Shloka 97
Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies
अन्योन्यम् ऊचुस् ते सर्वे सम्यग् आह महामुनिः भ्रातॄणां पदवी चैव गन्तव्या नात्र संशयः
anyonyam ūcus te sarve samyag āha mahāmuniḥ bhrātṝṇāṃ padavī caiva gantavyā nātra saṃśayaḥ
Then they all spoke among themselves; and the great sage declared rightly: “The very path trodden by the brothers must indeed be followed—of this there is no doubt.”
Sūta/Parāśara-narration layer (the text reports: “the great sage said”)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Continuation of the account of Dakṣa’s sons and their decisions after Nārada’s counsel.
Teaching: Historical
Quality: revealing
Concept: Unexamined imitation—following another’s path merely because it was taken before—can become a cause of error and loss.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Before adopting a tradition or ‘proven’ route, verify its purpose and consequences; seek discernment (viveka) rather than herd-following.
Vishishtadvaita: Right guidance by a realized teacher is meaningful only when received with discrimination; dharma is contextual and must be understood, not copied mechanically.
Key Kings: Śabalāśva, Nārada
FAQs
It emphasizes dharmic continuity—upholding an established righteous course within a lineage rather than acting from doubt or impulse.
By presenting exemplary precedents in family lines and confirming them through the sage’s authoritative judgment (“samyag āha mahāmuniḥ”).
Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana frames social and royal order as part of the divine order sustained by Vishnu—dharma expressed through rightful paths and inherited duty.