Ṛṣabhadeva’s Appearance in the Womb of Merudevī,
the Wife of King Nābhi
VERSE 5.3.1
śrī-śuka uvāca
nābhir apatya-kāmo ’prajayā merudevyā bhagavantaṁ yajña-puruṣam avahitātmāyajata.
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; nābhiḥ — the son of Mahārāja Āgnīdhra; apatya-kāmaḥ — desiring to have sons; aprajayā — who had not given birth to any children; merudevyā — with Merudevī; bhagavantam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yajña-puruṣam — Lord Viṣṇu, the master and enjoyer of all performances of sacrifice; avahita-ātmā — with great attention; ayajata — offered prayers and worshiped.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak: Mahārāja Nābhi, the son of Āgnīdhra, wished to have sons, and therefore he attentively began to offer prayers and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, the master and enjoyer of all sacrifices. Mahārāja Nābhi’s wife, Merudevī, who had not given birth to any children at that time, also worshiped Lord Viṣṇu along with her husband.
VERSE 5.3.2
tasya ha vāva śraddhayā viśuddha-bhāvena yajataḥ pravargyeṣu pracaratsu dravya-deśa-kāla-mantrartvig-dakṣiṇā-vidhāna-yogopapattyā duradhigamo ’pi bhagavān bhāgavata-vātsalyatayā supratīka ātmānam aparājitaṁ nija-janābhipretārtha-vidhitsayā gṛhīta-hṛdayo hṛdayaṅgamaṁ mano-nayanānandanāvayavābhirāmam āviścakāra.
SYNONYMS
tasya — when he (Nābhi); ha vāva — certainly; śraddhayā — with great faith and devotion; viśuddha-bhāvena — with a pure, uncontaminated mind; yajataḥ — was worshiping; pravargyeṣu — while the fruitive activities called pravargya; pracaratsu — were being performed; dravya — the ingredients; deśa — place; kāla — time; mantra — hymns; ṛtvik — priests conducting the ceremony; dakṣiṇā — gifts to the priests; vidhāna — regulative principles; yoga — and of the means; upapattyā — by the performance; duradhigamaḥ — not obtainable; api — although; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhāgavata-vātsalyatayā — because of His being very affectionate to His devotee; su-pratīkaḥ — possessing a very beautiful form; ātmānam — Himself; aparājitam — not to be conquered by anyone; nija-jana — of His devotee; abhipreta-artha — the desire; vidhitsayā — to fulfill; gṛhīta-hṛdayaḥ — His heart being attracted; hṛdayaṅgamam — captivating; manaḥ-nayana-ānandana — pleasing to the mind and eyes; avayava — by the limbs; abhirāmam — beautiful; āviścakāra — manifested.
TRANSLATION
In the performance of a sacrifice, there are seven transcendental means to obtain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: (1) by sacrificing valuable things or eatables, (2) by acting in terms of place, (3) by acting in terms of time, (4) by offering hymns, (5) by going through the priest, (6) by offering gifts to the priests and (7) by observing the regulative principles. However, one cannot always obtain the Supreme Lord through this paraphernalia. Nonetheless, the Lord is affectionate to His devotee; therefore when Mahārāja Nābhi, who was a devotee, worshiped and offered prayers to the Lord with great faith and devotion and with a pure uncontaminated mind, superficially performing some yajña in the line of pravargya, the kind Supreme Personality of Godhead, due to His affection for His devotees, appeared before King Nābhi in His unconquerable and captivating form with four hands. In this way, to fulfill the desire of His devotee, the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifested Himself in His beautiful body before His devotee. This body pleases the mind and eyes of the devotees.
VERSE 5.3.3
atha ha tam āviṣkṛta-bhuja-yugala-dvayaṁ hiraṇmayaṁ puruṣa-viśeṣaṁ kapiśa-kauśeyāmbara-dharam urasi vilasac-chrīvatsa-lalāmaṁ daravara-vanaruha-vana-mālācchūry-amṛta-maṇi-gadādibhir upalakṣitaṁ sphuṭa-kiraṇa-pravara-mukuṭa-kuṇḍala-kaṭaka-kaṭi-sūtra-hāra-keyūra-nūpurādy-aṅga-bhūṣaṇa-vibhūṣitam ṛtvik-sadasya-gṛha-patayo ’dhanā ivottama-dhanam upalabhya sabahu-mānam arhaṇenāvanata-śīrṣāṇa upatasthuḥ.
SYNONYMS
atha — thereafter; ha — certainly; tam — Him; āviṣkṛta-bhuja-yugala-dvayam — who manifested Himself with four arms; hiraṇmayam — very bright; puruṣa-viśeṣam — the topmost of all living beings, Puruṣottama; kapiśa-kauśeya-ambara-dharam — wearing a yellow silk garment; urasi — on the chest; vilasat — beautiful; śrīvatsa — called Śrīvatsa; lalāmam — possessing the mark; dara-vara — by a conchshell; vana-ruha — lotus flower; vana-mālā — garland of forest flowers; acchūri — disc; amṛta-maṇi — the Kaustubha gem; gadā-ādibhiḥ — and by a club and other symbols; upalakṣitam — symptomized; sphuṭa-kiraṇa — radiant; pravara — excellent; mukuṭa — helmet; kuṇḍala — earrings; kaṭaka — bracelets; kaṭi-sūtra — girdle; hāra — necklace; keyūra — armlets; nūpura — ankle bells; ādi — and so on; aṅga — of the body; bhūṣaṇa — with ornaments; vibhūṣitam — decorated; ṛtvik — the priests; sadasya — associates; gṛha-patayaḥ — and King Nābhi; adhanāḥ — poor persons; iva — like; uttama-dhanam — a great treasure; upalabhya — having achieved; sa-bahu-mānam — with great regard; arhaṇena — with ingredients for worship; avanata — bent; śīrṣāṇaḥ — their heads; upatasthuḥ — worshiped.
TRANSLATION
Lord Viṣṇu appeared before King Nābhi with four arms. He was very bright, and He appeared to be the best of all personalities. Around the lower portion of His body, He wore a yellow silken garment. On His chest was the mark of Śrīvatsa, which always displays beauty. He carried a conchshell, lotus flower, disc and club, and He wore a garland of forest flowers and the Kaustubha gem. He was beautifully decorated with a helmet, earrings, bangles, belt, pearl necklace, armlets, ankle bells and other bodily ornaments bedecked with radiant jewels. Seeing the Lord present before them, King Nābhi and his priests and associates felt just like poor people who have suddenly attained great riches. They received the Lord and respectfully bent their heads and offered Him things in worship.
VERSE 5.3.4-5
ṛtvija ūcuḥ
arhasi muhur arhattamārhaṇam asmākam anupathānāṁ namo nama ity etāvat sad-upaśikṣitaṁ ko ’rhati pumān prakṛti-guṇa-vyatikara-matir anīśa īśvarasya parasya prakṛti-puruṣayor arvāktanābhir nāma-rūpākṛtibhī rūpa-nirūpaṇam; sakala-jana-nikāya-vṛjina-nirasana-śivatama-pravara-guṇa-gaṇaika-deśa-kathanād ṛte.
SYNONYMS
ṛtvijaḥ ūcuḥ — the priests said; arhasi — please (accept); muhuḥ — again and again; arhat-tama — O most exalted, worshipable person; arhaṇam — offering of worship; asmākam — of us; anupathānām — who are Your servants; namaḥ — respectful obeisances; namaḥ — respectful obeisances; iti — thus; etāvat — so far; sat — by exalted personalities; upaśikṣitam — instructed; kaḥ — what; arhati — is able (to make); pumān — man; prakṛti — of material nature; guṇa — of the modes; vyatikara — in the transformations; matiḥ — whose mind (is absorbed); anīśaḥ — who is most incapable; īśvarasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; parasya — beyond; prakṛti-puruṣayoḥ — the jurisdiction of the three modes of material nature; arvāktanābhiḥ — which do not reach up to, or which are of this material world; nāma-rūpa-ākṛtibhiḥ — by names, forms and qualities; rūpa — of Your nature or position; nirūpaṇam — ascertainment, perception; sakala — all; jana-nikāya — of mankind; vṛjina — sinful actions; nirasana — which wipe out; śivatama — most auspicious; pravara — excellent; guṇa-gaṇa — of the transcendental qualities; eka-deśa — one part; kathanāt — by speaking; ṛte — except.
TRANSLATION
The priests began to offer prayers to the Lord, saying: O most worshipable one, we are simply Your servants. Although You are full in Yourself, please, out of Your causeless mercy, accept a little service from us, Your eternal servants. We are not actually aware of Your transcendental form, but we can simply offer our respectful obeisances again and again, as instructed by the Vedic literatures and authorized ācāryas. Materialistic living entities are very much attracted to the modes of material nature, and therefore they are never perfect, but You are above the jurisdiction of all material conceptions. Your name, form and qualities are all transcendental and beyond the conception of experimental knowledge. Indeed, who can conceive of You? In the material world we can perceive only material names and qualities. We have no other power than to offer our respectful obeisances and prayers unto You, the transcendental person. The chanting of Your auspicious transcendental qualities will wipe out the sins of all mankind. That is the most auspicious activity for us, and we can thus partially understand Your supernatural position.
VERSE 5.3.6
parijanānurāga-viracita-śabala-saṁśabda-salila-sita-kisalaya-tulasikā-dūrvāṅkurair api sambhṛtayā saparyayā kila parama parituṣyasi.
SYNONYMS
parijana — by Your servants; anurāga — in great ecstasy; viracita — executed; śabala — with a faltering voice; saṁśabda — with prayers; salila — water; sita-kisalaya — twigs bearing new leaves; tulasikā — tulasī leaves; dūrvā-aṅkuraiḥ — and with newly grown grass; api — also; sambhṛtayā — performed; saparyayā — by worship; kila — indeed; parama — O Supreme Lord; parituṣyasi — You become satisfied.
TRANSLATION
O Supreme Lord, You are full in every respect. You are certainly very satisfied when Your devotees offer You prayers with faltering voices and in ecstasy bring You tulasī leaves, water, twigs bearing new leaves, and newly grown grass. This surely makes You satisfied.
VERSE 5.3.7
athānayāpi na bhavata ijyayoru-bhāra-bharayā samucitam artham ihopalabhāmahe.
SYNONYMS
atha — otherwise; anayā — this; api — even; na — not; bhavataḥ — of Your exalted personality; ijyayā — by performance of sacrifice; urubhāra-bharayā — encumbered by much paraphernalia; samucitam — required; artham — use; iha — here; upalabhāmahe — we can see.
TRANSLATION
We have engaged in Your worship with many things and have offered sacrifices unto You, but we think that there is no need for so many arrangements to please Your Lordship.
VERSE 5.3.8
ātmana evānusavanam añjasāvyatirekeṇa bobhūyamānāśeṣa-puruṣārtha-svarūpasya kintu nāthāśiṣa āśāsānānām etad abhisaṁrādhana-mātraṁ bhavitum arhati.
SYNONYMS
ātmanaḥ — self-sufficiently; eva — certainly; anusavanam — at every moment; añjasā — directly; avyatirekeṇa — without stopping; bobhūyamāna — increasing; aśeṣa — unlimitedly; puruṣa-artha — the goals of life; sva-rūpasya — Your actual identity; kintu — but; nātha — O Lord; āśiṣaḥ — benedictions for material enjoyment; āśāsānānām — of us, who are always desiring; etat — this; abhisaṁrādhana — for getting Your mercy; mātram — only; bhavitum arhati — can be.
TRANSLATION
All of life’s goals and opulences are directly, self-sufficiently, unceasingly and unlimitedly increasing in You at every moment. Indeed, You are unlimited enjoyment and blissful existence itself. As far as we are concerned, O Lord, we are always after material enjoyment. You do not need all these sacrificial arrangements, but they are meant for us so that we may be benedicted by Your Lordship. All these sacrifices are performed for our fruitive results, and they are not actually needed by You.
VERSE 5.3.9
tad yathā bāliśānāṁ svayam ātmanaḥ śreyaḥ param aviduṣāṁ parama-parama-puruṣa prakarṣa-karuṇayā sva-mahimānaṁ cāpavargākhyam upakalpayiṣyan svayaṁ nāpacita evetaravad ihopalakṣitaḥ.
SYNONYMS
tat — that; yathā — as; bāliśānām — of the fools; svayam — by Yourself; ātmanaḥ — own; śreyaḥ — welfare; param — ultimate; aviduṣām — of persons who do not know; parama-parama-puruṣa — O Lord of lords; prakarṣa-karuṇayā — by abundant causeless mercy; sva-mahimānam — Your personal glory; ca — and; apavarga-ākhyam — called apavarga (liberation); upakalpayiṣyan — desiring to give; svayam — personally; na apacitaḥ — not properly worshiped; eva — although; itara-vat — like an ordinary person; iha — here; upalakṣitaḥ — (You are) present and seen (by us).
TRANSLATION
O Lord of lords, we are completely ignorant of the execution of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa, the process of liberation, because we do not actually know the goal of life. You have appeared personally before us like a person soliciting worship, but actually You are present here just so we can see You. You have come out of Your abundant and causeless mercy in order to serve our purpose, our interest, and give us the benefit of Your personal glory called apavarga, liberation. You have come, although You are not properly worshiped by us due to our ignorance.
VERSE 5.3.10
athāyam eva varo hy arhattama yarhi barhiṣi rājarṣer varadarṣabho bhavān nija-puruṣekṣaṇa-viṣaya āsīt.
SYNONYMS
atha — then; ayam — this; eva — certainly; varaḥ — benediction; hi — indeed; arhat-tama — O most worshipable of the worshipable; yarhi — because; barhiṣi — in the sacrifice; rāja-ṛṣeḥ — of King Nābhi; varada-ṛṣabhaḥ — the best of the benefactors; bhavān — Your Lordship; nija-puruṣa — of Your devotees; īkṣaṇa-viṣayaḥ — the object of the sight; āsīt — has become.
TRANSLATION
O most worshipable of all, You are the best of all benefactors, and Your appearance at saintly King Nābhi’s sacrificial arena is meant for our benediction. Because You have been seen by us, You have bestowed upon us the most valuable benediction.
VERSE 5.3.11
asaṅga-niśita-jñānānala-vidhūtāśeṣa-malānāṁ bhavat-svabhāvānām ātmārāmāṇāṁ munīnām anavarata-pariguṇita-guṇa-gaṇa parama-maṅgalāyana-guṇa-gaṇa-kathano ’si.
SYNONYMS
asaṅga — by detachment; niśita — strengthened; jñāna — of knowledge; anala — by the fire; vidhūta — removed; aśeṣa — unlimited; malānām — whose dirty things; bhavat-svabhāvānām — who have attained Your qualities; ātma-ārāmāṇām — who are self-satisfied; munīnām — of great sages; anavarata — incessantly; pariguṇita — recounted; guṇa-gaṇa — O Lord, whose spiritual qualities; parama-maṅgala — supreme bliss; āyana — produces; guṇa-gaṇa-kathanaḥ — He, the chanting of whose attributes; asi — You are.
TRANSLATION
Dear Lord, all the great sages who are thoughtful and saintly persons incessantly recount Your spiritual qualities. These sages have already burned up all the unlimited dirty things and, by the fire of knowledge, strengthened their detachment from the material world. Thus they have attained Your qualities and are self-satisfied. Yet even for those who feel spiritual bliss in chanting Your attributes, Your personal presence is very rare.
VERSE 5.3.12
atha kathañcit skhalana-kṣut-patana-jṛmbhaṇa-duravasthānādiṣu vivaśānāṁ naḥ smaraṇāya jvara-maraṇa-daśāyām api sakala-kaśmala-nirasanāni tava guṇa-kṛta-nāmadheyāni vacana-gocarāṇi bhavantu.
SYNONYMS
atha — still; kathañcit — somehow or other; skhalana — stumbling; kṣut — hunger; patana — falling down; jṛmbhaṇa — yawning; duravasthāna — because of being placed in an undesirable position; ādiṣu — and so on; vivaśānām — unable; naḥ — of ourselves; smaraṇāya — to remember; jvara-maraṇa-daśāyām — in the case of having a high fever at the time of death; api — also; sakala — all; kaśmala — sins; nirasanāni — which can dispel; tava — Your; guṇa — attributes; kṛta — activities; nāmadheyāni — names; vacana-gocarāṇi — possible to be uttered; bhavantu — let them become.
TRANSLATION
Dear Lord, we may not be able to remember Your name, form and qualities due to stumbling, hunger, falling down, yawning or being in a miserable diseased condition at the time of death when there is a high fever. We therefore pray unto You, O Lord, for You are very affectionate to Your devotees. Please help us remember You and utter Your holy names, attributes and activities, which can dispel all the reactions of our sinful lives.
VERSE 5.3.13
kiñcāyaṁ rājarṣir apatya-kāmaḥ prajāṁ bhavādṛśīm āśāsāna īśvaram āśiṣāṁ svargāpavargayor api bhavantam upadhāvati prajāyām artha-pratyayo dhanadam ivādhanaḥ phalīkaraṇam.
SYNONYMS
kiñca — moreover; ayam — this; rāja-ṛṣiḥ — pious King (Nābhi); apatya-kāmaḥ — desiring offspring; prajām — a son; bhavādṛśīm — exactly like You; āśāsānaḥ — hoping for; īśvaram — the supreme controller; āśiṣām — of benedictions; svarga-apavargayoḥ — of the heavenly planets and liberation; api — although; bhavantam — You; upadhāvati — worships; prajāyām — children; artha-pratyayaḥ — regarding as the ultimate goal of life; dhana-dam — unto a person who can give immense wealth as charity; iva — like; adhanaḥ — a poor man; phalīkaraṇam — a little husk.
TRANSLATION
Dear Lord, here is the great King Nābhi, whose ultimate goal in life is to have a son like You. Your Lordship, his position is like that of a person approaching a very rich man and begging for a little grain. Mahārāja Nābhi is so desirous of having a son that he is worshiping You for a son, although You can offer him any exalted position, including elevation to the heavenly planets or liberation back to Godhead.
VERSE 5.3.14
ko vā iha te ’parājito ’parājitayā māyayānavasita-padavyānāvṛta-matir viṣaya-viṣa-rayānāvṛta-prakṛtir anupāsita-mahac-caraṇaḥ.
SYNONYMS
kaḥ vā — who is that person; iha — within this material world; te — of Your Lordship; aparājitaḥ — not conquered; aparājitayā — by the unconquerable; māyayā — illusory energy; anavasita-padavya — whose path cannot be ascertained; anāvṛta-matiḥ — whose intelligence is not bewildered; viṣaya-viṣa — of material enjoyment, which is like poison; raya — by the course; anāvṛta — not covered; prakṛtiḥ — whose nature; anupāsita — without worshiping; mahat-caraṇaḥ — the lotus feet of great devotees.
TRANSLATION
Dear Lord, unless one worships the lotus feet of great devotees, one will be conquered by the illusory energy, and his intelligence will be bewildered. Indeed, who has not been carried away by the waves of material enjoyment, which are like poison? Your illusory energy is unconquerable. No one can see the path of this material energy or tell how it is working.
VERSE 5.3.15
yad u ha vāva tava punar adabhra-kartar iha samāhūtas tatrārtha-dhiyāṁ mandānāṁ nas tad yad deva-helanaṁ deva-devārhasi sāmyena sarvān prativoḍhum aviduṣām.
SYNONYMS
yat — because; u ha vāva — indeed; tava — Your; punaḥ — again; adabhra-kartaḥ — O Lord, who perform many activities; iha — here, in this arena of sacrifice; samāhūtaḥ — invited; tatra — therefore; artha-dhiyām — who aspire to fulfill material desires; mandānām — not very intelligent; naḥ — of us; tat — that; yat — which; deva-helanam — disrespect of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; deva-deva — Lord of lords; arhasi — please; sāmyena — because of Your equipoised position; sarvān — everything; prativoḍhum — tolerate; aviduṣām — of us, who are all ignorant.
TRANSLATION
O Lord, You perform many wonderful activities. Our only aim was to acquire a son by performing this great sacrifice; therefore our intelligence is not very sharp. We are not experienced in ascertaining life’s goal. By inviting You to this negligible sacrifice for some material motive, we have certainly committed a great offense at Your lotus feet. Therefore, O Lord of lords, please excuse our offense because of Your causeless mercy and equal mind.
VERSE 5.3.16
śrī-śuka uvāca
iti nigadenābhiṣṭūyamāno bhagavān animiṣarṣabho varṣa-dharābhivāditābhivandita-caraṇaḥ sadayam idam āha.
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; nigadena — by prayers in prose; abhiṣṭūyamānaḥ — being worshiped; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; animiṣa-ṛṣabhaḥ — the chief of all the demigods; varṣa-dhara — by King Nābhi, the Emperor of Bhārata-varṣa; abhivādita — worshiped; abhivandita — were bowed down to; caraṇaḥ — whose feet; sadayam — kindly; idam — this; āha — said.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The priests, who were even worshiped by King Nābhi, the Emperor of Bhārata-varṣa, offered prayers in prose [generally they were in poetry] and bowed down at the Lord’s lotus feet. The Lord of lords, the ruler of the demigods, was very pleased with them, and He began to speak as follows.
VERSE 5.3.17
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
aho batāham ṛṣayo bhavadbhir avitatha-gīrbhir varam asulabham abhiyācito yad amuṣyātmajo mayā sadṛśo bhūyād iti mamāham evābhirūpaḥ kaivalyād athāpi brahma-vādo na mṛṣā bhavitum arhati mamaiva hi mukhaṁ yad dvija-deva-kulam.
SYNONYMS
śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; aho — alas; bata — certainly I am pleased; aham — I; ṛṣayaḥ — O great sages; bhavadbhiḥ — by you; avitatha-gīrbhiḥ — whose words are all true; varam — for a benediction; asulabham — very difficult to achieve; abhiyācitaḥ — have been requested; yat — that; amuṣya — of King Nābhi; ātma-jaḥ — a son; mayā sadṛśaḥ — like Me; bhūyāt — there may be; iti — thus; mama — My; aham — I; eva — only; abhirūpaḥ — equal; kaivalyāt — because of being without a second; athāpi — nevertheless; brahma-vādaḥ — the words spoken by exalted brāhmaṇas; na — not; mṛṣā — false; bhavitum — to become; arhati — ought; mama — My; eva — certainly; hi — because; mukham — mouth; yat — that; dvija-deva-kulam — the class of pure brāhmaṇas.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead replied: O great sages, I am certainly very pleased with your prayers. You are all truthful. You have prayed for the benediction of a son like Me for King Nābhi, but this is very difficult to obtain. Since I am the Supreme Person without a second and since no one is equal to Me, another personality like Me is not possible to find. In any case, because you are all qualified brāhmaṇas, your vibrations should not prove untrue. I consider the brāhmaṇas who are well qualified with brahminical qualities to be as good as My own mouth.
VERSE 5.3.18
tata āgnīdhrīye ’ṁśa-kalayāvatariṣyāmy ātma-tulyam anupalabhamānaḥ.
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — therefore; āgnīdhrīye — in the wife of Nābhi, the son of Āgnīdhra; aṁśa-kalayā — by an expansion of My personal form; avatariṣyāmi — I shall advent Myself; ātma-tulyam — My equal; anupalabhamānaḥ — not finding.
TRANSLATION
Since I cannot find anyone equal to Me, I shall personally expand Myself into a plenary portion and thus advent Myself in the womb of Merudevī, the wife of Mahārāja Nābhi, the son of Āgnīdhra.
VERSE 5.3.19
śrī-śuka uvāca
iti niśāmayantyā merudevyāḥ patim abhidhāyāntardadhe bhagavān.
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; niśāmayantyāḥ — who was listening; merudevyāḥ — in the presence of Merudevī; patim — unto her husband; abhidhāya — having spoken; antardadhe — disappeared; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After saying this, the Lord disappeared. The wife of King Nābhi, Queen Merudevī, was sitting by the side of her husband, and consequently she could hear everything the Supreme Lord had spoken.
VERSE 5.3.20
barhiṣi tasminn eva viṣṇudatta bhagavān paramarṣibhiḥ prasādito nābheḥ priya-cikīrṣayā tad-avarodhāyane merudevyāṁ dharmān darśayitu-kāmo vāta-raśanānāṁ śramaṇānām ṛṣīṇām ūrdhva-manthināṁ śuklayā tanuvāvatatāra.
SYNONYMS
barhiṣi — in the arena of sacrifice; tasmin — that; eva — in this way; viṣṇu-datta — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; parama-ṛṣibhiḥ — by the great ṛṣis; prasāditaḥ — being pleased; nābheḥ priya-cikīrṣayā — to please King Nābhi; tat-avarodhāyane — in his wife; merudevyām — Merudevī; dharmān — the principles of religion; darśayitu-kāmaḥ — desiring to exhibit how to perform; vāta-raśanānām — of the sannyāsīs (who have almost no cloth); śramaṇānām — of the vānaprasthas; ṛṣīṇām — of the great sages; ūrdhva-manthinām — of the brahmacārīs; śuklayā tanuvā — in His original spiritual form, which is above the modes of material nature; avatatāra — appeared as an incarnation.
TRANSLATION
O Viṣṇudatta, Parīkṣit Mahārāja, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was pleased by the great sages at that sacrifice. Consequently the Lord decided to personally exhibit the method of executing religious principles [as observed by brahmacārīs, sannyāsīs, vānaprasthas and gṛhasthas engaged in rituals] and also satisfy Mahārāja Nābhi’s desire. Consequently He appeared as the son of Merudevī in His original spiritual form, which is above the modes of material nature.