Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 8
Pūru-vaṁśa, Duṣmanta–Śakuntalā, and the Rise of Mahārāja Bharata
दुष्मन्तो मृगयां यात: कण्वाश्रमपदं गत: । तत्रासीनां स्वप्रभया मण्डयन्तीं रमामिव ॥ ८ ॥ विलोक्य सद्यो मुमुहे देवमायामिव स्त्रियम् । बभाषे तां वरारोहां भटै: कतिपयैर्वृत: ॥ ९ ॥
duṣmanto mṛgayāṁ yātaḥ kaṇvāśrama-padaṁ gataḥ tatrāsīnāṁ sva-prabhayā maṇḍayantīṁ ramām iva
Minsan, si Haring Duṣmanta ay nagpunta sa gubat upang mangaso at labis na napagod, kaya lumapit siya sa tirahan ni Kaṇva Muni. Doon ay nakita niya ang isang napakagandang babae na wari’y si Lakṣmī, na sa sariling ningning ay pinaliliwanag at pinapaganda ang buong āśrama. Likas na naakit ang hari sa kanyang ganda; kasama ang ilang kawal, lumapit siya at nagsalita sa kanya.
FAQs
He met her at the hermitage of sage Kaṇva, where she was seated and appeared radiant like Lakṣmī.
Because her natural radiance and beauty seemed to adorn the entire hermitage, reminiscent of Lakṣmī’s auspicious splendor.
It suggests that purity (like an āśrama) and inner radiance can reveal extraordinary grace—training us to perceive sacredness beyond external status.