Shloka 3
Nābhāga’s Inheritance, Śiva’s Verdict, and the Rise of Ambarīṣa—Prelude to Durvāsā’s Offense
इमे अङ्गिरस: सत्रमासतेऽद्य सुमेधस: । षष्ठं षष्ठमुपेत्याह: कवे मुह्यन्ति कर्मणि ॥ ३ ॥
ime aṅgirasaḥ satram āsate ’dya sumedhasaḥ ṣaṣṭhaṁ ṣaṣṭham upetyāhaḥ kave muhyanti karmaṇi
The father said: All these descendants of Aṅgirā are now performing a great sattrayajña. Though highly intelligent, O poet, on every sixth day they become bewildered in the sacrificial rites and commit mistakes in their daily duties.
Nābhāga was very simple hearted. Therefore when he went to his father, the father, out of compassion for his son, suggested that as a means of livelihood Nābhāga could go to the descendants of Aṅgirā and take advantage of their misgivings in performing yajña.
FAQs
This verse states that even very intelligent sages can become bewildered in karma (ritual performance), implying that external ritual alone may not guarantee clarity without higher spiritual grounding.
He references their ongoing sacrificial session to illustrate how complex ritual processes can lead to confusion, setting a contrast often emphasized in the Bhagavatam between karma and devotional surrender.
Even sincere people can get lost in procedures and rules; the takeaway is to keep the spiritual purpose—purification and remembrance of the Divine—at the center rather than only the mechanics.