Shloka 3

निमिश्चलमिदं विद्वान् सत्रमारभतात्मवान् । ऋत्विग्भिरपरैस्तावन्नागमद् यावता गुरु: ॥ ३ ॥

nimiś calam idaṁ vidvān satram ārabhatātmavān ṛtvigbhir aparais tāvan nāgamad yāvatā guruḥ

Mahārāja Nimi, knowing this life to be unsteady and being self-realized, did not wait long for Vasiṣṭha; he began the satra sacrifice with other priests.

nimiḥNimi
nimiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootnimi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
calamunsteady, impermanent
calam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootcala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying)
idamthis (world/thing)
idam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootidam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)
vidvānthe wise one, knowing
vidvān:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvidvas (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √vid (धातु) + क्तवत्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive participle)
satrama sacrificial session (satra)
satram:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsatra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
ārabhatbegan, commenced
ārabhat:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√rabh (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन
ātmavānself-possessed, resolute
ātmavān:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootātman + vat (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessing)
ṛtvigbhiḥby/with the priests
ṛtvigbhiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootṛtvij (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
aparaiḥother (priests)
aparaiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootapara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्
tāvatso long, meanwhile
tāvat:
Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottāvat (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; काल/परिमाण-अर्थक अव्यय (temporal/extent adverb)
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
āgamatcame, arrived
āgamat:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√gam (धातु) उपसर्ग: ā-
Formलङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन
yāvatāuntil (the time when)
yāvatā:
Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyāvat (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-शब्द)
Formअव्यय; यावत्-शब्दः (correlative) ‘until/as long as’
guruḥthe teacher (guru)
guruḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootguru (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, śarīraṁ kṣaṇa-vidhvāṁsi kalpānta-sthāyino guṇāḥ: “The duration of one’s life in the material world may end at any moment, but if within this life one does something worthy, that qualification is depicted in history eternally.” Here is a great personality, Mahārāja Nimi, who knew this fact. In the human form of life one should perform activities in such a way that at the end he goes back home, back to Godhead. This is self-realization.

N
Nimi
V
Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

This verse highlights that a wise person recognizes the uncertainty of worldly situations and therefore acts responsibly and promptly in dharma, without assuming everything will align perfectly.

Because Vasiṣṭha did not arrive within the expected time, Nimi—considering the time-sensitive nature of sacrificial duties—commenced the rite with other priests.

Do your duties with discipline and awareness that circumstances can change; plan responsibly, respect teachers, but also avoid paralysis when timelines and obligations require timely action.