nābhāgo nabhagāpatyaṁ

Durvāsā’s Curse

|| 9.4.1 ||

śrī-śuka uvāca

nābhāgo nabhagāpatyaṁ

yaṁ tataṁ bhrātaraḥ kavim

yaviṣṭhaṁ vyabhajan dāyaṁ

brahmacāriṇam āgatam

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The brothers gave to their youngest, learned brother Nābhāga their father Nabhaga as his share of the property when he returned from brahmacārī life

The Fourth Chapter tells the story of Nabhaga and Ambarīṣa, how a demon arose from Durvāsā’s hair and how Durvāsā was burned by the cakra. Nabhaga’s son was Nābhāga. His brothers gave this youngest, learned brother, his father as his share of property, when he returned from brahmacārī life. There was no property to give. Thinking he had taken lifelong brahmacārya, they had already divided their father’s property before he returned.

 

|| 9.4.2 ||

bhrātaro 'bhāṅkta kiṁ mahyaṁ

bhajāma pitaraṁ tava

tvāṁ mamāryās tatābhāṅkṣur

mā putraka tad ādṛthāḥ

Nābhāga inquired, "My dear brothers, what have you given to me as my share of our father's property?" His elder brothers answered, "We have kept our father as your share." But when Nābhāga went to his father and said, "My dear father, my elder brothers have given you as my share of property," the father replied, "My dear son, do not believe their words."

This verse describes their conversation. Nābhāga asked, “O brothers! What have you allotted to me as my share of the property? The brothers said, “Hearing that you renounced, we did not leave you a share. Now however, we have your father. We will give you your father as your share. Please take your father who earns all wealth.” He went to the father and said, “O father! My elder brothers have given you to me as my share of wealth. You have become my share.” Another version has kim mamāryās tatābhāṅkṣuḥ: “O father, why have they given you to me, saying that they owned you. Why did my brothers give you to me?” The father said, “O son for whom I have affection! Do not believe their words. I am not a property that can be enjoyed.”    

|| 9.4.3 ||

ime aṅgirasaḥ satram