Shloka 21

The Kingdom of God (Vaikuṇṭha) and the Curse of Jaya and Vijaya

Devanagari script

श्री रूपिणी क्‍वणयती चरणारविन्दं लीलाम्बुजेन हरिसद्मनि मुक्तदोषा । संलक्ष्यते स्फटिककुड्य उपेतहेम्नि सम्मार्जतीव यदनुग्रहणेऽन्ययत्न: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

śrī rūpiṇī kvaṇayatī caraṇāravindaṁ līlāmbujena hari-sadmani mukta-doṣā saṁlakṣyate sphaṭika-kuḍya upeta-hemni sammārjatīva yad-anugrahaṇe ’nya-yatnaḥ

Translation

Những phụ nữ ở Vaikuṇṭha đẹp như chính Nữ thần Śrī và hoàn toàn không tì vết. Tay đùa với hoa sen, vòng chân leng keng, họ rạng ngời trong cung điện của Hari. Đôi khi người ta thấy họ quét dọn những bức tường pha lê như cẩm thạch, điểm viền vàng từng đoạn, như đang phụng sự để nhận ân sủng của Đấng Tối Thượng.

Synonyms

• śrīḥ: Śrī (Lakṣmī), fortune
• śrīḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• rūpiṇī: embodied (in form)
• rūpiṇī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of śrīḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• kvaṇayatī: making a tinkling sound
• kvaṇayatī: Karta (कर्ता/Agent; participle describing śrīḥ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kvaṇ (धातु) → kvaṇayatī (कृदन्त; शतृ/वर्तमान-कर्तरि)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• caraṇa-aravindam: the lotus feet
• caraṇa-aravindam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + aravinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('lotus of the feet' = lotus-feet)

• līlā-ambujena: with a playful lotus
• līlā-ambujena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā (प्रातिपदिक) + ambuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय ('playful lotus' i.e., lotus used in play/ornament)

• hari-sadmani: in Hari’s abode
• hari-sadmani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + sadman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('in Hari’s abode')

• mukta-doṣā: free from faults
• mukta-doṣā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of śrīḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukta (कृदन्त; √muc मुच् + क्त) + doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि ('she whose faults are released/absent' = faultless)

• saṁlakṣyate: is perceived, is seen
• saṁlakṣyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṁ-√lakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: 'is perceived')

• sphaṭika-kuḍye: on the crystal wall
• sphaṭika-kuḍye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sphaṭika (प्रातिपदिक) + kuḍya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष ('on a crystal wall')

• upeta-hemni: adorned with gold
• upeta-hemni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location; qualifying kuḍye)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upeta (कृदन्त; upa-√i/√gam + क्त) + heman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष ('adorned with gold')

• sammārjatī: polishing, wiping clean
• sammārjatī: Karta (कर्ता/Agent; implied comparison)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√mṛj (धातु) → sammārjatī (कृदन्त; शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamāna (उपमान/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• yat-anugrahaṇe: in (the matter of) whose favor
• yat-anugrahaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Reference; with respect to)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + anugrahaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष ('in/for whose favor')

• anya-yatnaḥ: another effort (is there)
• anya-yatnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; of implied 'is')
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक) + yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय ('another effort' / 'separate effort')

Purport

In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the Supreme Lord, Govinda, is always served in His abode by many, many millions of goddesses of fortune. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam. These millions and trillions of goddesses of fortune who reside in the Vaikuṇṭha planets are not exactly consorts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but are the wives of the devotees of the Lord and also engage in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is stated here that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets the houses are made of marble. Similarly, in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the ground on the Vaikuṇṭha planets is made of touchstone. Thus there is no need to sweep the stone in Vaikuṇṭha, for there is hardly any dust on it, but still, in order to satisfy the Lord, the ladies there always engage in dusting the marble walls. Why? The reason is that they are eager to achieve the grace of the Lord by doing so.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmī (Śrī)
• Hari (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 say about Lakshmi in Vaikuntha?

This verse depicts Lakṣmī-devī in Hari’s abode lovingly attending the Lord—fanning Him with a lotus and delighting in service, completely free from material fault or ulterior motive.

Why does Lakshmi appear to be polishing the crystal walls in Vaikuntha?

Her form is reflected in the crystal walls decorated with gold, creating the appearance that she is polishing them; the point is that her only real activity is affectionate service to the Lord.

Practical application: what does this teach about bhakti in daily life?

It teaches single-minded devotion—serve God with a pure heart, without secondary agendas, letting all actions become offerings rather than ego-driven “other endeavors.”