Shloka 16
ऋभु–निदाघ-संवादः—अद्वैत-उपदेशः, समता, वासुदेव-स्वरूप-एकत्वम्
तं भुक्तवन्तम् इच्छातो मिष्टम् अन्नं महामुनिम् निदाघः प्राह भूपाल प्रश्रयावनतः स्थितः
taṃ bhuktavantam icchāto miṣṭam annaṃ mahāmunim nidāghaḥ prāha bhūpāla praśrayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ
When the great sage had eaten the sweet food according to his wish, Nidāgha—standing before the king with reverent humility and a bowed demeanor—addressed him: “O ruler of the earth …”
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; the reported speech is by Nidāgha to King Ṛbhu)
FAQs
The verse highlights that true instruction is approached through reverence and self-effacement; Nidāgha’s bowed posture signals that spiritual insight is grounded in humility rather than status.
Parāśara frames the lesson as a lived encounter: after hospitality and proper conduct, Nidāgha begins instruction, showing that dharma and wisdom unfold naturally within respectful social and spiritual exchange.
Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Purana’s ethic is Vishnu-centered: rightful sovereignty and conduct (of king and sage alike) are meaningful because they align with the sustaining cosmic order upheld by the Supreme Reality.