Shloka 12

ऋभु-निदाघ-संवादः — अधः-ऊर्ध्व-दृष्टान्तेन अद्वैतबोधः (राजा-गज-उपमा) तथा मोक्षफलश्रुति

Devanagari script

इत्य् उक्तः सहसारुह्य निदाघः प्राह तम् ऋभुम् श्रूयतां कथयाम्य् एष यन् मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि

Transliteration

ity uktaḥ sahasāruhya nidāghaḥ prāha tam ṛbhum śrūyatāṃ kathayāmy eṣa yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi

Translation

So angesprochen, stieg Nidāgha sogleich hinauf und sagte zu Ṛbhu: „Höre—nun werde ich dir genau das sagen, wonach du mich fragst.“

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्तः: having been addressed/said (to)
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; 'having been spoken/addressed'

• सहसा: quickly, suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb): 'suddenly/quickly'

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ√रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), 'having mounted/ascended'

• निदाघः: Nidāgha (proper name)
• निदाघः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निदाघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√अह् / √ब्रू (धातु; परोक्षभूत)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; 'said/spoke'

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• ऋभुम्: Ṛbhu (proper name)
• ऋभुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard, listen
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive/impersonal): 'let it be heard'

• कथयामि: I tell, I explain
• कथयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; नामधातु/णिच्)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• एष: this
• एष: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun): 'that which'

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• परिपृच्छसि: you ask (about)
• परिपृच्छसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि√प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Nidagha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True instruction often proceeds through immediate demonstration (dṛṣṭānta) rather than abstract definition.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When confused by concepts, ask for concrete examples and test meanings in lived situations.

Vishishtadvaita: Guru-śiṣya transmission: knowledge is mediated through a teacher’s compassionate, situation-specific upadeśa.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Nidagha
• Rbhu

FAQs

What is the significance of the Nidagha–Rbhu dialogue in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the formal turn from questioning to instruction, framing the exchange as a deliberate teaching on higher knowledge that culminates in insight into the ultimate reality.

How does the text structure philosophical teaching through dialogue here?

By having Nidāgha explicitly invite listening and promise an answer, the Purana uses a guru-disciple cadence—question, readiness, then exposition—so the doctrine unfolds as guided realization rather than mere debate.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana’s philosophical sections typically orient self-knowledge toward the Supreme Lord as the final truth and support of liberation.