Shloka 11

Kardama Muni’s Penance, Viṣṇu’s Darśana, and the Arrangement of Devahūti’s Marriage

Devanagari script

विन्यस्तचरणाम्भोजमंसदेशे गरुत्मत: । दृष्ट्वा खेऽवस्थितं वक्ष:श्रियं कौस्तुभकन्धरम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

vinyasta-caraṇāmbhojam aṁsa-deśe garutmataḥ dṛṣṭvā khe ’vasthitaṁ vakṣaḥ- śriyaṁ kaustubha-kandharam

Translation

ഗരുഡന്റെ തോളുകളിൽ തന്റെ പദ്മപാദങ്ങൾ വെച്ച്, കഴുത്തിൽ തൂങ്ങുന്ന കൗസ്തുഭമണിയോടും, വക്ഷസ്സിൽ ശ്രീവത്സത്തിന്റെ സ്വർണ്ണരേഖയോടും കൂടി ഭഗവാൻ ആകാശത്തിൽ നിലകൊണ്ടു।

Synonyms

• विन्यस्त-चरण-अम्भोजम्: whose lotus-feet were placed (there)
• विन्यस्त-चरण-अम्भोजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विन्यस्त (कृदन्त; नि+वस्/न्यस् धातु, क्त) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘विन्यस्तं चरणाम्भोजं यस्य’ (अर्थतः ‘whose lotus-feet are placed/positioned’)

• अंस-देशे: on the shoulder-region
• अंस-देशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंस (प्रातिपदिक) + देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘अंसस्य देशः’

• गरुत्मतः: of Garuḍa
• गरुत्मतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुत्मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having seen’

• खे: in the sky
• खे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अवस्थितम्: standing/remaining
• अवस्थितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवस्थित (कृदन्त; अव+स्था धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/स्थित्यर्थक विशेषण

• वक्षः-श्रियम्: with Lakṣmī/splendor on his chest
• वक्षः-श्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (श्री), द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘वक्षसि श्रीः यस्य’ (अर्थतः ‘having splendor/Śrī on the chest’)

• कौस्तुभ-कन्धरम्: with the Kaustubha jewel on his neck
• कौस्तुभ-कन्धरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘कौस्तुभेन कन्धरः/कण्ठः यस्य’

Purport

The descriptions in verses 9-11 of the Lord in His transcendental, eternal form are understood to be descriptions from the authoritative Vedic version. These descriptions are certainly not the imagination of Kardama Muni. The decorations of the Lord are beyond material conception, as admitted even by impersonalists like Śaṅkarācārya: Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has nothing to do with the material creation. The varieties of the transcendental Lord — His body, His form, His dress, His instruction, His words — are not manufactured by the material energy, but are all confirmed in the Vedic literature. By performance of yoga Kardama Muni actually saw the Supreme Lord as He is. There was no point in seeing an imagined form of God after practicing yoga for ten thousand years. The perfection of yoga, therefore, does not terminate in voidness or impersonalism; on the contrary, the perfection of yoga is attained when one actually sees the Personality of Godhead in His eternal form. The process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to deliver the form of Kṛṣṇa directly. The form of Kṛṣṇa is described in the authoritative Vedic literature Brahma-saṁhitā: His abode is made of cintāmaṇi stone, and the Lord plays there as a cowherd boy and is served by many thousands of gopīs. These descriptions are authoritative, and a Kṛṣṇa conscious person takes them directly, acts on them, preaches them and practices devotional service as enjoined in the authoritative scriptures.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Śrīvatsa
• Kaustubha
• Viṣṇu (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about meditating on Lord Vishnu’s form in Canto 3?

This verse describes Viṣṇu’s divine form—His lotus feet, Garuḍa as His carrier, and the Kaustubha jewel—guiding devotees to contemplate the Lord’s auspicious features as an aid to devotion.

Why is Garuḍa mentioned in this Bhagavatam verse?

Garuḍa is Viṣṇu’s eternal carrier; the verse highlights the Lord’s majesty by depicting His lotus feet resting on Garuḍa’s shoulders as He appears in the sky.

Practical application: How can a devotee use this shloka in daily spiritual practice?

Use it for dhyāna (devotional visualization): recall the Lord’s auspicious symbols (Kaustubha, Śrīvatsa) and cultivate reverence and steadiness of mind while chanting or praying.