Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 10 Chapter 39:45-57

Book 10: Thirtieth-ninth Chapter (First Half)

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 39: Verses 45-57 with his thousand hoods protected by (the same number of) diadems-clad in blue (silk), (himself) white as a lotus fibre and rooted (there) like Mount Kailasa (the silvery mountain) with its (golden) peaks (corresponding to the diadems of Sesa). He (further) beheld on the coils of the serpent-god Lord Visnu (the Supreme Person), dark-brown as a cloud, clad in yellow silk. possessed of four arms and eyes reddish like lotus petals, and looking (very) serene. He wore a lovely and cheerful countenance with winsome smiles and glances, shapely eyebrows, a prominent nose, beautiful ears, charming cheeks and ruddy lips. He had pretty long and plump arms, high shoulders, a breast which is the abode of Sri, a conch-shaped neck, a deep navel and a belly shaped like a leaf (of the Indian fig tree) and marked with folds. He had bulky buttocks and hips and a pair of thighs, tapering like the outer edge of the hand from the wrist to the root of the little finger, a pair of well-formed knees as well as a pair of shapely shanks. He had prominent ankles and was enveloped with rays of light radiating from the ruddy nails (of His toes) and had lotus-like feet charming with toes and a pair of big toes tender as petals. He shone resplendent with a diadem, bracelets and armlets set with most valuable gems, as well as with a girdle, a sacred thread, necklaces and pairs of anklets and ear-rings, and held a lotus (in one of His hands) and a conch, a discus and a mace (in the others). His breast was distinguished with a white curl of hair, the Kaustubha gem shining at His neck, and was adorned with a garland of sylvan flowers. He was being glorified through praises expressive of divergent sentiments by attendants, the foremost of whom were Sunanda and Nanda (and who severally occupied the four quarters and the four intermediate points), the sage Sanaka and his three brothers (Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanatkumara, all of whom including Sanaka, were standing behind the Lord), the chiefs of gods, headed by Brahma and Lord Siva (all of whom occupied a position to His right), the nine foremost Brahmanas (Marici and others, who stood to His left), as well as by the foremost of the Lord's devotees of pure mind, such as Prahrada, Narada and the Vasu (Uparicara by name, all of whom stood in front of the Lord). He was (also) waited upon (in living forms) by Sri (the goddess of beauty and good fortune), Pusti (the goddess presiding over nutrition), Saraswati (the goddess presiding over speech), Kanti (the goddess presiding over splendour), Kirti (the goddess presiding over glory), Tusti (the goddess presiding over contentment), lla (goddess Earth), Urja (the goddess presiding over omnipotence), Vidya (the goddess presiding over spiritual enlightenment conducive to Liberation), Avidya (the goddess presiding over nescience, which binds the Jiva to mundane existence), Sakti (the foremost of all divine energies, going by the name of Hladini or the delighting potency) and Maya (the Cause of Vidya and Avidya both). Extremely rejoiced to perceive the Lord and summoning his presence of mind, Akrura (who belonged to the Satvata clan) and was full of supreme devotion, greeted the Lord with his head (bent low), and with joined palms and a concentrated mind slowly proceeded to extol the Lord in a voice choked with emotion, his hair standing on end and his mind and eyes moistened with love. Thus ends the thirty-ninth discourse forming part of the story of Akrura's withdrawal (to Mathura), in the first half of Book Ten of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita.