Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 28

Transmission of Bhāgavata Wisdom and Brahmā’s Vision of the Supreme Lord on Ananta

Devanagari script

कदम्बकिञ्जल्कपिशङ्गवाससा स्वलंकृतं मेखलया नितम्बे । हारेण चानन्तधनेन वत्स श्रीवत्सवक्ष:स्थलवल्लभेन ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

kadamba-kiñjalka-piśaṅga-vāsasā svalaṅkṛtaṁ mekhalayā nitambe hāreṇa cānanta-dhanena vatsa śrīvatsa-vakṣaḥ-sthala-vallabhena

Translation

Ô cher Vidura, la taille du Seigneur était couverte d’un tissu jaune, semblable à la poussière safranée du kadamba, et ceinte d’une ceinture richement ornée. Sa poitrine portait la marque du Śrīvatsa, et un collier d’une valeur infinie l’embellissait davantage.

Synonyms

• kadamba-kiñjalka-piśaṅga-vāsasā: with a kadamba-pollen-tawny garment
• kadamba-kiñjalka-piśaṅga-vāsasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kadamba (प्रातिपदिक) + kiñjalka (प्रातिपदिक) + piśaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with a garment tawny like kadamba-pollen’

• su-alaṅkṛtam: well adorned
• su-alaṅkṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + alaṅkṛta (√kṛ धातु, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘well-adorned’ (qualifying implied object/person)

• mekhalayā: with a girdle
• mekhalayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mekhalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with a girdle’

• nitambe: on the hips
• nitambe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitamba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘on the hips’

• hāreṇa: with a necklace
• hāreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with a necklace’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ananta-dhanena: with endless treasure
• ananta-dhanena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with endless wealth/treasure’ (i.e., splendid ornamentation)

• vatsa: O dear child
• vatsa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन; address ‘dear child’

• śrīvatsa-vakṣaḥ-sthala-vallabhena: with the Śrīvatsa mark on the chest
• śrīvatsa-vakṣaḥ-sthala-vallabhena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīvatsa (प्रातिपदिक) + vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक) + sthala (प्रातिपदिक) + vallabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with (the mark) beloved of the chest-region: Śrīvatsa’ / ‘with the Śrīvatsa, beloved on the chest’

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Śrīvatsa mark on Viṣṇu?

This verse highlights that the Lord’s chest bears the sacred Śrīvatsa, an auspicious divine mark, and that ornaments such as the necklace are especially beautiful upon that transcendental chest.

Why did Brahmā describe the Lord’s ornaments and clothing in Canto 3 Chapter 8?

Brahmā is offering reverent praise and remembrance of the Supreme Lord’s divine form, expressing devotion while describing the Lord he beholds during the cosmic creation narrative.

Practical application of meditating on the Lord’s form in modern life?

Contemplating the Lord’s divine qualities and form steadies the mind, deepens devotion, and helps replace anxiety with sacred remembrance (smaraṇa).