Shloka 12

वेदव्यास-परम्परा तथा प्रणव-ब्रह्म-स्तुति

Devanagari script

तृतीये चोशना व्यासश् चतुर्थे च बृहस्पतिः सविता पञ्चमे व्यासो मृत्युः षष्ठे स्मृतः प्रभुः

Transliteration

tṛtīye cośanā vyāsaś caturthe ca bṛhaspatiḥ savitā pañcame vyāso mṛtyuḥ ṣaṣṭhe smṛtaḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

In the third, Uśanā (Śukra) is the Vyāsa; in the fourth, Bṛhaspati. In the fifth, Savitṛ is the Vyāsa; and in the sixth, the Lord is remembered as Mṛtyu (Death).

Word by Word

• तृतीये: in the third
• तृतीये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (ellipsis: द्वापरे)

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

• उशना: Uśanā (Śukra)
• उशना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उशना/उशनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (कविः/शुक्राचार्यः)

• व्यासः: (was) the Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Samanaadhikarana (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• चतुर्थे: in the fourth
• चतुर्थे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (ellipsis: द्वापरे)

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

• बृहस्पतिः: Bṛhaspati
• बृहस्पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सविता: Savitā (the Sun)
• सविता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth
• पञ्चमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (ellipsis: द्वापरे)

• व्यासः: (was) the Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Samanaadhikarana (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मृत्युः: Mṛtyu (Death)
• मृत्युः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• षष्ठे: in the sixth
• षष्ठे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (ellipsis: द्वापरे)

• स्मृतः: is said / is remembered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्रभुः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रभुः: the Lord / master
• प्रभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Continuation of the list of Vyāsa-presiding powers across successive Dvāparas

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative and symbolic

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine governance operates through varied cosmic functions—wisdom (Bṛhaspati), impulse (Savitṛ), and even dissolution (Mṛtyu)—all regulating beings back into order.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Contemplate change and death as part of sacred order; cultivate steadiness and devotion amid life’s inevitabilities.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s immanence extends to all functions, including Mṛtyu as a divine mode; plurality of powers remains unified in the one sovereign (Hari).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Uśanā (Śukra)
• Bṛhaspati
• Savitṛ (Sun)
• Mṛtyu (Death)
• Prabhu (the Lord)

FAQs

What is the significance of naming presiding deities for divisions of time in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames time as a governed cosmic order: each segment is supervised by a specific power, showing that chronology operates under divine regulation rather than randomness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic order through figures like Śukra, Bṛhaspati, and Savitṛ?

He presents them as functional authorities within the temporal system—teachers and solar impulse—indicating that knowledge, guidance, and vitality are built into the structure of time.

What is the theological importance of calling Mṛtyu (Death) a form of the Lord here?

It highlights Vaishnava sovereignty: even death is not an independent force but a divine office that restores beings to cosmic balance under the Supreme’s rule.