Shloka 21

भार्गवसर्गः, ऋषिवंशाः, वह्नयः (अग्निवंशः), पितृसृष्टिः

Devanagari script

इत्य् एषा दक्षकन्यानां कथितापत्यसंततिः श्रद्धावान् संस्मरन्न् एताम् अनपत्यो न जायते

Transliteration

ity eṣā dakṣakanyānāṃ kathitāpatyasaṃtatiḥ śraddhāvān saṃsmarann etām anapatyo na jāyate

Translation

Thus has been declared the line of descendants born of Dakṣa’s daughters. Whoever, with faith, recollects this account shall not become bereft of offspring.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular) — सर्वनाम-रूप

• दक्षकन्यानाम्: of Dakṣa’s daughters
• दक्षकन्यानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन (plural) — तत्पुरुषः (दक्षस्य कन्याः)

• कथिता: told/related
• कथिता: Visheshana (Qualifier of एषा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + त (क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular) — भूतकृदन्त (क्त) विशेषण

• अपत्यसंततिः: lineage of offspring
• अपत्यसंततिः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य + संतति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular) — तत्पुरुषः (अपत्यस्य संततिः)

• श्रद्धावान्: faithful
• श्रद्धावान्: Karta (Subject of following clause)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular) — मतुप्/वतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• संस्मरन्: remembering
• संस्मरन्: Karta (Agent; participle agreeing with श्रद्धावान्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्मृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular) — परस्मैपदी-धातु; ‘remembering’ (participial)

• एताम्: this (account)
• एताम्: Karma (Object of संस्मरन्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular) — सर्वनाम-रूप

• अनपत्यः: childless
• अनपत्यः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् + अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular) — नञ्-तत्पुरुष (न अपत्यं यस्य)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• जायते: is born / becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Completion of genealogical enumeration and its fruit (phalaśruti).

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Faithful recollection of sacred genealogical narration (smaraṇa with śraddhā) is presented as efficacious, granting the boon of offspring.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Maintain regular śravaṇa/smaraṇa of Purāṇic narratives with sincerity, integrating devotion into family life and intentions (saṅkalpa).

Vishishtadvaita: Purāṇic smaraṇa functions as a devotional upāya within worldly life, aligning household aims with the sacred order upheld by the Supreme.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Śraddhā (faith) in sacred narration as a dharmic means to household prosperity.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Daksha’s daughters (Dakṣakanyāḥ)
• Progeny/lineages (Apatyasaṃtati)

FAQs

What is the significance of this phalaśruti about remembering Daksha’s lineages in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames the genealogy as a sacred, order-sustaining account: faithful recollection is said to confer the merit of continuity and remove the misfortune of childlessness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of lineage in cosmic order here?

By concluding the enumeration with a stated fruit, Parāśara treats progeny-lines as part of sarga (creation’s unfolding), where remembrance with śraddhā aligns the listener with dharma and continuity.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context of genealogies?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇa’s premise is that such ordered succession belongs to Vishnu’s sovereign governance of creation; genealogies function as a map of that divinely sustained order.