Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 23 Verse 31

Canto 3: The Status Quo | Chapter 23: Devahūti's Lamentation

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.23.31

snātaḿ kṛta-śiraḥ-snānaḿ

sarvābharaṇa-bhūṣitam

niṣka-grīvaḿ valayinaḿ

kūjat-kāñcana-nūpuram

SYNONYMS

snātam — bathed; kṛta-śiraḥ — including the head; snānam — bathing; sarva — all over; ābharaṇa — with ornaments; bhūṣitam — decorated; niṣka — a gold necklace with a locket; grīvam — on the neck; valayinam — with bangles; kūjat — tinkling; kāñcana — made of gold; nūpuram — ankle bells.

TRANSLATION

Her entire body, including her head, was completely bathed, and she was decorated all over with ornaments. She wore a special necklace with a locket. There were bangles on her wrists and tinkling anklets of gold about her ankles.

PURPORT

The word kṛta-śiraḥ-snānam appears here. According to the smṛti-śāstra's directions for daily duties, ladies are allowed to bathe daily up to the neck. The hair on the head does not necessarily have to be washed daily because the mass of wet hair may cause a cold. For ladies, therefore, taking a bath up to the neck is ordinarily prescribed, and they take a full bath only on certain occasions. On this occasion Devahūti took a full bath and washed her hair very nicely. When a lady takes an ordinary bath it is called mala-snāna, and when she takes a full bath, including the head, it is called śiraḥ-snāna. At this time she needs sufficient oil to smear on her head. That is the direction of the commentators of smṛti-śāstra.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness