Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 20
Nābhi’s Sacrifice and Lord Viṣṇu’s Promise to Appear as a Son (Ṛṣabhadeva’s Advent Prelude)
बर्हिषि तस्मिन्नेव विष्णुदत्त भगवान् परमर्षिभि: प्रसादितो नाभे: प्रियचिकीर्षया तदवरोधायने मेरुदेव्यां धर्मान्दर्शयितुकामो वातरशनानां श्रमणानामृषीणामूर्ध्वमन्थिनां शुक्लया तनुवावततार ॥ २० ॥
barhiṣi tasminn eva viṣṇudatta bhagavān paramarṣibhiḥ prasādito nābheḥ priya-cikīrṣayā tad-avarodhāyane merudevyāṁ dharmān darśayitu-kāmo vāta-raśanānāṁ śramaṇānām ṛṣīṇām ūrdhva-manthināṁ śuklayā tanuvāvatatāra.
Naquele sacrifício, os grandes sábios agradaram a Bhagavān Viṣṇudatta, e o Senhor ficou satisfeito. Para cumprir o desejo do Mahārāja Nābhi e revelar o método do dharma segundo os āśramas, Ele apareceu como filho de Merudevī em Sua forma espiritual original, além dos modos materiais.
When the Supreme Lord appears or descends as an incarnation within this material world, He does not accept a body made of the three modes of material nature ( sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa ). Māyāvādī philosophers say that the impersonal God appears in this material world by accepting a body in the sattva-guṇa. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī states that the word śukla means “consisting of śuddha-sattva. ” Lord Viṣṇu descends in His śuddha-sattva form. Śuddha-sattva refers to the sattva-guṇa which is never contaminated. In this material world, even the mode of goodness ( sattva-guṇa ) is contaminated by tinges of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. When sattva-guṇa is never contaminated by rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, it is called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam ( Bhāg. 4.3.23 ). That is the platform of vasudeva, whereby the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, can be experienced. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.7) Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself says:
FAQs
This verse explains that the Lord descends because He is pleased by the sages’ worship and to fulfill King Nābhi’s desire, while also revealing dharma to Merudevī and the ascetic ṛṣis.
Viṣṇudatta here refers to the Supreme Lord who appears in response to sacrifice and devotion—manifesting in a pure, radiant form to establish dharma in Nābhi’s lineage.
By understanding that sincere devotion, guided worship, and respect for dharma attract divine grace—and that true spirituality includes both devotion and disciplined living.