Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 12

Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi and the Lord’s Unlimited Incarnations

Devanagari script

इति प्रगृणतां तेषां स्त्रियोऽत्यद्भुरतदर्शना: । दर्शयामास शुश्रूषां स्वर्चिता: कुर्वतीर्विभु: ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

iti pragṛṇatāṁ teṣāṁ striyo ’ty-adbhuta-darśanāḥ darśayām āsa śuśrūṣāṁ sv-arcitāḥ kurvatīr vibhuḥ

Translation

Пока полубоги так прославляли Верховного Господа, Всемогущий внезапно явил перед их глазами множество женщин поразительной красоты, украшенных прекрасными одеждами и драгоценностями, и все они преданно были заняты служением Господу.

Synonyms

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• प्रगृणताम्: of those praising
• प्रगृणताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √गॄ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त used substantively; षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of those who were praising’

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; genitive ‘of them’

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; subject of (implicit) being shown

• अति-अद्भुत-दर्शनाः: of exceedingly wondrous appearance
• अति-अद्भुत-दर्शनाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + अद्भुत + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/बहुपद-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘of exceedingly wondrous appearance’ qualifying स्त्रियः

• दर्शयामास: showed
• दर्शयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect) periphrastic; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘showed’

• शुश्रूषाम्: service/attentive attendance
• शुश्रूषाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of दर्शयामास

• स्वर्चिताः: well-adorned/worshipped
• स्वर्चिताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + अर्चित (कृदन्त, √अर्च्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वयम् अर्चिताः / स्वेन अर्चिताः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; qualifies स्त्रियः

• कुर्वतीः: (women) performing
• कुर्वतीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; agrees with स्त्रियः as object ‘(women) doing’

• विभुः: the Lord
• विभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject

Purport

Lord Nara-Nārāyaṇa showed His causeless mercy toward the demigods by relieving them of their false prestige. Although the demigods were proud of their personal beauty and female companions, the Lord showed that He was already being adequately served by innumerable gorgeous females, each of whom was far more beautiful than any female companion imagined by the demigods. The Lord manifested such uniquely attractive women through His own mystic potency.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhu (the Supreme Lord)
• Striyaḥ (celestial women)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord revealing wondrous forms to devotees?

This verse shows that when devotees sincerely glorify the Lord, He can reveal extraordinary manifestations—here, wondrously beautiful attendants—demonstrating His supreme control (vibhuḥ) and opulence.

Why did the Lord show exquisitely adorned women in this passage of Bhagavatam 11.4?

In the narrative flow, the Lord displays His opulence and arrangements of service (śuśrūṣā). Such revelations can also function as a demonstration of divine majesty and, in broader Bhagavata themes, a reminder that devotion should remain focused beyond mere attraction to beauty.

Practical application: what is the modern lesson of śuśrūṣā (attentive service) from this shloka?

Cultivate steady, attentive service—listening, assisting, and honoring sacred practice—without being distracted by external glamour; real devotion values service to the Divine over fascination with appearances.