Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 31
Ṛṣabhadeva Instructs His Sons: Tapasya, Mahātmā-Sevā, and Cutting the Heart-Knot
अतिसुकुमारकरचरणोर:स्थलविपुलबाह्वंसगलवदनाद्यवयवविन्यास: प्रकृतिसुन्दरस्वभावहाससुमुखो नवनलिनदलायमानशिशिरतारारुणायतनयनरुचिर: सदृशसुभगकपोलकर्णकण्ठनासो विगूढस्मितवदनमहोत्सवेन पुरवनितानां मनसि कुसुमशरासनमुपदधान: परागवलम्बमानकुटिलजटिलकपिशकेशभूरिभारोऽवधूतमलिननिजशरीरेण ग्रहगृहीत इवादृश्यत ॥ ३१ ॥
ati-sukumāra-kara-caraṇoraḥ-sthala-vipula-bāhv-aṁsa-gala-vadanādy-avayava-vinyāsaḥ prakṛti-sundara-svabhāva-hāsa-sumukho nava-nalina-dalāyamāna-śiśira-tārāruṇāyata-nayana-ruciraḥ sadṛśa-subhaga-kapola-karṇa-kaṇṭha-nāso vigūḍha-smita-vadana-mahotsavena pura-vanitānāṁ manasi kusuma-śarāsanam upadadhānaḥ parāg-avalambamāna-kuṭila-jaṭila-kapiśa-keśa-bhūri-bhāro ’vadhūta-malina-nija-śarīreṇa graha-gṛhīta ivādṛśyata.
Tangan, kaki, dan dada Bhagavān Ṛṣabhadeva tampak panjang; bahu, wajah, dan anggota tubuh-Nya sangat halus serta serasi. Senyum alami menghiasi wajah-Nya; mata-Nya yang lebar kemerahan, laksana kelopak teratai muda berembun di pagi hari, sungguh memikat dan menghapus duka siapa pun yang memandang. Dahi, telinga, leher, hidung, dan seluruh ciri-Nya indah; senyum lembut-Nya bahkan menarik hati para wanita bersuami, seakan tertusuk panah Kāma. Di kepala-Nya ada beban rambut cokelat yang keriting dan bergimbal; karena tubuh-Nya dibiarkan kotor, rambut itu kusut, sehingga Ia tampak seolah dirasuki makhluk halus.
Although Lord Ṛṣabhadeva’s body was very much neglected, His transcendental features were so attractive that even married women were attracted to Him. His beauty and dirtiness combined to make His beautiful body appear as though it were haunted by a ghost.
FAQs
This verse says Ṛṣabhadeva was naturally and divinely beautiful, yet He kept His body neglected and unclean like a renunciant, so people perceived Him as if “seized by a ghost,” highlighting His deliberate transcendence of social norms.
Śukadeva presents the contrast to show that Ṛṣabhadeva is beyond bodily identity: His spiritual splendor is inherent, while His avadhūta-like neglect of the body teaches detachment and indifference to worldly judgment.
Cultivate inner purity and devotion rather than obsessing over external validation—use beauty, talent, or charisma responsibly, but practice humility and detachment from image, status, and public opinion.