Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 9
Nābhi’s Sacrifice and Lord Viṣṇu’s Promise to Appear as a Son (Ṛṣabhadeva’s Advent Prelude)
श्लोक ५.३.९ तद्यथा बालिशानां स्वयमात्मन: श्रेय: परमविदुषां परमपरमपुरुष प्रकर्षकरुणया स्वमहिमानं चापवर्गाख्यमुपकल्पयिष्यन् स्वयं नापचित एवेतरवदिहोपलक्षित: ॥ ९ ॥
tad yathā bāliśānāṁ svayam ātmanaḥ śreyaḥ param aviduṣāṁ parama-parama-puruṣa prakarṣa-karuṇayā sva-mahimānaṁ cāpavargākhyam upakalpayiṣyan svayaṁ nāpacita evetaravad ihopalakṣitaḥ.
Lạy Chúa tể của các chúa tể, Đấng Tối Thượng tối thượng, chúng con thật ngu muội; chúng con không biết cách thực hành dharma, artha, kāma và mokṣa, vì chúng con không biết mục đích đời sống. Ngài hiện ra trước chúng con như thể một người đến xin được thờ phụng, nhưng kỳ thực Ngài ở đây chỉ để chúng con được thấy Ngài. Với lòng từ bi dồi dào và vô cớ, Ngài đến vì lợi ích của chúng con, để ban cho chúng con vinh quang cá nhân của Ngài gọi là apavarga—giải thoát. Dù do vô minh chúng con không thờ phụng Ngài cho xứng đáng, Ngài vẫn tự thân hiện diện.
Lord Viṣṇu was personally present at the sacrificial arena, but this does not mean that He had any interest in His own personal benefit. Similarly, the arcā-vigraha, the Deity in the temple, is present for the same purpose. Out of His causeless mercy, the Supreme Personality of Godhead presents Himself before us so that we can see Him. Since we have no transcendental vision, we cannot see the spiritual sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha of the Lord; therefore, out of His causeless mercy He comes in a form we can see. We can only see material things like stone and wood, and therefore He accepts a form of stone and wood and thus accepts our service in the temple. This is an exhibition of the Lord’s causeless mercy. Although He has no interest in such things, in order to receive our loving service He agrees to act as He does. We cannot actually offer suitable paraphernalia for the Lord’s worship because we are completely ignorant. It was out of His causeless mercy that the Lord appeared in the sacrificial arena of Mahārāja Nābhi.
FAQs
In this verse, apavarga refers to liberation—the Lord’s revealed path and state of freedom from material bondage, shown out of compassion for both the ignorant and the learned.
The verse says the Lord is never actually diminished, yet He becomes perceivable in the world “as if” ordinary, so conditioned souls can recognize His glory and be guided toward liberation.
Approach divine teachings with humility—whether one is educated or not—and look for the Lord’s guidance through revealed scripture and saintly instruction, aiming for inner freedom rather than only worldly success.