Devanagari
श्री राजोवाच
कस्मिन् काले स भगवान् किं वर्ण: कीदृशो नृभि: ।
नाम्ना वा केन विधिना पूज्यते तदिहोच्यताम् ॥ १९ ॥
Verse text
śrī-rājovāca
kasmin kāle sa bhagavān
kiṁ varṇaḥ kīdṛśo nṛbhiḥ
nāmnā vā kena vidhinā
pūjyate tad ihocyatām
Synonyms
śrī
—
rājā uvāca — the King said
;
kasmin
—
in what
;
kāle
—
time
;
saḥ
—
He
;
bhagavān
—
the Supreme Lord
;
kim varṇaḥ
—
having what color
;
kīdṛśaḥ
—
having what form
;
nṛbhiḥ
—
by men
;
nāmnā
—
by (what) names
;
vā
—
and
;
kena
—
by what
;
vidhinā
—
processes
;
pūjyate
—
is worshiped
;
tat
—
that
;
iha
—
in our presence
;
ucyatām
—
please speak .
Translation
King Nimi inquired: In what colors and forms does the Supreme Personality of Godhead appear in each of the different ages, and with what names and by what types of regulative principles is the Lord worshiped in human society?
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
King Nimi said: In what colors and forms does the Supreme Lord appear in each of the different ages, with what names and by what types of rules is the Lord worshiped by men?
Such persons cannot be delivered except by the appearance of the Lord in this world. Having concluded this, the King asks this question. Kīdṛśaḥ means “what type of form.”
Purport
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.