SB 5.4.2

SB 5.4.2

Devanagari

तस्य ह वा इत्थं वर्ष्मणा वरीयसा बृहच्छ्‌लोकेन चौजसा बलेन श्रिया यशसा वीर्यशौर्याभ्यां च पिता ऋषभ इतीदं नाम चकार ॥ २ ॥

Verse text

tasya ha vā itthaṁ varṣmaṇā varīyasā bṛhac-chlokena caujasā balena śriyā yaśasā vīrya-śauryābhyāṁ ca pitā ṛṣabha itīdaṁ nāma cakāra.

Synonyms

tasya of Him ; ha vā certainly ; ittham thus ; varṣmaṇā by the bodily features ; varīyasā most exalted ; bṛhat ślokena — decorated with all the high qualities described by poets ; ca also ; ojasā by prowess ; balena by strength ; śriyā by beauty ; yaśasā by fame ; vīrya śauryābhyām — by influence and heroism ; ca and ; pitā the father (Mahārāja Nābhi) ; ṛṣabhaḥ the best ; iti thus ; idam this ; nāma name ; cakāra gave .

Translation

When the son of Mahārāja Nābhi became visible, He evinced all good qualities described by the great poets — namely, a well-built body with all the symptoms of the Godhead, prowess, strength, beauty, name, fame, influence and enthusiasm. When the father, Mahārāja Nābhi, saw all these qualities, he thought his son to be the best of human beings or the supreme being. Therefore he gave Him the name Ṛṣabha.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Because of his excellent body, praised by many poets, his mental and physical strength, his beauty, fame, influence and courage, he is father called him Ṛṣabha. The word varṣmaṇā (body) is modified by varīyaṣa and bṛhad-ślokena. Vīrya means influence and śaurya means fortitude.

Purport

To accept someone as God or an incarnation of God, one must observe the symptoms of God in his body. All the symptoms were found in the body of Mahārāja Nābhi’s extraordinarily powerful son. His body was well structured, and He displayed all the transcendental qualities. He showed great influence, and He could control His mind and senses. Consequently He was named Ṛṣabha, which indicates that He was the supreme living being.