Devi Bhagavatam 9.39.5 — Devotion & Grace of the Goddess, Skandha 9, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 5

Laxmyupakhyana Varnanam

Devanagari script

अतीव सुन्दरी श्यामा न्यग्रोधपरिमण्डिता । यथा द्वादशवर्षीया शश्वत्सुस्थिरयौवना

Transliteration

atīva sundarī śyāmā nyagrodhaparimaṇḍitā | yathā dvādaśavarṣīyā śaśvatsusthirayauvanā

Translation

Elle était d'une beauté extrême, au teint sombre (Shyama), avec une silhouette parfaite comme un banian. Elle apparut comme une jeune fille de douze ans, dotée d'une jeunesse éternelle et stable.

Word by Word

• atīva: exceedingly
• atīva: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva
• Form: indeclinable

• sundarī: beautiful
• sundarī: viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sundarī
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• śyāmā: youthful/dark-complexioned
• śyāmā: viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śyāmā
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• nyagrodhaparimaṇḍitā: well-proportioned like a banyan tree
• nyagrodhaparimaṇḍitā: viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyagrodhaparimaṇḍitā
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• yathā: as if
• yathā: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā
• Form: indeclinable

• dvādaśavarṣīyā: twelve years old
• dvādaśavarṣīyā: viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśavarṣīyā
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• śaśvat: eternally
• śaśvat: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śaśvat
• Form: indeclinable

• susthirayauvanā: having stable youth
• susthirayauvanā: viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: susthirayauvanā
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

Speaker

Narayana

Shakti Theology

Devi Form: Radha/Lakshmi

Mahavidya Connection: null

Shakti Manifestation: Eternal Youth and Beauty

Tattva Discussed: null

Devi Narrative

Demon Antagonist: null

Devi Weapon Used: null

Narrative Source: null

Story Arc Position: setup

Tantra Dimension

Mantra Referenced: null

Yantra Referenced: null

Kundalini Element: null

Chakra Referenced: null

Tantric Practice Type: Dhyana

Bhakti & Stuti

Stuti Type: Dhyanam

Recitation Occasion: null

Phala Shruti: null

Devotee Offering Stuti: null

Cosmic Feminine

Maya Aspect: null

Creation Role: null

Shakti Philosophy: null

Relation To Brahman: null

Vyasa-Janamejaya Dialogue

Narrator: Narayana

Listener: Narada

Dialogue Context: Describing the divine form of the Goddess

Narrative Layer: embedded

Ritual Context

Text: Dhyana Shloka context: provides the visual imagery for meditating upon the primordial form of the Goddess.

Philosophical Significance

Text: Emphasises that the divine forms in the spiritual realm (Goloka) are not subject to time or decay; they exist in a state of eternal, perfect, and blissful youth.

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmi

FAQs

How is the physical appearance of the newly manifested Goddess described?

She is described as exceedingly beautiful, dark-complexioned (Shyama), with a perfectly proportioned figure (nyagrodha-parimandita).

What is her age in this eternal form?

She appears as a twelve-year-old girl who possesses eternal, unfading youth (shashvat-susthira-yauvana).