tān āha deva-deveśaḥ
praṇatān prahasann iva
āsām ekatamāḿ vṛńdhvaḿ
sa-varṇāḿ svarga-bhūṣaṇām
tan -- to them; aha -- said; deva-deva-isah -- the Supreme Lord of all lords; pranatan -- who had bowed down to Him; prahasan iva -- almost smiling; asam -- of these women; ekatamam -- one; vrindhvam -- please choose; sa-varnam -- suitable; svarga -- of heaven; bhushanam -- the ornament.
The Supreme Lord of lords then smiled slightly and told the representatives of heaven, who were bowing down before Him, "Please choose one of these women, whomever you find suitable for you. She will become the ornament of the heavenly planets."
Nara-Narayana Rishi was almost laughing upon seeing the defeat of the demigods. However, being extremely grave, He did not actually laugh. Although the demigods might have thought, "We are simply low-class fools in comparison to these women," the Lord encouraged them to choose one of the women, whomever they considered equal in character to themselves. The beauty thus selected would become the ornament of heaven.
