138 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 5, Ch. 17

smiling; lila-avaloka—by playful glances; akrsta-manah—whose minds
are attracted; drstayah—and whose vision is attracted: svairam—very
freely; viharanti—engage in sportive enjoyment.

TRANSLATION

In each of those tracts of land, there are many gardens filled
with flowers and fruits according to the season, and there are
beautifully decorated hermitages as well. Between the great moun-
tains demarcating the borders of those lands lie enormous lakes of
clear water filled with newly grown lotus flowers. Aquatic birds
such as swans, ducks, water chickens, and cranes become greatly
excited by the fragrance of lotus flowers, and the charming sound
of bumblebees fills the air. The inhabitants of those lands are im-
portant leaders among the demigods. Always attended by their
respective servants, they enjoy life in gardens alongside the lakes.
In this pleasing situation, the wives of the demigods smile play-
fully at their husbands and look upon them with lusty desires. All
the demigods and their wives are constantly supplied with sandal-
wood pulp and flower garlands by their servants. In this way, all
the residents of the eight heavenly varsas enjoy, attracted by the
activities of the opposite sex.

PURPORT

Here is a description of the lower heavenly planets. The inhabitants of
those planets enjoy life in a pleasing atmosphere of clear lakes filled with
newly grown lotus flowers and gardens filled with fruits, flowers, various
kinds of birds and humming bees. In that atmosphere they enjoy life
with their very beautiful wives, who are always sexually stimulated.
Nonetheless, they are all devotees of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, as will be explained in subsequent verses. The inhabitants of
this earth also desire such heavenly enjoyment, but when they somehow
or other achieve imitation pleasures like sex and intoxication, they com-
pletely forget the service of the Supreme Lord. In the heavenly planets,
however, although the residents enjoy superior sense gratification, they
never forget their positions as eternal servants of the Supreme Being.
