Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.75.15
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesSharing the Joy of the Ceremony
“The men smeared the courtesans with plentiful oil, yogurt, perfumed water, turmeric and kuṅkuma powder, and the courtesans playfully smeared the men with the same substances.”
What the purport teaches
- The men and women of Indraprastha enjoyed the ceremony in colorful garments, garlands, jewels and ornaments.
- They playfully sprinkled and smeared one another with fragrant liquids, including oil and yogurt.
- The courtesans also joined the celebration, and the men reciprocated. Turmeric and saffron gave the liquids a lustrous yellow color.
Try this today
Reread the description and note three details that express the participants’ joy.
Ask yourself
What do you notice about the shared joy described in this ceremony?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.