Verse Text
syāj jūṭaḥ kavarī cūḍā veṇī ca kaca-bandhanam |
pāṇḍuraḥ karburaḥ pīta ity ālepas tridhā mataḥ ||355||
Translation
Tying the hair consists of tying the hair at the back of the neck, binding flowers in the hair, binding the hair in a knot at the top, and braiding the hair. [Note: Veṇi refers to a braid, but the word used to describe it is simply gumphana, strung together.] The cosmetics are white, multicolor, and yellow.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Jūṭa refers to hair tied at the back of the neck. Kavarī refers to hair decorated with flowers and other items. Cūḍā refers to hair bound at the top of the head. Veṇī refers to hair tied and hanging far down the back.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Kṛṣṇa’s hair was sometimes decorated with flowers placed on the middle of His head, or else it was reaching down to His back. In this way Kṛṣṇa dressed His hair differently at different times. As for the ointment on His body, the pulp of sandalwood generally appeared to be white, and when it was mixed with saffron dye it appeared to be yellow.