Shloka 19
Nimi Questions the Yogendras: Varṇāśrama’s Purpose, Ritualism’s Fall, and Yuga-Avatāras with Kali-yuga Saṅkīrtana
श्री राजोवाच कस्मिन् काले स भगवान् किं वर्ण: कीदृशो नृभि: । नाम्ना वा केन विधिना पूज्यते तदिहोच्यताम् ॥ १९ ॥
śrī-rājovāca kasmin kāle sa bhagavān kiṁ varṇaḥ kīdṛśo nṛbhiḥ nāmnā vā kena vidhinā pūjyate tad ihocyatām
พระราชานิมีทูลถามว่า: ในแต่ละยุค พระผู้เป็นเจ้าสูงสุดทรงปรากฏในกาลใด ด้วยสีสันและรูปแบบเช่นไร? และในสังคมมนุษย์ พระองค์ทรงได้รับการบูชาด้วยพระนามใด และด้วยระเบียบวิธีและหลักปฏิบัติแบบใด? ขอได้โปรดกล่าวให้แจ้ง ณ ที่นี้เถิด
It has been clearly established in the previous verses that human life is spoiled if one does not surrender unto the Supreme Lord and engage in His loving devotional service. Therefore the King is now requesting the sages to give specific details about the worship of the Lord because this devotional process has clearly been described as the only practical means of delivering the conditioned soul.
FAQs
This verse introduces the topic by asking which age the Lord appears in, His complexion and identity, and the specific name and method by which He is worshiped—setting up the Bhagavatam’s yuga-wise explanation of devotional worship.
In the dialogue of Canto 11, King Nimi seeks clear guidance from exalted sages about recognizing the Lord’s manifestation in a given age and practicing the appropriate, authorized method of worship.
It teaches a seeker to ask: “What is the authentic form of worship for my time?”—encouraging disciplined, scripture-aligned devotion rather than improvised spirituality.