Shloka 15

ऋभु-निदाघ-संवादः — अधः-ऊर्ध्व-दृष्टान्तेन अद्वैतबोधः (राजा-गज-उपमा) तथा मोक्षफलश्रुति

Devanagari script

इत्य् उक्तः सत्वरस् तस्य प्रगृह्य चरणाव् उभौ निदाघः प्राह भगवान् आचार्यस् त्वम् ऋभुर् ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

ity uktaḥ satvaras tasya pragṛhya caraṇāv ubhau nidāghaḥ prāha bhagavān ācāryas tvam ṛbhur dhruvam

Translation

Thus addressed, Nidāgha—without hesitation—reverently took hold of both his feet and said: “Blessed one, you are surely my teacher; you are indeed Ṛbhu.”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्तः: having been addressed
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'having been spoken/addressed'

• सत्वरः: quickly (being hasty)
• सत्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'hasty/quick' (as an epithet of Nidāgha)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• प्रगृह्य: having grasped
• प्रगृह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having seized/held'

• चरणौ: (two) feet
• चरणौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), द्विवचन (dual)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; 'both' (qualifying चरणौ)

• निदाघः: Nidāgha
• निदाघः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निदाघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√अह् / √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भगवान्: the venerable one
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आदरार्थक-विशेषणवत् (honorific)

• आचार्यः: teacher
• आचार्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ऋभुः: Ṛbhu
• ऋभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: surely
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (adverb): 'certainly, surely'

Speaker

Nidāgha (speaking to Ṛbhu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True knowledge culminates in humility and recognition of the guru; reverent surrender becomes the doorway to deeper realization.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate teachability: honor authentic teachers, practice gratitude, and let insight express as humility rather than argument.

Vishishtadvaita: Śeṣatva/śaraṇāgati mood: the disciple’s taking of the feet anticipates Vaiṣṇava praxis where surrender to the Lord (and His representative) is central.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Nidagha
• Ribhu

FAQs

What is the significance of touching the teacher’s feet in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, grasping both feet signals Nidāgha’s complete humility and recognition of true spiritual authority—an outward act reflecting inner surrender to right knowledge.

How does the Vishnu Purana present the moment of recognizing a true guru?

Recognition comes through the disciple’s sudden clarity: Nidāgha immediately identifies the speaker as his ācārya Ṛbhu, showing that authentic instruction dispels doubt and reveals the teacher’s identity.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in this line, the Purana frames such guru-disciple awakenings as part of dharmic order sustained by the Supreme—where true knowledge ultimately aligns the seeker with Vishnu as the highest reality.