nirantaraṁ candana-kuṅkumokṣitam
nirantaraṁ candana-kuṅkumokṣitam
tatas tato nūpura-valgu śiñjitair
visarpatī hema-lateva sā babhau
Her two breasts, which were symmetrical with no space between, were covered with sandalwood pulp and kuṅkuma powder, and her waist was very thin. As she walked through the assembly, her ankle bells jingling softly, she appeared like a moving creeper of gold.
Thereafter (tataḥ) in the assembly (tataḥ) she moved about, like a moving golden creeper.
|| 8.8.19 ||
vilokayantī niravadyam ātmanaḥ
padaṁ dhruvaṁ cāvyabhicāri-sad-guṇam
gandharva-siddhāsura-yakṣa-cāraṇa-
traipiṣṭapeyādiṣu nānvavindata
Examining persons among the Gandharvas, Yakṣas, demons, Siddhas, Cāraṇas and devatās, Lakṣmī could not find a faultless, eternal shelter with fixed auspicious qualities.
Of the two forms of Lakṣmī which merged together, the form of wealth made a show of selecting a suitable husband with excellent qualities just as in other svayaṁvaras the bride considers the good a bad qualities of the contenders, in order to show to all the people the superiority of Viṣṇu above all others. She did not find her shelter (padam) among them. That shelter should be without fault (niravadyam), eternal (dhruvam) and having the best qualities permanently fixed because of being most auspicious.
|| 8.8.20 ||
nūnaṁ tapo yasya na manyu-nirjayo
jñānaṁ kvacit tac ca na saṅga-varjitam
kaścin mahāṁs tasya na kāma-nirjayaḥ
sa īśvaraḥ kiṁ parato vyapāśrayaḥ
Some have austerity, but have not conquered anger. Some have knowledge but have not given up attachment. Some have power but have not controlled lust. Who can a person without shelter from enemies be the Supreme Lord?
In three verses Lakṣmī in the form of wealth thinks to herself the reason for not selecting anyone on seeing the good qualities linked with faults. Durvāsā and others cannot control anger. Thus their austerity is useless. Some persons like Bṛhaspati have knowledge but it is not without material attachment. Thus it is useless. Some like Brahmā have great power, but they also have lust. Thus their greatness is useless. How can persons like Indra who became without shelter from enemies be the Supreme Lord?
|| 8.8.21 ||
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