Shloka 18

Nābhi’s Sacrifice and Lord Viṣṇu’s Promise to Appear as a Son (Ṛṣabhadeva’s Advent Prelude)

Devanagari script

तत आग्नीध्रीयेंऽशकलयावतरिष्याम्यात्मतुल्यमनुपलभमान: ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

tata āgnīdhrīye ’ṁśa-kalayāvatariṣyāmy ātma-tulyam anupalabhamānaḥ.

Translation

కాబట్టి, నాతో సమానుడెవ్వరూ లభించనందున, నేను స్వయంగా నా అంస-కలారూపంగా అవతరించి, ఆగ్నీధ్రుని కుమారుడు మహారాజ నాభి భార్య మేరుదేవి గర్భంలో ప్రాదుర్భవిస్తాను.

Synonyms

• tataḥ: therefore/then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (ततः)

• āgnīdhrīye: in Āgnīdhrīya (line/realm)
• āgnīdhrīye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āgnīdhrīya (आग्नीध्रीय, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7 विभक्ति), Singular; place/lineage reference ‘in Āgnīdhrīya’

• aṁśa-kalayā: by a partial portion (of Myself)
• aṁśa-kalayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṁśa (अंश, प्रातिपदिक) + kalā (कला, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular; dvandva in sense ‘by a part and portion’ (collective)

• avatariṣyāmi: I will descend
• avatariṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√tṝ (तॄ/तॄ, धातु; ‘to cross/descend’)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada; ‘I shall descend’

• ātma-tulyam: equal to Myself
• ātma-tulyam: Karma (कर्म) (as intended result/attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman (आत्मन्, प्रातिपदिक) + tulya (तुल्य, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object-complement sense ‘equal to Myself’

• anupalabhamānaḥ: not finding (one equal)
• anupalabhamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifying implied subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√labh (लभ्, धातु) with negation a-
• Form: Present active participle (कृत्: शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘not finding/realizing’

Purport

This is an example of the omnipotence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although He is one without a second, He expands Himself by svāṁśa, His personal expansion, and sometimes by vibhinnāṁśa, or His separated expansion. Lord Viṣṇu herein agrees to send His personal expansion as the son of Merudevī, the wife of Mahārāja Nābhi, who is the son of Āgnīdhra. The ṛtvijaḥ, the priests, knew that God is one, yet they prayed for the Supreme Lord to become the son of Mahārāja Nābhi to let the world know that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is one without a second. When He incarnates, He expands Himself in different potencies.

Characters & Entities

• Āgnīdhra

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord descending as an aṁśa-kalā (partial expansion)?

This verse states that the Lord chooses to appear by a partial expansion (aṁśa-kalā) to fulfill His purpose, emphasizing His freedom to manifest in suitable lineages.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī mention the dynasty of Āgnīdhra here?

He highlights a specific royal lineage as the setting for the Lord’s descent, showing how divine appearances are connected with sacred dynasties in the Bhagavata narrative.

Practical application of the teaching that no one is equal to the Supreme Lord?

It encourages humility and surrender—recognizing God’s unmatched position helps a devotee rely on bhakti rather than ego, status, or worldly power.