Shloka 1

Nimi’s Disembodied Liberation and the Rise of the Mithilā (Videha) Dynasty

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच निमिरिक्ष्वाकुतनयो वसिष्ठमवृतर्त्विजम् । आरभ्य सत्रं सोऽप्याह शक्रेण प्राग्वृतोऽस्मि भो: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca nimir ikṣvāku-tanayo vasiṣṭham avṛtartvijam ārabhya satraṁ so ’py āha śakreṇa prāg vṛto ’smi bhoḥ

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva said: King Nimi, the son of Ikṣvāku, having begun a sacrificial session, requested the great sage Vasiṣṭha to serve as chief priest. Vasiṣṭha replied, “O King Nimi, I have already accepted that very post in a sacrifice begun by Lord Indra.”

Synonyms

• श्री-शुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्री-शुकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (honorific + name), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• निमिः: Nimi
• निमिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इक्ष्वाकु-तनयः: son of Ikṣvāku
• इक्ष्वाकु-तनयः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इक्ष्वाकु (प्रातिपदिक) + तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (son of Ikṣvāku), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निमेः विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवृत-ऋत्विजम्: the chosen priest (as officiant)
• अवृत-ऋत्विजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + वृ (धातु) → अवृत (कृदन्त, क्त) + ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (ऋत्विजं यः अवृतः/वृतः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘वसिष्ठम्’

• आरभ्य: having begun
• आरभ्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रभ् (धातु) → आरभ्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having begun)

• सत्रम्: a sacrificial session (satra)
• सत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; ‘आह’ as perfect of √अह्/√ब्रू usage)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शक्रेण: by Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• प्राक्: previously
• प्राक्: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/before)

• वृतः: chosen/appointed
• वृतः: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु) → वृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अस्मि’ इत्यनेन सह विधेय

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भोः: O (sir)!
• भोः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भोः (अव्यय/सम्बोधन-निपात)
• Form: सम्बोधनार्थक-निपात (vocative particle)

Characters & Entities

• Nimi
• Ikṣvāku
• Vasiṣṭha
• Śakra (Indra)

FAQs

Why did Vasiṣṭha refuse to officiate Nimi’s sacrifice in Srimad Bhagavatam 9.13.1?

Because Vasiṣṭha stated he had already been previously engaged by Śakra (Indra) and was committed elsewhere.

Who is speaking in Bhagavatam 9.13.1 and to whom is the story being narrated?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is speaking, narrating the history of King Nimi (of the Ikṣvāku dynasty) within the Bhagavata’s royal genealogies and teachings on dharma.

What practical lesson does Bhagavatam 9.13.1 teach about dharma in modern life?

It highlights integrity in commitments—honoring prior obligations and acting responsibly even when new, prestigious requests arise.