Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 31

The Dynasty of Vaivasvata Manu Begins — Ilā/Sudyumna and the Birth of Purūravā

Devanagari script

ऋषयोऽपि तयोर्वीक्ष्य प्रसङ्गं रममाणयो: । निवृत्ता: प्रययुस्तस्मान्नरनारायणाश्रमम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣayo ’pi tayor vīkṣya prasaṅgaṁ ramamāṇayoḥ nivṛttāḥ prayayus tasmān nara-nārāyaṇāśramam

Translation

Als die Weisen Śiva und Pārvatī in liebender Vereinigung sahen, hielten sie sogleich inne und gingen nicht weiter. Unverzüglich zogen sie sich zurück und begaben sich zum Āśrama von Nara-Nārāyaṇa.

Synonyms

• ṛṣayaḥ: the sages
• ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय)

• tayoḥ: of the two (of them)
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी) / Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Dual (द्विवचन); here Genitive

• vīkṣya: having seen
• vīkṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vīkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), having seen

• prasaṅgam: intimate situation, attachment
• prasaṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ramamāṇayoḥ: of the two who were enjoying
• ramamāṇayoḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ram (धातु)
• Form: Present middle participle (शानच्), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन), Ātmanepada sense; refers to the two enjoying

• nivṛttāḥ: having withdrawn, turned back
• nivṛttāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prayayūḥ: went forth
• prayayūḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-yā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tasmāt: from there, from that place
• tasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nara-nārāyaṇa-āśramam: to the hermitage of Nara-Nārāyaṇa
• nara-nārāyaṇa-āśramam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: nara-nārāyaṇa (name) + āśrama (hermitage)

Characters & Entities

• Nara
• Nārāyaṇa
• Ṛṣis (sages)

FAQs

Who are Nara and Nārāyaṇa in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

They are divine sages—an incarnation of the Lord—residing at Badarikāśrama, exemplifying perfect austerity and devotion.

Why did the sages withdraw after seeing Nara and Nārāyaṇa?

Seeing the two absorbed in joyful divine association, the sages respectfully refrained from interrupting and returned to their hermitage.

What is the practical lesson of this verse for modern life?

Honor sacred moments and spiritual focus—learn when to step back respectfully rather than disturb deep devotion or contemplation.