Shloka 45
तं तु तेऽवनतं दीनं किं करोमीति वादिनम् । निषीदेत्यब्रुवंस्तात स निषादस्ततोऽभवत् ॥ ४५ ॥
taṁ tu te ’vanataṁ dīnaṁ kiṁ karomīti vādinam niṣīdety abruvaṁs tāta sa niṣādas tato ’bhavat
Meek and submissive, he bowed and asked, “Sirs, what shall I do?” The great sages replied, “Sit down (niṣīda).” Thus he became known as Niṣāda, the progenitor of the Naiṣāda race.
It is said in the śāstras that the head of the body represents the brāhmaṇas, the arms represent the kṣatriyas, the abdomen represents the vaiśyas, and the legs, beginning with the thighs, represent the śūdras. The śūdras are sometimes called black, or kṛṣṇa. The brāhmaṇas are called śukla, or white, and the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas are a mixture of black and white. However, those who are extraordinarily white are said to have skin produced out of white leprosy. It may be concluded that white or a golden hue is the color of the higher caste, and black is the complexion of the śūdras.
FAQs
In this verse, the person is told by the sages to “sit down” (niṣīda), and from that event he becomes known as “Niṣāda,” indicating a specific designation arising in the narrative.
He approached them humbled and distressed, asking what he should do; the sages responded with a decisive instruction, and that moment becomes the basis for his subsequent identification as Niṣāda.
When overwhelmed and unsure, approaching wise guidance with humility is essential; clear instruction from qualified elders or teachers can redirect one’s course and identity toward a defined path.