Text 19
śrī-śuka uvāca
iti niśāmayantyā merudevyāḥ patim abhidhāyāntardadhe bhagavān.
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; niśāmayantyāḥ — who was listening; merudevyāḥ — in the presence of Merudevī; patim — unto her husband; abhidhāya — having spoken; antardadhe — disappeared; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After saying this, the Lord disappeared. The wife of King Nābhi, Queen Merudevī, was sitting by the side of her husband, and consequently she could hear everything the Supreme Lord had spoken.
According to the Vedic injunctions, one should perform sacrifices in the company of one’s own wife. Sapatnīko dharmam ācaret: religious rituals should be performed with one’s wife; therefore Mahārāja Nābhi conducted his great sacrifice with his wife by his side.