Shloka 3

नभगोपाख्यानम्

Nabhaga-Upākhyāna: The Account of Nabhaga and Shiva-Jñāna

Devanagari script

अम्बरीषस्सुतस्तस्य विष्णुभक्तो बभूव सः । यस्योपरि प्रसन्नोभूद्दुर्वासा ब्रह्मभक्तितः

Transliteration

ambarīṣassutastasya viṣṇubhakto babhūva saḥ | yasyopari prasannobhūddurvāsā brahmabhaktitaḥ

Translation

Sein Sohn war Ambarīṣa, der ein hingebungsvoller Verehrer des Herrn Viṣṇu wurde. Durch seine Ehrfurcht vor Brahman und dem vedischen Weg wurde der Weise Durvāsā ihm wohlgesinnt.

Word by Word

• ambarīṣaḥ: Ambarīṣa
• ambarīṣaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambarīṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sutaḥ: son
• sutaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to ambarīṣaḥ

• tasya: of him/of that (person)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ: devotee of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘विष्णोः भक्तः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• babhūva: became/was
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yasya: of whom
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; relative pronoun: of whom

• upari: upon
• upari: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: upari (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश/क्रियाविशेषण; ‘upon/over’ (postposition)

• prasannaḥ: pleased
• prasannaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective with bhūt

• abhūt: became/was
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• durvāsāḥ: Durvāsā (sage)
• durvāsāḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durvāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (ending -āḥ as nominative singular for this stem)

• brahma-bhakti-taḥ: due to devotion to Brahman
• brahma-bhakti-taḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; ablatival adverb: ‘from/owing to devotion to Brahman’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Ambarisha
• Vishnu
• Durvasa
• Brahman

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It highlights that steadfast devotion and fidelity to brahma (Veda, sacred truth, and righteous order) naturally attract the grace of great sages—showing how purity of conduct supports spiritual progress toward liberation.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Though the verse names Viṣṇu-bhakti, the Shiva Purana often teaches harmony among divine forms: sincere saguna devotion grounded in dharma becomes a means to the Supreme (Pati). Such devotion can mature into Shiva-oriented realization through grace and right understanding.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is dharmic discipline with brahma-bhakti—daily reverence to Veda and mantra-japa; in Shaiva usage this aligns with regular Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") performed with purity, restraint, and devotion.