Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 1
Nābhāga’s Inheritance, Śiva’s Verdict, and the Rise of Ambarīṣa—Prelude to Durvāsā’s Offense
श्रीशुक उवाच नाभागो नभगापत्यं यं ततं भ्रातर: कविम् । यविष्ठं व्यभजन् दायं ब्रह्मचारिणमागतम् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca nābhāgo nabhagāpatyaṁ yaṁ tataṁ bhrātaraḥ kavim yaviṣṭhaṁ vyabhajan dāyaṁ brahmacāriṇam āgatam
ശ്രീശുകദേവ ഗോസ്വാമി പറഞ്ഞു—നഭഗന്റെ പുത്രനായ നാഭാഗൻ ഗുരുവിന്റെ ആശ്രമത്തിൽ ദീർഘകാലം താമസിച്ചു. അതിനാൽ സഹോദരന്മാർ അവൻ ഗൃഹസ്ഥനാകില്ല, മടങ്ങിവരികയും ഇല്ലെന്ന് കരുതി, അവനൊരു വിഹിതം നൽകാതെ പിതൃസ്വത്ത് തമ്മിൽ വിഭജിച്ചു. നാഭാഗൻ ബ്രഹ്മചാരിയായി ഗുരുകുലത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മടങ്ങിയപ്പോൾ, അവന്റെ വിഹിതമായി പിതാവിനെയേ നൽകി।
There are two kinds of brahmacārīs. One may return home, marry and become a householder, whereas the other, known as bṛhad-vrata, takes a vow to remain a brahmacārī perpetually. The bṛhad-vrata brahmacārī does not return from the place of the spiritual master; he stays there, and later he directly takes sannyāsa. Because Nābhāga did not return from the place of his spiritual master, his brothers thought that he had taken bṛhadvrata-brahmacarya. Therefore, they did not preserve his share, and when he returned they gave him their father as his share.
FAQs
This verse introduces how Nabhāga’s brothers divided the family inheritance while he was away in brahmacarya, setting up a discussion on rightful share, fairness, and dharma.
Because he had gone away as a brahmacārī and returned later; by then, his brothers had already apportioned the property, treating him as absent from the division.
The verse shows that choosing disciplined spiritual life can change one’s worldly circumstances; a devotee can learn to prioritize dharma and wisdom over entitlement and resentment.