Shloka 15
Kapila Describes Bhakti-Saturated Aṣṭāṅga-Yoga and Meditation on the Lord’s Form
मत्तद्विरेफकलया परीतं वनमालया । परार्ध्यहारवलयकिरीटाङ्गदनूपुरम् ॥ १५ ॥
matta-dvirepha-kalayā parītaṁ vana-mālayā parārdhya-hāra-valaya- kirīṭāṅgada-nūpuram
Il porte à son cou une guirlande de fleurs sylvestres; un essaim d’abeilles, enivré de son parfum, bourdonne autour d’elle. Il resplendit encore, paré d’un collier de perles précieux, d’une couronne, de brassards, de bracelets et d’anneaux de cheville.
From this description it appears that the flower garland of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is fresh. Actually, in Vaikuṇṭha, or the spiritual sky, there is nothing but freshness. Even the flowers picked from the trees and plants remain fresh, for everything in the spiritual sky retains its originality and does not fade. The fragrance of the flowers picked from the trees and made into garlands does not fade, for both the trees and the flowers are spiritual. When the flower is taken from the tree, it remains the same; it does not lose its aroma. The bees are equally attracted to the flowers whether they are on the garland or on the trees. The significance of spirituality is that everything is eternal and inexhaustible. Everything taken from everything remains everything, or, as has been stated, in the spiritual world one minus one equals one, and one plus one equals one. The bees hum around the fresh flowers, and their sweet sound is enjoyed by the Lord. The Lord’s bangles, necklace, crown and anklets are all bedecked with invaluable jewels. Since the jewels and pearls are spiritual, there is no material calculation of their value.
FAQs
This verse guides devotees to contemplate the Lord’s beautiful, ornamented form—His forest garland humming with bees and His divine adornments—supporting focused, loving meditation (dhyāna) as part of bhakti.
Kapila teaches Devahūti a practical meditation method: fixing the mind on specific, sacred features of Bhagavān’s form so devotion becomes steady and the heart becomes absorbed in the Lord.
Choose a sacred image of the Lord, calmly contemplate one feature at a time (garland, crown, ornaments), and let the mind return there whenever it wanders—turning attention into remembrance and remembrance into devotion.