Shloka 11

वेदव्यास-परम्परा तथा प्रणव-ब्रह्म-स्तुति

Devanagari script

द्वापरे प्रथमे व्यस्ताः स्वयं वेदाः स्वयंभुवा द्वितीये द्वापरे चैव वेदव्यासः प्रजापतिः

Transliteration

dvāpare prathame vyastāḥ svayaṃ vedāḥ svayaṃbhuvā dvitīye dvāpare caiva vedavyāsaḥ prajāpatiḥ

Translation

In the first Dvāpara age, Svayambhū (Brahmā) himself set the Vedas in order; and in the second Dvāpara, Prajāpati—Veda‑Vyāsa—performed that same ordering.

Word by Word

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• प्रथमे: in the first
• प्रथमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (to द्वापरे)

• व्यस्ताः: were divided
• व्यस्ताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√अस्/व्यस् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘वेदाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• स्वयम्: by themselves
• स्वयम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मकर्तृवाचक (reflexive adverb: ‘by themselves’)

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्वयंभुवा: by Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• स्वयंभुवा: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचन

• द्वितीये: in the second
• द्वितीये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (to द्वापरे)

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• वेद-व्यासः: the Veda-Vyāsa
• वेद-व्यासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिः: Samanaadhikarana (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of the earliest Vyāsas (Svayambhū, Prajāpati) in successive Dvāparas

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revelatory and explanatory

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Yuga: Dvapara

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even at the dawn of yuga-cycles, cosmic administrators like Svayambhū and Prajāpati function as Vyāsa to structure revelation for the world’s maintenance.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: See learning and institutional order as sacred responsibilities; organize knowledge for the welfare of many.

Vishishtadvaita: Jagat is upheld by divine ordinance through empowered agents; the Lord as inner ruler enables Brahmā/Prajāpati to act, supporting a theistic governance of cosmos.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• Veda-Vyāsa
• Prajāpati
• Vedas
• Dvāpara Yuga

FAQs

What is the significance of dividing the Vedas in the Vishnu Purana’s yuga framework?

This verse states that Vedic knowledge is periodically arranged (vyasta) in Dvāpara ages so it remains accessible to beings whose strength and memory decline across the yuga cycle.

How does Sage Parāśara explain who organizes the Vedas in different Dvāpara ages?

Parāśara identifies specific agents: in the first Dvāpara, Svayambhū (Brahmā) arranges the Vedas; in the next Dvāpara, the arranger is Veda-Vyāsa, also called Prajāpati.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Though not named in the verse, the Purāṇic view frames such cosmic administration—preservation and re-ordering of revelation across yugas—as functioning under Vishnu’s overarching sovereignty and maintenance of dharma.