Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

मुखेन लोकार्तिहरस्मितेन परिस्फुरत्कुण्डलमण्डितेन । शोणायितेनाधरबिम्बभासा प्रत्यर्हयन्तं सुनसेन सुभ्र्वा ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

mukhena lokārti-hara-smitena parisphurat-kuṇḍala-maṇḍitena śoṇāyitenādhara-bimba-bhāsā pratyarhayantaṁ sunasena subhrvā

Translation

Dengan wajah yang tersenyum indah, yang melenyapkan derita makhluk, Tuhan mengakui pelayanan para bhakta. Wajah-Nya, berhias anting yang berkilau, begitu menawan oleh sinar bibir-Nya yang kemerahan, serta keelokan hidung dan alis-Nya, sehingga menenteramkan hati para penyembah.

Synonyms

• mukhena: with the face
• mukhena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with/by the face’

• loka-ārti-hara-smitena: with the smile that removes worldly distress
• loka-ārti-hara-smitena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + ārti (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (√hṛ धातु, ण्वुल्/प्रातिपदिक) + smita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with the smile that removes the distress of the worlds’

• parisphurat-kuṇḍala-maṇḍitena: adorned with flashing earrings
• parisphurat-kuṇḍala-maṇḍitena: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parisphurat (√sphur धातु, शतृ कृदन्त) + kuṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍita (√maṇḍ धातु, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘adorned with earrings that are flashing’ (qualifying mukha)

• śoṇāyitena: reddened
• śoṇāyitena: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoṇāyita (√śuṇ/śoṇ? denominative, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘reddened’ (qualifying mukha/adhara)

• adhara-bimba-bhāsā: by the bimba-like lip’s radiance
• adhara-bimba-bhāsā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhara (प्रातिपदिक) + bimba (प्रातिपदिक) + bhās (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by the radiance of the lip like a bimba-fruit’

• pratyarhayantam: honoring; welcoming
• pratyarhayantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√arh (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘honoring/receiving respectfully’

• sunasena: with a fine nose
• sunasena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-nasā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with a beautiful nose’ (instrumental of description)

• subhrvā: with beautiful eyebrows
• subhrvā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-bhrū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘with beautiful eyebrows’

Purport

Devotional service to the Lord is very much obliging to Him. There are many transcendentalists in different fields of spiritual activities, but devotional service to the Lord is unique. Devotees do not ask anything from the Lord in exchange for their service. Even the most desirable liberation is refused by devotees, although offered by the Lord. Thus the Lord becomes a kind of debtor to the devotees, and He can only try to repay the devotees’ service with His ever-enchanting smile. The devotees are ever satisfied by the smiling face of the Lord, and they become enlivened. And by seeing the devotees so enlivened, the Lord Himself is further satisfied. So there is continuous transcendental competition between the Lord and His devotees by such reciprocation of service and acknowledgement.

Characters & Entities

• Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu
• Brahmā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord’s smile removing suffering?

This verse depicts the Lord’s gentle smile as “lokārtihara”—so spiritually potent that merely seeing Him relieves the world’s distress, showing His compassion and supremacy.

Why is Brahmā being ‘welcomed’ by Viṣṇu in Canto 3 Chapter 8?

After emerging on the lotus and searching for his origin, Brahmā receives the Lord’s gracious audience; the Lord’s welcoming demeanor indicates acceptance and empowerment for Brahmā’s role in creation.

Practical application of this verse in modern life—how can it help a devotee?

It encourages devotees to seek relief from anxiety through darśana, remembrance, and meditation on the Lord’s compassionate form, cultivating faith that divine grace dispels inner suffering.