Shloka 1

Devanagari script

निशम्यैतद् अशेषेण मैत्रेय नृपतेः सुतः निर्जगाम वनात् तस्मात् प्रणिपत्य स तान् ऋषीन्

Transliteration

niśamyaitad aśeṣeṇa maitreya nṛpateḥ sutaḥ nirjagāma vanāt tasmāt praṇipatya sa tān ṛṣīn

Translation

Having heard all of this in full, O Maitreya, the king’s son came out from that forest; and approaching those sages, he bowed down before them in reverence.

Word by Word

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + शम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभावे कृदन्त; क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त (absolutive/gerund: “having heard”)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (this)

• अशेषेण: completely
• अशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणप्रयोग (instrumental used adverbially: entirely, without remainder)

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (vocative); एकवचन (O Maitreya)

• नृपतेः: of the king
• नृपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन (of the king)

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (son)

• निर्जगाम: went out
• निर्जगाम: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (went out)

• वनात्: from the forest
• वनात्: Apādāna (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (अपादान) विभक्ति; एकवचन (from the forest)

• तस्मात्: from there
• तस्मात्: Apādāna (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (अपादान) विभक्ति; एकवचन (from there/from that)

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed
• प्रणिपत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नि + पत् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभावे कृदन्त; ल्यबन्त (absolutive: having bowed down)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (he)

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन (those)

• ऋषीन्: sages
• ऋषीन्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन (sages)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Narrative transition: the royal disciple’s response after hearing the instruction

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: vinaya (humility)

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• the king’s son
• Rishis (sages)

FAQs

What is the significance of bowing to sages in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights dharma in action: royal authority is subordinated to spiritual authority, showing that a king’s legitimacy is preserved by reverence to ṛṣis and their guidance.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the king’s son within the larger narrative?

Parāśara presents him as a listener first—one who ‘hears completely’—and then as a doer who responds with humility, reinforcing the Purana’s model of learning through śravaṇa (hearing) followed by proper conduct.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the Purana’s worldview treats dharma and right order as Vishnu’s sustaining power; honoring sages is portrayed as aligning kingship with that divine, sustaining sovereignty.