Shloka 15

Devanagari script

मत्तद्विरेफकलया परीतं वनमालया । परार्ध्यहारवलयकिरीटाङ्गदनूपुरम् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

matta-dvirepha-kalayā parītaṁ vana-mālayā parārdhya-hāra-valaya- kirīṭāṅgada-nūpuram

Translation

Ngài đeo nơi cổ vòng hoa rừng tuyệt mỹ; bầy ong say men hương thơm ngọt ngào vo ve quanh vòng hoa ấy. Ngài còn được trang nghiêm bằng chuỗi ngọc trai quý, vương miện, vòng tay, lắc tay và lắc chân.

Synonyms

• matta: intoxicated
• matta: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: matta (प्रातिपदिक; √mad धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: Puṁliṅga/napuṁsakaliṅga-sādhāraṇa, instrumental singular implied as qualifier of dvirepha (विशेषण; here in compound)

• dvirepha: bees
• dvirepha: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvirepha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, instrumental plural implied via kalayā construction (in compound)

• kalayā: with a portion/cluster (swarm)
• kalayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana (singular)

• parītam: surrounded
• parītam: Karma (कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa of implied devaṁ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√i (इ धातु) + kta (क्त) → parīta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; kta-participle used adjectivally (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त)

• vana-mālayā: with a forest-garland
• vana-mālayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + mālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: vanasya mālā (वनस्य माला)

• parārdhya: most precious
• parārdhya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parārdhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifier within compound

• hāra: necklace
• hāra: Upapada (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, stem in compound

• valaya: bracelet/bangle
• valaya: Upapada (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: valaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, stem in compound

• kirīṭa: crown
• kirīṭa: Upapada (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kirīṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, stem in compound

• aṅgada: armlet
• aṅgada: Upapada (समāsāṅga)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅgada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, stem in compound

• nūpuram: (adorned with) anklets (and other ornaments)
• nūpuram: Karma (कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa of implied devaṁ
• Type: Noun
• Root: nūpura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; it is a samāhāra-dvandva-like listing compound: hāra-valaya-kirīṭa-aṅgada-nūpura (ornaments as a set) functioning as one accusative descriptor

Purport

From this description it appears that the flower garland of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is fresh. Actually, in Vaikuṇṭha, or the spiritual sky, there is nothing but freshness. Even the flowers picked from the trees and plants remain fresh, for everything in the spiritual sky retains its originality and does not fade. The fragrance of the flowers picked from the trees and made into garlands does not fade, for both the trees and the flowers are spiritual. When the flower is taken from the tree, it remains the same; it does not lose its aroma. The bees are equally attracted to the flowers whether they are on the garland or on the trees. The significance of spirituality is that everything is eternal and inexhaustible. Everything taken from everything remains everything, or, as has been stated, in the spiritual world one minus one equals one, and one plus one equals one. The bees hum around the fresh flowers, and their sweet sound is enjoyed by the Lord. The Lord’s bangles, necklace, crown and anklets are all bedecked with invaluable jewels. Since the jewels and pearls are spiritual, there is no material calculation of their value.

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kapila
• Lord Viṣṇu

FAQs

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

This verse guides devotees to contemplate the Lord’s beautiful, ornamented form—His forest garland humming with bees and His divine adornments—supporting focused, loving meditation (dhyāna) as part of bhakti.

Why does Lord Kapila describe the Lord’s garland, bees, and ornaments in Bhagavatam 3.28?

Kapila teaches Devahūti a practical meditation method: fixing the mind on specific, sacred features of Bhagavān’s form so devotion becomes steady and the heart becomes absorbed in the Lord.

How can I apply this devotional meditation in modern life?

Choose a sacred image of the Lord, calmly contemplate one feature at a time (garland, crown, ornaments), and let the mind return there whenever it wanders—turning attention into remembrance and remembrance into devotion.