्यै- रर्थार्थिभि: स्वशिरसा धृतपादरेणु: । धन्यार्पिताङ्घ्रितुलसीनवदामधाम्नो लोकं मधुव्रतपतेरिव कामयाना ॥ २० ॥
yaṁ vai vibhūtir upayāty anuvelam anyair arthārthibhiḥ sva-śirasā dhṛta-pāda-reṇuḥ dhanyārpitāṅghri-tulasī-nava-dāma-dhāmno lokaṁ madhuvrata-pater iva kāma-yānā
Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune—whose foot-dust other seekers of gain bear upon their heads—attends upon You at every appointed time. For she longs to gain a place in Your abode, where, like the king of bees, You hover over the fresh garland of tulasī offered at Your feet by a blessed devotee.
As previously described, tulasī has attained all superior qualities due to being placed at the lotus feet of the Lord. The comparison made here is very nice. As the king of bees hovers over the tulasī leaves offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, so Lakṣmī, the goddess who is sought by the demigods, brāhmaṇas, Vaiṣṇavas and everyone else, always engages in rendering service to the lotus feet of the Lord. The conclusion is that no one can be the benefactor of the Lord; everyone is actually the servant of the servant of the Lord.
FAQs
This verse says Lakṣmī-devī herself repeatedly approaches Lord Viṣṇu, carrying the dust of His feet, showing that true fortune is to seek His shelter—not merely material prosperity.
The verse highlights that Vaikuṇṭha is especially the realm of those devotees who lovingly offer fresh tulasī at the Lord’s feet—devotion, not wealth-seeking, grants intimate access to His abode.
Prioritize daily acts of devotion (like tulasī worship, prayer, and service) and treat wealth as secondary—using it in the Lord’s service rather than making it the goal.