100 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 5, Ch. 2
cartum tapo ’rhasi maya saha mitra mahyam
kim va prasidati sa vai bhava-bhavano me

ripam—beauty; tapah-dhana—O best of the sages performing
austerity; tapah caratam—of persons engaged in executing austerities
and penances; tapah-ghnam—which dismantles the austerities; hi—
certainly; etat—this; tu—indeed; kena—by what; tapasd—austerity;
bhavata—by you; upalabdham—achieved; cartum—to execute;
tapah—austerity; arhasi—you ought; maya saha—with me; mitra—
my dear friend; mahyam—unto me; kim va—or maybe; prasidati—is
pleased; sah—he; vai—certainly; bhava-bhdvanah—the creator of this
universe; me—with me.

TRANSLATION

O best among those performing austerities, where did you get
this wonderful beauty that dismantles the austerities performed by
others? Where have you learned this art? What austerity have you
undergone to achieve this beauty, my dear friend? I desire that
you join me to perform austerity and penance, for it may be that
the creator of the universe, Lord Brahma, being pleased with me,
has sent you to become my wife.

PURPORT

Agnidhra appreciated the wonderful beauty of Parvacitti. Indeed, he
was surprised to see such exceptional beauty, which must have been the
result of past austerities and penances. He therefore asked the girl
whether she had achieved such beauty just to break the penances and
austerities of others. He thought that Lord Brahma, the creator of the
universe, might have been pleased with him and might therefore have
sent her to become his wife. He requested Parvacitti to become his wife
so that together they could perform austerities and penances in family
life. In other words, a suitable wife helps her husband perform penances
and austerities in household life if both of them are on the same elevated
platform of spiritual understanding. Without spiritual understanding,
husband and wife cannot be equally situated. Lord Brahma, the creator
of the universe, is interested in good progeny. Therefore unless he is
