Shloka 30

मैत्रेयप्रश्नः—पुराणसंहिताप्रतिज्ञा च

Maitreya’s Questions and Parāśara’s Resolve to Teach

Devanagari script

सो ऽहं वदाम्य् अशेषं ते मैत्रेय परिपृच्छते पुराणसंहितां सम्यक् तां निबोध यथातथम्

Transliteration

so 'haṃ vadāmy aśeṣaṃ te maitreya paripṛcchate purāṇasaṃhitāṃ samyak tāṃ nibodha yathātatham

Translation

Therefore, O Maitreya, to you who have rightly inquired, I shall declare the Purāṇic compendium in full. Attend carefully, and understand it exactly as it truly is.

Word by Word

• सः: he (that one)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वदामि: I speak, I will tell
• वदामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अशेषम्: entirely, without remainder
• अशेषम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially: entirely)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक-रूपम्

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• परिपृच्छते: (to you who) ask, inquire
• परिपृच्छते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• पुराणसंहिताम्: the Purāṇa-saṃhitā
• पुराणसंहिताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुराणस्य संहिता)

• सम्यक्: properly, correctly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• ताम्: that (it)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘पुराणसंहिताम्’ इत्यस्य अन्वयः

• निबोध: understand, learn
• निबोध: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• यथातथम्: as it truly is, in proper manner
• यथातथम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-द्वन्द्वः; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverbial: as it is, in due order)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Formal commencement: promise to expound the Purāṇasaṃhitā completely and accurately in response to Maitreya’s proper inquiry.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Purāṇic teaching must be received with attentive exactness (yathātatham), for it is intended as a complete and truthful exposition.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Study systematically (chapter-wise), verify understanding by revisiting sources, and avoid selective reading that distorts the teaching’s intent.

Vishishtadvaita: ‘Yathātatham’ underscores that the supreme is positively describable through śāstra; faithful reception preserves the Lord’s attributes and the world’s real dependence on Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Purāṇa (Purāṇa-saṃhitā)

FAQs

What is the significance of “yathā-tatham” in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals a commitment to present the teaching “as it truly is,” emphasizing faithful transmission and doctrinal clarity in the Purāṇic narration.

How does Sage Parāśara respond to Maitreya’s inquiry here?

He accepts the disciple’s question as proper and vows to explain the Purāṇa-saṃhitā completely and correctly, establishing the text’s dialogic teaching method.

What is the theological importance of this verse for Vaishnava philosophy?

It frames the Vishnu Purana as a deliberate, complete revelation meant to be understood accurately—preparing the ground for teachings on Vishnu’s supremacy and cosmic governance.