Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

तवोपदेशदानाय पूर्वशुश्रूषणादृतः गुरुस् ते ऽहम् ऋभुर् नाम्ना निदाघ समुपागतः

Transliteration

tavopadeśadānāya pūrvaśuśrūṣaṇādṛtaḥ gurus te 'ham ṛbhur nāmnā nidāgha samupāgataḥ

Translation

Nidāgha, I have come to you—I, your teacher named Ṛbhu—moved by the reverence you once showed through devoted service, and wishing now to impart instruction to you.

Word by Word

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उपदेश-दानाय: for giving instruction
• उपदेश-दानाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the purpose of); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (उपदेशस्य दानम्)

• पूर्व-शुश्रूषण-आदृतः: pleased by prior service
• पूर्व-शुश्रूषण-आदृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदृत (कृदन्त; √दृ (धातु) + आ उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पूर्वं शुश्रूषणम् → पूर्वशुश्रूषणम्; तेन आदृतः = 'honoured/pleased by prior service')

• गुरुः: the teacher
• गुरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th) एकवचन (enclitic); सर्वनाम

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Apposition (Co-referent/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ऋभुः: Ṛbhu
• ऋभुः: Apposition (Co-referent/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper noun)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करणार्थे ('by name/as named')

• निदाघ: O Nidāgha
• निदाघ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निदाघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• समुपागतः: has arrived
• समुपागतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: समुपागत (कृदन्त; √गम् (धातु) + सम्+उप उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक-प्रयोग (past participle used predicatively: 'has come/arrived')

Speaker

Sage Ṛbhu (addressing Nidāgha, as narrated within Parasara’s discourse to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Instruction is transmitted through a living guru-disciple bond, and prior reverent service ripens into eligibility for liberating teaching.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate disciplined service, listening, and ethical conduct; treat learning as a sacred relationship rather than mere information.

Vishishtadvaita: Emphasizes śeṣatva (servant-attitude) toward the teacher and, by extension, toward Bhagavān—an affective foundation for knowledge in Vaiṣṇava practice.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Ṛbhu
• Nidāgha
• Guru
• Śiṣya (disciple)

FAQs

What is the significance of the guru–disciple relationship in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

The verse frames instruction as a fruit of prior devoted service (śuśrūṣā), presenting the guru–śiṣya bond as the proper channel for transmitting liberating knowledge.

How does the Vishnu Purana portray readiness for spiritual teaching in the Ṛbhu–Nidāgha episode?

Readiness is shown through earlier reverence and attentive service; Ṛbhu’s return ‘to give instruction’ implies that humility and discipline qualify the student for deeper teaching.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this single line, the Purana’s broader purpose is to orient such instruction toward realizing the Supreme Reality upheld by Vishnu—where right discipline and right knowledge culminate in liberation.