Shloka 29
मैत्रेयप्रश्नः—पुराणसंहिताप्रतिज्ञा च
Maitreya’s Questions and Parāśara’s Resolve to Teach
इति पूर्वं वसिष्ठेन पुलस्त्येन च धीमता यद् उक्तं तत् स्मृतिं यातं त्वत्प्रश्नाद् अखिलं मम
iti pūrvaṃ vasiṣṭhena pulastyena ca dhīmatā yad uktaṃ tat smṛtiṃ yātaṃ tvatpraśnād akhilaṃ mama
Thus, all that was formerly spoken by the sages Vasiṣṭha and the wise Pulastya has, through your questioning, returned wholly into my remembrance—every part of it, without remainder.
Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How Maitreya’s inquiry reawakens the complete remembered tradition previously taught by Vasiṣṭha and Pulastya.
Teaching: Historical
Quality: revealing
Concept: Right questioning (paripraśna) functions as a catalyst that brings dormant, complete knowledge into manifest articulation.
Vedantic Theme: Atman
Application: Ask precise, sincere questions of competent teachers; keep notes and revisit teachings so understanding becomes integrated and complete.
Vishishtadvaita: Knowledge is not self-generated but awakened through relational means—disciple’s inquiry and teacher’s recollective authority—consistent with grace-mediated epistemology.
FAQs
They function as lineage-authorities: Parāśara signals that his teaching stands in continuity with earlier revered sages, strengthening the Purāṇa’s credibility and traditional transmission.
He implies that the disciple’s sincere inquiry is catalytic—Maitreya’s question causes the previously heard teachings to arise vividly in Parāśara’s memory, enabling a complete exposition.
It establishes the sacred pedagogical setting for revealing Vishnu-centered cosmology and dharma: the tradition is recalled and articulated through a guru-disciple dialogue that will culminate in affirming Vishnu’s supreme governance of the universe.