Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

नगरस्य बहिः सो ऽथ निदाघं ददृशे मुनिः महाबलपरीवारे पुरं विशति पार्थिवे

Transliteration

nagarasya bahiḥ so 'tha nidāghaṃ dadṛśe muniḥ mahābalaparīvāre puraṃ viśati pārthive

Translation

Then, outside the city, the sage beheld Nidāgha, just as the king, surrounded by a retinue of great might, was entering the royal town.

Word by Word

• नगरस्य: of the city
• नगरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभावार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse particle (अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक-निपात (then/now)

• निदाघम्: Nidāgha
• निदाघम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of seeing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निदाघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ददृशे: saw
• ददृशे: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'सः' इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

• महाबलपरीवारे: in/among a retinue of great strength
• महाबलपरीवारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + परीवार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (महाबलः परीवारः यस्य/महाबलस्य परीवारे)

• पुरम्: the city
• पुरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of entering)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विशति: (as he) enters
• विशति: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate; in participial/scene-setting sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पार्थिवे: in the king (i.e., in the king's city/realm)
• पार्थिवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; 'नरेश्वरे' इत्यर्थे

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Setting the scene: Nidāgha encountered outside the city as the king enters with a powerful retinue.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Characters & Entities

• Nidāgha
• A king (pārthiva)
• A sage (muni)

FAQs

What is the significance of the king entering the city with a mighty retinue in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights worldly sovereignty and social power, setting a deliberate contrast for the teaching that external status is secondary to true knowledge and detachment.

How does Sage Parāśara use the Nidāgha narrative to teach spiritual discernment?

By placing Nidāgha near a display of royal grandeur, the narrative prepares for inquiry into identity and the limits of worldly designations—an entry point to higher understanding.

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

Even where the verse describes worldly kingship, the Purana’s broader intent is to direct attention to Vishnu as the Supreme Reality behind all roles—king, sage, and the order of society itself.