Shloka 11
Nimi’s Disembodied Liberation and the Rise of the Mithilā (Videha) Dynasty
देवा ऊचु: विदेह उष्यतां कामं लोचनेषु शरीरिणाम् । उन्मेषणनिमेषाभ्यां लक्षितोऽध्यात्मसंस्थित: ॥ ११ ॥
devā ūcuḥ videha uṣyatāṁ kāmaṁ locaneṣu śarīriṇām unmeṣaṇa-nimeṣābhyāṁ lakṣito ’dhyātma-saṁsthitaḥ
ព្រះទេវតានិយាយថា «សូមឲ្យមហារាជ និមិ រស់នៅដោយគ្មានរាងកាយវត្ថុ។ ស្ថិតនៅក្នុងសភាពវិញ្ញាណ ហើយឲ្យមនុស្សមានរាងកាយស្គាល់តាមការបើកបិទភ្នែក; តាមបំណងរបស់ទ្រង់ សូមឲ្យទ្រង់បង្ហាញ ឬមិនបង្ហាញ»។
The demigods wanted Mahārāja Nimi to come to life, but Mahārāja Nimi did not want to accept another material body. Under the circumstances, the demigods, having been requested by the saintly persons, gave him the benediction that he would be able to stay in his spiritual body. There are two kinds of spiritual bodies, as generally understood by common men. The term “spiritual body” is sometimes taken to refer to a ghostly body. An impious man who dies after sinful activities is sometimes condemned so that he cannot possess a gross material body of five material elements, but must live in a subtle body of mind, intelligence and ego. However, as explained in Bhagavad-gītā, devotees can give up the material body and attain a spiritual body free from all material tinges, gross and subtle ( tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna ). Thus the demigods gave King Nimi the benediction that he would be able to stay in a purely spiritual body, free from all gross and subtle material contamination.
FAQs
This verse says the Supreme Self, situated in adhyatma (the inner self), is indicated even through ordinary functions like the eyelids opening and closing—pointing to His presence within embodied life.
Janaka is known as Videha—one who is detached from bodily identification—so the devas address him by a name that highlights his spiritual disposition while speaking of the Self within the senses.
By using everyday bodily processes as reminders of the indwelling Lord—cultivating mindfulness, humility, and devotion rather than seeing the body as independent.