FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.2.23-24

नाभागो दिष्टपुत्रोऽन्य: कर्मणा वैश्यतां गत: । भलन्दन: सुतस्तस्य वत्सप्रीतिर्भलन्दनात् ॥ २३ ॥ वत्सप्रीते: सुत: प्रांशुस्तत्सुतं प्रमतिं विदु: । खनित्र: प्रमतेस्तस्माच्चाक्षुषोऽथ विविंशति: ॥ २४ ॥
nābhāgo diṣṭa-putro ’nyaḥ
[naabhaago dishta-putro ’nyah]
karmaṇā vaiśyatāṁ gataḥ
[karmanaa vaishyataam gatah]
bhalandanaḥ sutas tasya
[bhalandanah sutas tasya]
vatsaprītir bhalandanāt
[vatsapreetir bhalandanaat]
vatsaprīteḥ sutaḥ prāṁśus
[vatsapreeteh sutah praamshus]
tat-sutaṁ pramatiṁ viduḥ
[tat-sutam pramatim viduh]
khanitraḥ pramates tasmāc
[khanitrah pramates tasmaach]
cākṣuṣo ’tha viviṁśatiḥ
[chaakshusho ’tha vivimshatih]
nābhāgaḥ — by the name Nābhāga diṣṭa-putraḥ — the son of Diṣṭa anyaḥ — another karmaṇā — by occupation vaiśyatām — the order of the vaiśyas gataḥ — achieved bhalandanaḥ — by the name Bhalandana sutaḥ — son tasya — of him (Nābhāga) vatsaprītiḥ — by the name Vatsaprīti bhalandanāt — from Bhalandana vatsaprīteḥ — from Vatsaprīti sutaḥ — the son prāṁśuḥ — was named Prāṁśu tat-sutam — the son of him (Prāṁśu) pramatim — was named Pramati viduḥ — you should understand khanitraḥ — was named Khanitra pramateḥ — from Pramati tasmāt — from him (Khanitra) cākṣuṣaḥ — was named Cākṣuṣa atha — thus (from Cākṣuṣa) viviṁśatiḥ — the son named Viviṁśati.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nābhāgo diṣṭa-putro ’nyaḥ
nābhāgaḥ
by the name Nābhāga
diṣṭa-putraḥ
the son of Diṣṭa
karmaṇā vaiśyatāṁ gataḥ
anyaḥ
another
karmaṇā
by occupation
vaiśyatām
the order of the vaiśyas
gataḥ
achieved
bhalandanaḥ sutas tasya
bhalandanaḥ
by the name Bhalandana
sutaḥ
son
tasya
of him (Nābhāga)
vatsaprītir bhalandanāt
vatsaprītiḥ
by the name Vatsaprīti
bhalandanāt
from Bhalandana
vatsaprīteḥ sutaḥ prāṁśus
vatsaprīteḥ
from Vatsaprīti
sutaḥ
the son
prāṁśuḥ
was named Prāṁśu
tat-sutaṁ pramatiṁ viduḥ
tat-sutam
the son of him (Prāṁśu)
pramatim
was named Pramati
viduḥ
you should understand
khanitraḥ pramates tasmāc
khanitraḥ
was named Khanitra
pramateḥ
from Pramati
tasmāt
from him (Khanitra)
cākṣuṣo ’tha viviṁśatiḥ
cākṣuṣaḥ
was named Cākṣuṣa
atha
thus (from Cākṣuṣa)
viviṁśatiḥ
the son named Viviṁśati.
Diṣṭa had a son by the name Nābhāga. This Nābhāga, who was different from the Nābhāga described later, became a vaiśya by occupational duty. The son of Nābhāga was known as Bhalandana, the son of Bhalandana was Vatsaprīti, and his son was Prāṁśu. Prāṁśu’s son was Pramati, Pramati’s son was Khanitra, Khanitra’s son was Cākṣuṣa, and his son was Viviṁśati.

From Manu, one son became a kṣatriya, another a brāhmaṇa, and another a vaiśya. This confirms the statement by Nārada Muni, yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam ( Bhāg. 7.11.35 ). One should always remember that brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas should never be regarded as members of a caste by birth. A brāhmaṇa may be changed into a kṣatriya, and a kṣatriya into a brāhmaṇa. Similarly, a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya may be changed into a vaiśya, and a vaiśya into a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā ( cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ ). So one is a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya never by birth, but by quality. There is a great need of brāhmaṇas. Therefore, in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are trying to train some brāhmaṇas to guide human society. Because at present there is a scarcity of brāhmaṇas, the brain of human society is lost. Because practically everyone is a śūdra, no one at the present moment can guide the members of society to the proper path by which to achieve perfection in life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Diṣṭa had a son by the name Nābhāga. This Nābhāga, who was different from the Nābhāga described later, became a vaiśya by occupational duty. The son of Nābhāga was known as Bhalandana, the son of Bhalandana was Vatsaprīti, and his son was Prāṁśu. Prāṁśu's son was Pramati, Pramati's son was Khanitra, Khanitra's son was Cākṣuṣa, and his son was Viviṁśati. Anyaḥ means a different from another person called Nābhāga discussed later.
Related verses
Nābhāga becomes a vaiśya by occupation — Manu's own sons cross varṇa lines by quality. Vedic society's design respects function over birth, despite later distortions.
Reflection Questions
  • Am I choosing work that matches my qualities or that matches family expectation?
  • What function does the world need from me right now that my 'birth-identity' is keeping me from accepting?
📝 My note

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