SB 10.55.7 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

सा च कामस्य वै पत्नी रतिर्नाम यशस्विनी । पत्युर्निर्दग्धदेहस्य देहोत्पत्तिं प्रतीक्षती ॥ ७ ॥ निरूपिता शम्बरेण सा सूदौदनसाधने । कामदेवं शिशुं बुद्ध्वा चक्रे स्‍नेहं तदार्भके ॥ ८ ॥

Verse text

sā ca kāmasya vai patnī ratir nāma yaśasvinī patyur nirdagdha-dehasya dehotpattim pratīkṣatī nirūpitā śambareṇa sā sūdaudana-sādhane kāmadevaṁ śiśuṁ buddhvā cakre snehaṁ tadārbhake

Synonyms

sā — she ; ca — and ; kāmasya — of Cupid ; vai — in fact ; patnī — the wife ; ratiḥ nama — named Rati ; yaśasvinī — famous ; patyuḥ — of her husband ; nirdagdha — burnt to ashes ; dehasya — whose body ; deha — of a body ; utpattim — the attainment ; pratīkṣatī — waiting ; nirūpitā — appointed ; śambareṇa — by Śambara ; sā — she ; sūda — odana — of vegetables and rice ; sādhane — in the preparation ; kāma — devam — as Cupid ; śiśum — the infant ; buddhvā — understanding ; cakre — she developed ; sneham — love ; tadā — then ; arbhake — for the child .

Translation

Māyāvatī was in fact Cupid’s renowned wife, Rati. While waiting for her husband to obtain a new body — his previous one having been burnt up — she had been assigned by Śambara to prepare vegetables and rice. Māyāvatī understood that this infant was actually Kāmadeva, and thus she began to feel love for Him.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Māyāvatī was in fact Cupid's renowned wife, Rati. While waiting for her husband to obtain a new body—his previous one having been burnt up—she had been assigned by Śambara to prepare vegetables and rice. Māyāvatī understood that this infant was actually Kāmadeva, and thus she began to feel love for Him. KB 10.55.7-8 Māyāvatī knew that she had previously been Rati, the wife of Cupid; after her husband was burned to ashes by the wrath of Lord Śiva, she was always expecting him to come back in a material form. This woman was engaged for cooking rice and dāl in the kitchen, but when she got this nice baby and understood that he was Cupid, her own husband, she naturally took charge of him and with great affection began to bathe him regularly.

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains this story as follows: When Cupid’s body was burned to ashes, Rati worshiped Lord Śiva to obtain another body for Cupid. Śambara, having also come to Śiva for a benediction, was recognized by the lord first, who told him, “You should now ask for your benediction.” Śambara, struck with lust at seeing Rati, replied that he wanted her as his benediction, and Śiva complied. Lord Śiva then consoled the sobbing Rati, telling her, “Go with him, and in his very home you will attain what you desire.” Thereupon, Rati bewildered Śambara with her deluding power and, taking the name Māyāvatī, remained in his house untouched.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Matsya Purana explains why Mayavati was waiting for Kamadeva to take a new body. When Kamadeva was burned to ashes by Siva, his wife Rati worshipped Siva so that he could get a new body. Sambara also came to Siva for some benediction. Pleasing Siva, Siva said to him first, "Please choose your boon." Sambara. seeing rati there, asked Siva for her. Siva comforted the weeping Rati by saying " Go with him, and your desire will be fulfilled." Rati then bewildered Sambara and remained in his house with the name Mayavati, without being touched by him.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

There is story in Matsya Purāṇa. When her husband was burned to ashes by Śiva, Rati worshipped Śiva for a long time so that her husband would get another body. Śambara also was worshipping Śiva for a different benediction. On seeing Rati, he asked Śiva for her as a result of his worship. Śiva said to Rati, “Go with him. There you will attain your desire.” She was renowned (yaśasvinī), since she prepared vegetables in his house in order to attain her husband. Nārada speaks to Rukmiṇī in Viṣṇu Purāṇa: iyaṁ māyāvatī bhāryā tanayasyāsya te satī / śaṁbarasya na bhāryeyaṁ śrūyatām atra kāraṇam // manmathe tu gate nāśaṁ tad udbhava-parayaṇā / śaṁbaraṁ mohayām āsa māyā-rūpeṇa rūpiṇī // vihārādy- upabhogeṣu rūpaṁ māyāmayaṁ śubham / darśayām āsa daityasya tasyeyaṁ madirekṣaṇā // This chaste Māyāvatī is the wife of your son. She is not the wife of Śambara. Please listen to the reason. When Kāma-deva was destroyed she desired that he appear again. She bewildered Śambara. By her illusory powers she became most beautiful. She showed the demon a beautiful form made of māyā for his enjoyment and recreation. Hari-vaṁśa tells a similar story. She became the chief cook for preparing rice and soups. Viṣṇu Purāṇa says kārayām āsa sudānāṁ ādhipatyam anindatā: she was made the chief cook and was not criticized. She began to act with affection for Pradyumna. Hari-vaṁśa says she gave him nurses. rasāyanopayogaiś ca śīghram eva vyavardhayat : he grew quickly by the use of special medicines. By the power of her illusions, Śambara could not understand that a child was present. Instead of tadā sometimes sadā is seen.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

The word ca means “but.” This distinguishes her from Śambara. Vai means well known. She was well known as Cupid’s wife. Thus she was not the wife of Śambara. His ātmā was not burned but his body was burned up completely. Thus he still resides in everyone’s heart at all times. She waited from him to reappear, living in Śambara’s house. By the mercy of Nārada, or Śiva, or by the power of her knowledge as a devatā, she could understand. Since she was famous, she just cooked the soup and rice since these are always the most excellent part of the meal. Or these items indicate other items as well. She was qualified for cooking all things. Viṣṇu Purāṇa says kārayām āsa sudānāṁ ādhipatyam anindatā: she was made the chief cook and was not criticized. Though Parāśara says she was Śambara’s wife, it is understood that she had no intimate relations with him. Nārada speaks to Rukmiṇī in Viṣṇu Purāṇa: iyaṁ māyāvatī bhāryā tanayasyāsya te satī / śaṁbarasya na bhāryeyaṁ śrūyatām atra kāraṇam // manmathe tu gate nāśaṁ tad udbhava-parayaṇā / śaṁbaraṁ mohayām āsa māyā-rūpeṇa rūpiṇī // vihārādy- upabhogeṣu rūpaṁ māyāmayaṁ śubham / darśayām āsa daityasya tasyeyaṁ madirekṣaṇā // This chaste Māyāvatī is the wife of your son. She is not the wife of Śambara. Please listen to the reason. When Kāma-deva was destroyed she desired that he appear again. She bewildered Śambara. By her illusory powers she became most beautiful. She showed the demon a beautiful form made of māyā for his enjoyment and recreation. . Hari-vaṁśa says the same. She developed prema for the child. Hari-vaṁśa says she gave him nurses. rasāyanopayogaiś ca śīghram eva vyavardhayat : he grew quickly by the use of special medicines