788 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 20

dharva—the celestial musicians; apsarasam—and of the heavenly dancing
girls; ganan—the hosts of.

TRANSLATION

With a laugh full of deep significance, the worshipful Brahma then
evolved by his own loveliness, which seemed to enjoy itself by itself, the
hosts of Gandharvas and Apsaras.

PURPORT

The musicians in the upper planetary systems are called Gandharvas,
and the dancing girls are called Apsaras. After being attacked by the
demons and evolving a form of a beautiful woman in the twilight, Brahma
next created Gandharvas and Apsaras. Music and dancing employed in
sense gratification are to be accepted as demoniac, but the same music and
dancing, when employed in glorifying the Supreme Lord as kirtana, is
transcendental and brings about a life completely fit for spiritual enjoy-
ment.

TEXT 39

fra ag ai eateat aaa Feary |
a aq weg: Hen fearwagran 112811

visasarja tanum tam vai
jyotsnam kantimatim priyam
ta eva eadaduh pritya
vis vdvasu-purogamah

visasarja—gave up; tanum—form; tam—that; vai—in fact; jyotsnam—
moonlight; kdntimatim—shining; priyam—beloved; te—the Gandharvas;
eva—certainly; ca—and; ddaduh—took possession; prityd—gladly ; visvavasu-
purah-gamah—headed by Visvavasu.

TRANSLATION

After that, Brahma gave up that shining and beloved form of moonlight.
Visvavasu and other Gandharvas gladly took possession of it.
