Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 6
Āgnīdhra Meets Pūrvacitti and Begets the Nine Sons of Jambūdvīpa
तामेवाविदूरे मधुकरीमिव सुमनस उपजिघ्रन्तीं दिविजमनुजमनोनयनाह्लाददुघैर्गतिविहारव्रीडाविनयावलोकसुस्वराक्षरावयवैर्मनसि नृणां कुसुमायुधस्य विदधतीं विवरं निजमुख विगलितामृतासवसहासभाषणामोदमदान्धमधुकरनिकरोपरोधेन द्रुतपदविन्यासेन वल्गुस्पन्दनस्तनकलशकबरभाररशनां देवीं तदवलोकनेन विवृतावसरस्य भगवतो मकरध्वजस्य वशमुपनीतो जडवदिति होवाच ॥ ६ ॥
tām evāvidūre madhukarīm iva sumanasa upajighrantīṁ divija-manuja-mano-nayanāhlāda-dughair gati-vihāra-vrīḍā-vinayāvaloka-susvarākṣarāvayavair manasi nṛṇāṁ kusumāyudhasya vidadhatīṁ vivaraṁ nija-mukha-vigalitāmṛtāsava-sahāsa-bhāṣaṇāmoda-madāndha-madhukara-nikaroparodhena druta-pada-vinyāsena valgu-spandana-stana-kalaśa-kabara-bhāra-raśanāṁ devīṁ tad-avalokanena vivṛtāvasarasya bhagavato makara-dhvajasya vaśam upanīto jaḍavad iti hovāca.
Di dekat sana, sang Apsarā menghirup harum bunga bagaikan lebah. Geraknya yang lincah, sikap malu dan rendah hati, lirikan mata, suara kata-kata yang merdu, serta gerak anggota tubuhnya memikat hati dan pandangan para dewa maupun manusia—seakan membuka jalan bagi Kāma-deva, pemanah bunga, untuk memasuki batin manusia. Saat ia berbicara sambil tersenyum, seolah nektar mengalir dari mulutnya. Lebah-lebah yang mabuk oleh harum napasnya berputar di sekitar mata bak teratai; terganggu oleh mereka ia melangkah cepat, dan rambut, ikat pinggang, serta payudaranya yang laksana kendi pun bergoyang indah. Melihatnya, sang pangeran pun tunduk pada kuasa Makaradhvaja (Kāma) dan berkata demikian.
How a beautiful woman’s movements and gestures, her hair and the structure of her breasts, hips and other bodily features attract the minds not only of men but of demigods also is very finely described in this statement. The words divija and manuja specifically emphasize that the attraction of feminine gestures is powerful everywhere within this material world, both on this planet and in the higher planetary systems. It is said that the standard of living in the higher planetary systems is thousands and thousands of times higher than the standard of living on this planet. Therefore the beautiful bodily features of the women there are also thousands and thousands of times more attractive than the features of the women on earth. The creator has constructed women in such a way that their beautiful voices and movements and the beautiful features of their hips, their breasts, and the other parts of their bodies attract the members of the opposite sex, both on earth and on other planets, and awaken their lusty desires. When one is controlled by Cupid or the beauty of women, he becomes stunned like matter such as stone. Captivated by the material movements of women, he wants to remain in this material world. Thus one’s promotion to the spiritual world is checked simply by seeing the beautiful bodily structure and movements of women. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore warned all devotees to beware of the attraction of beautiful women and materialistic civilization. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu even refused to see Pratāparudra Mahārāja because he was a very opulent person in the material world. Lord Caitanya said in this connection, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya: those who are engaged in the devotional service of the Lord because they are very serious about going back home, back to Godhead, should be very careful to avoid seeing the beautiful gestures of women and should also avoid seeing persons who are very rich.
FAQs
This verse depicts how Cupid finds an opening in the human mind through beauty and sensual charm, illustrating how desire can seize a person when the senses and mind are not guarded.
The imagery emphasizes her elegance and natural sweetness—moving among flowers with grace—while also highlighting how such beauty can stimulate worldly desire in those who contemplate it materially.
It teaches vigilance over the mind: what we repeatedly gaze upon and relish can shape desire; redirecting attention toward bhakti practices helps transform attraction into spiritual focus.