Shloka 5

वेदव्यास-परम्परा तथा प्रणव-ब्रह्म-स्तुति

Devanagari script

द्वापरे द्वापरे विष्णुर् व्यासरूपी महामुने वेदम् एकं स बहुधा कुरुते जगतो हितः

Transliteration

dvāpare dvāpare viṣṇur vyāsarūpī mahāmune vedam ekaṃ sa bahudhā kurute jagato hitaḥ

Translation

O great sage, in every Dvāpara age, Viṣṇu Himself—assuming the form of Vyāsa—takes the single Veda and arranges it into many divisions, for the welfare of the world.

Word by Word

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative singular

• द्वापरे: in Dvāpara (each time)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; repeated

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• व्यासरूपी: in the form of Vyāsa
• व्यासरूपी: Visheshana (Adjectival to विष्णुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यास+रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘having the form of Vyāsa’

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक: महा+मुनि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• वेदम्: the Veda
• वेदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival to वेदम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; agrees with वेदम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• बहुधा: in many ways, into many parts
• बहुधा: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• कुरुते: makes, divides
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular

• हितः: beneficial (for)
• हितः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √धा with नि/हि-भाव)
• Form: कृदन्त/विशेषण, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; predicate adjective to सः; ‘beneficial’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Vyāsa in each age and the reason for Veda-division

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Purpose: In each Dvāpara-yuga, Bhagavān manifests as Vyāsa to divide the single Veda into many for the welfare of the world.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Preservation and accessibility of Vedic revelation and ritual-ethical order

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu Himself safeguards śruti by periodically embodying as Vyāsa to reorganize revelation for the good of beings.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Approach scriptural study as a grace-mediated gift; use traditional divisions (saṃhitā, brāhmaṇa, etc.) as supports rather than obstacles.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān is both transcendent Lord and immanent guide of history, entering time to sustain dharma and the means of knowing Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vyasa
• Veda
• Dvapara Yuga

FAQs

What is the significance of Veda division in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that Vishnu, as Vyāsa, divides the single Veda into multiple branches in every Dvāpara age so that beings of varying capacity can preserve and practice sacred knowledge.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the yuga-cycle’s effect on dharma and scripture?

Within the yuga framework, Parāśara presents revelation as adaptively organized: as conditions change across ages, Vishnu ensures continuity by restructuring the Veda for effective transmission.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is shown not only as the Supreme Reality but also as the active governor of cosmic and spiritual order, personally guiding the world by shaping how the Veda is accessed and safeguarded.