—json {

  "name":"SB 3.16.20",
  "h1":"SB 3.16.20",
  "label":"Text 20",
  "title":"Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.16.20",
  "description":"The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, the dust of whose feet is worn on the head by others, waits upon You, as appointed, for she is anxious to secure a place in the abode of the king of bees, who hovers on the fresh wreath of tulasī leaves offered at Your feet by some blessed devotee."

} —

SB 3.16.20

यं वै विभूतिरुपयात्यनुवेलमन्यैर्
अर्थार्थिभिः स्वशिरसा धृतपादरेणुः ।
धन्यार्पिताङ्घ्रितुलसीनवदामधाम्नो
लोकं मधुव्रतपतेरिव कामयाना ॥२०॥

Text

yaṁ vai vibhūtir upayāty anuvelam anyair
arthārthibhiḥ sva-śirasā dhṛta-pāda-reṇuḥ
dhanyārpitāṅghri-tulasī-nava-dāma-dhāmno
lokaṁ madhuvrata-pater iva kāma-yānā

Synonyms

yam—whom; vai—certainly; vibhūtiḥ—Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; upayāti—waits upon; anuvelam—occasionally; anyaiḥ—by others; artha—material facility; arthibhiḥ—by those who desire; sva-śirasā—on their own heads; dhṛta—accepting; pāda—of the feet; reṇuḥ—the dust; dhanya—by the devotees; arpita—offered; aṅghri—at Your feet; tulasī—of tulasī leaves; nava—fresh; dāma—on the garland; dhāmnaḥ—having a place; lokam—the place; madhu-vrata-pateḥ—of the king of the bees; iva—like; kāma-yānā—is anxious to secure.

Translation

The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, the dust of whose feet is worn on the head by others, waits upon You, as appointed, for she is anxious to secure a place in the abode of the king of bees, who hovers on the fresh wreath of tulasī leaves offered at Your feet by some blessed devotee.

Purport

As previously described, tulasī has attained all superior qualities due to being placed at the lotus feet of the Lord. The comparison made here is very nice. As the king of bees hovers over the tulasī leaves offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, so Lakṣmī, the goddess who is sought by the demigods, brāhmaṇas, Vaiṣṇavas and everyone else, always engages in rendering service to the lotus feet of the Lord. The conclusion is that no one can be the benefactor of the Lord; everyone is actually the servant of the servant of the Lord [Cc. Madhya 13.80].