Verse Text
mālā tridhā vaijayantī ratna-mālā vana-srajaḥ |
asyā vaikakṣakāpīḍa-prālambādyā bhidā matāḥ ||356||
Translation
There are three types of garland: Vaijayantī, jewel garland and forest garland. They may also extend over the chest, serve as a chaplet around the top knot, or hang from the neck downwards.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
The Vaijayantī garland is five-colored and hangs down to the knees. The forest garland is made of leaves and flowers and extends to the feet. Further differences are then described. The vaikakṣa extends horizontally across the chest. The āpīḍa garland or chaplet girdles the topknot on the head. The prālamba hangs straight down from the throat.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Kṛṣṇa used to put a vaijayantī garland around His neck. This vaijayantī garland is made of flowers of at least five different colors. Such a garland was always long enough to touch Kṛṣṇa’s knees or feet. Besides this garland of flowers, there were other kinds of flower garlands too—sometimes decorating His head, sometimes hanging around His neck and chest.