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Canto 10 · The Summum Bonum · 90 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.51.23-26

तमालोक्य घनश्यामं पीतकौशेयवाससम् ।

श्रीवत्सवक्षसं भ्राजत्कौस्तुभेन विराजितम् ॥ २३ ॥

चतुर्भुजं रोचमानं वैजयन्त्या च मालया ।

चारुप्रसन्नवदनं स्फुरन्मकरकुण्डलम् ॥ २४ ॥

प्रेक्षणीयं नृलोकस्य सानुरागस्मितेक्षणम् ।

अपीव्यवयसं मत्तमृगेन्द्रोदारविक्रमम् ॥ २५ ॥

पर्यपृच्छन्महाबुद्धिस्तेजसा तस्य धर्षित: ।

शङ्कित: शनकै राजा दुर्धर्षमिव तेजसा ॥ २६ ॥

tam ālokya ghana-śyāmaṁ

pīta-kauśeya-vāsasam

śrīvatsa-vakṣasaṁ bhrājat

kaustubhena virājitam

catur-bhujaṁ rocamānaṁ

vaijayantyā ca mālayā

cāru-prasanna-vadanaṁ

sphuran-makara-kuṇḍalam

prekṣaṇīyaṁ nṛ-lokasya

sānurāga-smitekṣaṇam

apīvya-vayasaṁ matta-

mṛgendrodāra-vikramam

paryapṛcchan mahā-buddhis

tejasā tasya dharṣitaḥ

śaṅkitaḥ śanakai rājā

durdharṣam iva tejasā

Translation

As he gazed at the Lord, King Mucukunda saw that He was dark blue like a cloud, had four arms, and wore a yellow silk garment. On His chest He bore the Śrīvatsa mark and on His neck the brilliantly glowing Kaustubha gem. Adorned with a Vaijayantī garland, the Lord displayed His handsome, peaceful face, which attracts the eyes of all mankind with its shark-shaped earrings and affectionately smiling glance. The beauty of His youthful form was unexcelled, and He moved with the nobility of an angry lion. The highly intelligent King was overwhelmed by the Lord’s effulgence, which showed Him to be invincible. Expressing his uncertainty, Mucukunda hesitantly questioned Lord Kṛṣṇa as follows.

Read the purport on Vedabase.io

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.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa's Beauty and His Divine Forms

  1. 1

    Mucukunda saw the Lord's beautiful four-armed form, dark blue like a cloud and dressed in yellow silk. His peaceful face bore an affectionately smiling glance.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu are nondifferent, and Kṛṣṇa is the original form of the Supreme Lord. He expands Himself into Viṣṇu forms to maintain this world.

  3. 3

    God in His original form is not merely the creator, maintainer, destroyer or punisher, but the infinitely beautiful Godhead enjoying in His own abode. Overwhelmed by His effulgence, Mucukunda wondered whether this was indeed the Supreme Lord.

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.