Shloka 4

भार्गवसर्गः, ऋषिवंशाः, वह्नयः (अग्निवंशः), पितृसृष्टिः

Devanagari script

प्राणश् चैव मृकण्डुश् च मार्कण्डेयो मृकण्डुतः ततो वेदशिरा जज्ञे प्राणस्यापि सुतं शृणु

Transliteration

prāṇaś caiva mṛkaṇḍuś ca mārkaṇḍeyo mṛkaṇḍutaḥ tato vedaśirā jajñe prāṇasyāpi sutaṃ śṛṇu

Translation

From that lineage were born Prāṇa and Mṛkaṇḍu; from Mṛkaṇḍu came Mārkaṇḍeya. Thereafter Vedaśiras was born—now hear also of the son of Prāṇa.

Word by Word

• प्राणः: Prāṇa (a sage named Prāṇa)
• प्राणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• मृकण्डुः: Mṛkaṇḍu (sage)
• मृकण्डुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृकण्डु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya (sage)
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मृकण्डुतः: from Mṛkaṇḍu
• मृकण्डुतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मृकण्डु (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिलन्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from (someone)’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): क्रम/अनन्तर (then/thereafter)

• वेदशिराः: Vedaśiras (name; ‘head of the Veda’)
• वेदशिराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदशिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य शिरः)

• जज्ञे: was born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• प्राणस्य: of Prāṇa
• प्राणस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (also/even)

• सुतम्: son
• सुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Genealogical enumeration of sages and their progeny within the creation narrative.

Teaching: Genealogical

Quality: authoritative, enumerative

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Tapas/ṛṣi-dharma (ascetic integrity associated with Mārkaṇḍeya).

Key Kings: Prāṇa, Mṛkaṇḍu, Mārkaṇḍeya, Vedaśiras

Characters & Entities

• Prāṇa (sage)
• Mṛkaṇḍu (sage)
• Mārkaṇḍeya (sage)
• Vedaśiras (sage)
• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of rishi genealogies in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse models how dharma and Vedic knowledge are preserved through named successions of sages, presenting lineage as a mechanism of cosmic and social continuity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain lineage progression in this chapter?

Parāśara narrates births in a concise chain—naming progenitors and descendants—so Maitreya can track authoritative transmission across generations.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana frames ordered succession as part of Vishnu’s sustaining sovereignty—lineage becomes a sign of the world’s divinely upheld structure.